The following horses were casualties on American tracks last week. This list, however, includes only raceday victims, for while I’d prefer a more complete reckoning, the training carnage, with but two exceptions (NY, Cal), is almost entirely covered up.
Reported as died, euthanized, or “broke down” – racing-speak for dead:
Time for a J, Turf
Sergush, Fair Grounds
Reported as “vanned off” – left via ambulance, a better-than-even chance of dead:
Rockets Double Digit, Hialeah
Rangey, Sam Houston
Favorite At Midnight, Sunland
Dr Franks Troy Boy, Sunland
Birdie Brew, Sunland
JL’s Princess, Gulfstream
Cattle Act, Turf
Executive Driven, Charles Town
Dream Serenade, Golden Gate
Mel Beach, Gulfstream
Sir Leslie, Gulfstream
Lady Smokem, Fair Grounds
Bright Ocean, Los Alamitos
Katelynn’s the One, Sam Houston
Kokopellis Babycakes, Sunland
Alexis Charm, Fair Grounds
Bowman’s Causeway, Gulfstream
Stel Surprise, Sunland
Stroller, Tampa Bay
Catalina Red, Tampa Bay
Street Spice, Fair Grounds
Jmf Swing Vote, Hialeah
Pacific Coast, Sunland
Bonnie Baby, Tampa Bay
Success Is Life, Tampa Bay
H’s Cat, Turfway
Other:
Don’t Go Away Mad, Sunland, bled
Silver Bolt, Penn, fell, DNF
Noap, Penn, fell, DNF
Rockin Alli, Aqueduct, “stumbled badly,” DNF
Derek Fever, Delta, “bumped, forced over the rail,” DNF
North Light Lady, Laurel, “stumbled badly,” DNF
Little Rocco, Aqueduct, “stumbled badly,” DNF
Bren’s Golden Girl, Laurel, “stumbled badly,” DNF
Executive Driven. I recognized her name right away. RIP poor girl. I absolutely hate this mares previous race connections and I especially cannot stand her GReed Driven, Breeder/CTHS Director: FRANK D. DI GIULIO Jr
To folks unfamiliar with Ontario TB Racing, Frank D. Di Giulio and Robert P. Tiller may just be names that show up on Equibase after researching a horse name. But the truth is these high living (endless) cash grabbing men have no respect or compassion for any horse whatsoever. Di Giulio owned the stallion Domasca Dan and made $$plenty$$ off him. Also, these guys have had so many stakes winning tbs over past decades – its incredible.
A few of these horses are: Press Exclusive, Forever Grand, Rare Friends, and Top Ten List.
Furthermore, its undeniable that these guys Do NOT keep horses around for retirement purposes.
PATRICK – Thank You for continuing your great work with posting Horse Racing Wrongs.
I own a horse that is tattooed with zero starts. His trainer is listed as Frank Di Giulio Jr. His sire is Winsfordan by Domasca Dan. I love my horse, but he came with many scars and quirks that I have been trying to figure out for the past four years. If you or anyone you know can help me solve this puzzle, and why he has zero starts, I would greatly appreciate it.
What is his jockey club name?
It is Winsformom. Thanks for your help.
Thank you, SD.
Lisa, SD was unable to locate this post and asked me to get back with you about your horse. Unfortunately, she was not able to find any additional information on Winsformom nor on his former racing connections including his breeder.
I’m assuming you’re aware of what’s in Equibase about your fella? – but just in case you are not, this is the information there;
Winsformom, Ontario-bred
Foaled April 3, 2010
By Trajectory, out of Winsfordan, by Domasca Dan
Trainer and Owner, not available
Breeder, Frank Di Giulio, Jr.
Wish you were able to obtain some history on him – but I’m just glad he is safe with you. TY!
Thank you so much for your help.
Lisa…you might have already found this little bit of info, but just in case you haven’t…(I did a bit of googling);
Your gelding is a half-brother to the 2001 Canadian Horse of the Year, Win City. Win City’s trainer was Robert Tiller and it appears Tiller trained a number of Di Giuloui’s (Sr. and Jr.) horses.
Who knows? – maybe Tiller trained your guy but something happened that he never started? Contact information that I found for Tiller is (phone number) 416-674-4661 and e-mail address, rgtiller@hotmail.com (I do wonder about that e-mail address as his middle initial is P…but you could try the rgtiller one first and then try rptiller if you’re unsuccessful).
Tiller has current entries at Woodbine.
Good luck!
Wow! Thank you so much for your help.
Lisa – you could try to contact Frank Di Giulio Jr at home
(416) 207- 9298 Fax (416) 633-2824 or call the Security Stable Gate at Woodbine toll free 1 800 268-9967 ext.2303 & leave a message for Bob Tiller & Frank Di Giulio
I think your horse was likely born at the formerly owned ‘Gardiner Farms’ in Caledon East, Ontario – a 30 min drive from Woodbine. The farm address is 6197 Patterson Road and over time, it has operated under different names, in more recent years.. Paradox Farms then Mapleville Farms. Eventually,the 300 acres were divided & sold after the deaths of original owners, George & Helen Gardiner followed by President & DVM Michael Colterjohn. Anyways, the stallion roster from this one farm location alone, over the years, included Bold Executive, Ciano Cat, Domasca Dan, Trajectory, Regal Discovery, Spaniard, and Where’s the Ring among others. I doubt the (over-used and well-deserving) broodmare, Winsfordan, faced a kind ending of her life but I’d love to be proved wrong on this.
