When I wrote about Miss Macarena Saturday, the Gaming Commission had not yet disclosed the death of another horse killed while training last Sunday at Aqueduct. So – with 3-year-old Senso’s premature demise from a “possible pelvis fracture,” the Big A can now boast 19 dead athletes since the Fall/Winter meet began in late October:
5-year-old Summer Sunset, Oct 31, race 2 (fractured leg)
4-year-old Jesses Giant Dunk, Oct 31, race 3 (ruptured ligament)
4-year-old Knockher Off, Nov 12, race 5 (neck trauma)
9-year-old Cherokee Artist, Nov 28, race 6 (fractured leg)
4-year-old Princes On Thelake, Dec 3, race 5 (fractured cannon)
3-year-old Warrior’s Hero, Dec 4, race 3 (fractured carpus)
5-year-old Half Nelson, Dec 5, race 8 (fractured shoulder)
7-year-old Quick Money, Dec 5, race 8 (neck trauma)
5-year-old Sage Valley, Dec 10, race 8 (apparent cardiac arrest)
5-year-old Ludo Bagman, Dec 11, race 1 (fractured sesamoids)
4-year-old Celebrate We Will, Dec 26, race 1 (fractured leg)
5-year-old Wicked Irish, Dec 27, race 2 (undisclosed leg trauma)
2-year-old Golden Bay, Jan 2, race 6 (fractured leg)
5-year-old Shewreckstheplace, Jan 4, race 5 (fractured sesamoids)
2-year-old Channel of Love, Jan 9, training (fractured leg)
4-year-old Apex, Jan 9, race 2 (fractured leg or ankle)
4-year-old You Take the Cake, Jan 15, race 2 (fractured neck)
3-year-old Senso, Jan 18, training (fractured pelvis)
3-year-old Miss Macarena, Jan 22, race 1 (fractured leg)
Outrageous. And the carnage continues while the inane meetings go on attended by such people as Jacobson, Dubb, and his trainer of choice, Rodriguez. Dubb is an owner and big time developer in Long Island, I can’t help but wonder what his expertise in horsemanship is ?? I guess he must be an “expert” since his winnings for last year topped $4, 000,000 !! These people are a big part of the claiming culture . This whole situation stinks.