The only two states to publicly disclose dead racehorses are New York and California (though with the latter, names are not always given). Last year, the two combined for 273 killed. But remember, both states count only those who die at their tracks – plenty more are euthanized off-premises – so this is a conservative reckoning:
Aqueduct, 23 dead
Belmont, 42 dead
Finger Lakes, 34 dead
Saratoga, 14 dead
Batavia (harness), 1 dead
Buffalo (harness), 3 dead
Monticello (harness), 4 dead
Tioga (harness), 1 dead
Vernon (harness), 1 dead
Yonkers (harness), 3 dead
Del Mar, 18 dead
Golden Gate, 43 dead
Los Alamitos, 20 dead
Santa Anita, 55 dead
Alameda County Fair, 2 dead
Humboldt County Fair, 1 dead
Los Angeles County Fair, 2 dead
San Joaquin County Fair, 3 dead
Sonoma County Fair, 3 dead
Thank you Patrick. But for your tireless work and dedication we would be left in the dark seeing only the ‘beauty’ of racing. You are not only a hero to horses, but an inspiration to never give up writing the wrongs.
And I second Susan’s words, Patrick. There are far too few people who have not only the resolve to do what you do here at Horseracing Wrongs, but also the courage to stand amongst the naysayers and speak the truth. Thank you.
The number of the known dead horses in just these two states is astounding. For those who call this a sport and apathetically accept these tragic deaths, would you do the same if these were adolescents?…of the human variety? Not a single living being should be dying for your entertainment.
How we as human’s, can accept this without utter disgust, and outrage is beyond me to even try to fathom. As long as there are the group’s of addicted bettor’s, that sadly like a drug addict will sell their, and their family’s last object of any worth to bet “just this one last time” on the last race he/she will EVER bet on, because “this will be the big payoff” there will be greedy owner’s, trainer’s, jockey’s and sadly horse racing …
Agreed, 3fathorses…I continually silently question how anyone with an ounce of compassion can simply accept these horses’ deaths…they have their lives snuffed out for a bet. And it’s more than just the bettors who are betraying the horses…those who offer support to this industry by keeping the secrets and perpetuating the lies are just as guilty.
Thank you, Patrick, for fighting to give these horses a voice. I thought you might like to know that Los Al has begun writing “not euthanized” for horses vanned off and not killed. I attribute this small change to social media. Obviously I don’t know who reads your work here (many I suspect) but I do know who reads my Face Book posts on the subject based on the scumbag trainers (or the even lower specimins who send their employees to tell me “Get a life” or “Why don’t you just kill yourself?” minus the correct spelling and grammar. Anyhow: WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Not enough but some… the fact that Los Al is telling who hasn’t died is halfway to having them tell us who did. IF WE DO NOT CONTINUE TO EXPOSE TH E WRONGDOINGS AND SHAME THE PERPETRATORS, THESE HORSES HAVE NO HOPE OF A BETTER FUTURE. P.S. I’ve been very down through the holidays (my first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year without my fiancé who passed away last spring — it’s been rugged)… anyhow, I’m hard at work fact-checking and double checking and adding enough information to the Charles Town dead from 2009 to 2013 so that those who bother to read about their sad lives and deaths will… how to explain… will understand on a deep level that these were living beings with emotions and feelings. I’m sure you understand. Best wishes to you and yours, and I will try to have at least 2009 posted (my God, there are so many with the overwhelming majority 100% preventable — and that’s another thing, I’m explaining what a compound/comminuted fracture is, what a slab fracture to the third carpal is and what causes it, etc. — many people, even horse people, don’t know all the bones in the knee or the progression of sesamoid fractures and fractures to the MCIII — and I WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND… ANYHOW, I’m on it, and whatever value (if any) this info has for you, mon ami, it’s yours for the copying. I AM ALSO GOING TO PUBLISH MY YEAR-END LIST OF INFRACTIONS PLUS BREAKDOWNS: it’s very powerful when all on one list with ages, race conditions, connections names — you start to see the patters… later, you.
Thank you kindly, Linda. And here’s to things getting better for you.
Linda,
Can you give us a link to your facebook page ? I would love to see what you write.
I am so sorry to hear about your fiance passing away last Spring. That had to be a terrible experience to go through.