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, I feel your probably right. But I hope she found a good home somehow.
Thank you Jo-Anne!
Thank you, Jo-Anne, for enlightening us about Di Giulio and Tiller. GREED is one of the first things I think of when it comes to horseracing. It’s all about the money. EGO, a close second.
So these small men had Press Exclusive?…well they certainly didn’t ensure THAT wonderful mare a loving, safe retirement, now did they! Not only did PE labor on the track and have HER earnings taken by her connections (nothing set aside for her retirement, obviously), she was then SOLD as a broodmare…her life was stolen from her a second time. She had nine foals, yet, “her ‘thanks’ and payback was a trip to the slaughterhouse”. Press Exclusive was nearly trampled to death in the trailer heading to slaughter. The link to her horrific story and her salvation by a NON-RACE rescuer is here: http://www.equineadvocates.org/EquinesBlog/?p=906
Joy,
Thank you so much for posting this story about Press Exclusive and information about this group that rescues horses. They have many powerful stories on their site.
these are the kind of stories that the racing public needs to see. those are heartbreaking photos of how Press Exclusive arrived from the slaughter truck bound for death. I have seen so many photos like that at the slaughter house when they arrive in Canada. I watched in horror as horses were slaughtered in undercover videos in Canada like the ones that Patrick has on this site and i still cannot get those images out of my mind.
ASPCA and HSUS and PETA have also seen those photos and those videos as well and their silence on this subject is stunning to my mind. There should be a sense of urgency in Congress to stop this abuse and there is not. I hold all these groups accountable that have the money and the backing that could stop this insanity immediately and do not.
The horse named Press Exclusive made so much money for so many people yet they would not make sure that she had a good home. that is criminal behavior. the story of her life is repeated by so many others daily that were not rescued and are now dead.
All these animal abusers and killers should be in jail.
Congressman Vern Buchanan Rep of Florida is trying to get it passed. I called may 8th and they said aug or sep it should be sent to the house. Federal law banning horses to be transported to slaughter*****
Joy,
One more thought.
PETA goes to Circuses with fliers showing the abuse that is done to Elephants. That is a good thing. I Love Elephants. I think RIngling BRos has 60 Elephants and they are being treated badly and they do need to be rescued.
PETA should be Also going to the horse racing track with photos of Ferdinand (Kentucky Derby winner who was slaughtered in Japan) and photos of other race horses that were brutally slaughtered at the slaughter house and photos of Press Exclusive being rescued from the slaughter house truck and hos she looked when they first rescued her.
IT would take a lot more courage to go up against the racing and gambling group than it does to go up against Ringling Brothers so tragically HSUS,PETA and ASPCA are not doing what they could to stop this insane treatment of horses.
SO far, this website is the only website (created by Patrick) that has the courage to stand up to the racing industry and gambling industry and expose the truth and the deaths at the track.
http://www.equineadvocates.org/userfiles/image/PressExclusive%20020%20-%20reduced.jpg
Every gambler and every person who attends the horse races at the race track should see what happens to many of the horses they are gambling on.
This one was fortunately rescued. Every year, tens of thousands more are not rescued and they end up dead at the track or at the slaughterhouse.
The photo of Press Exclusive I just posted was taken by Mindy Lovell of Transitions Thoroughbred, in December 2012, the day she rescued Press after the horse was nearly trampled to death on a slaughter-bound trailer in Canada
Press Exclusive, the race horses that had raced 48 times and had given birth to nine foals and was rescued from a truck bound for the slaughter house by a Canadian rescue group named “Transitions Thoroughbreds” Mindy Lovell who runs the group saved her life.
From the article on the Equine Advocates.org website that Joy shared with us.
Dec. 2012
“When the vet pulled Press off the slaughter truck, she could barely walk.”
“Press had four broken ribs, cuts and lacerations across her entire body and her head was so swollen and injured from being stepped on that she was not able to open her eyes. Consequently, the vet wanted to euthanize her on the spot and condemn her carcass because of her dire condition…But something amazing happened instead. Lovell convinced the vet to give her a chance to help Press recover and he did. At first, she would not eat, but then slowly but surely, with lots of love and TLC, Press was on her way to recovery. That, in itself, was nothing short of a miracle!
July 2013
Fast forward to July of 2013, Equine Advocates was contacted by Marlene Murray of The Race Fund in Harrisburg, PA who was trying to help Mindy Lovell place several rescued Thoroughbreds in sanctuaries. Press Exclusive was one of them. The decision was quickly made to give Press the permanent, loving home she always deserved. Plans were made to ship her to the U.S. and on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, Press stepped on a trailer in Canada and arrived at Equine Advocates Rescue & Sanctuary in Chatham, NY that same day.
The horse industry, as a whole, needs to do much more to take responsibility for the horses it breeds. No horse should ever have to endure what Press went through…And as for Press, herself, we think she is really enjoying her retirement in the Hudson Valley region of New York State. She is surrounded by people who care for her on a daily basis, in addition to all of her new admirers who come to visit Equine Advocates especially to meet “The Press!”
________________________________________________
May God Bless Mindy Lovell and everyone else who is rescuing these magnificent horses.
From this most recent list of racing casualties, RANGEY…so on 1-26-15 at Sam Houston (TEXAS), Rangey, a 2009 gray gelding, “was used up then stopped…and was vanned off”, his owner-BMS Racing Stable (Sarah Delany) and his trainer-Sarah Delany. This poor gelding was a DNF his race before this one…on 12-13-14, Rangey “quickly gave way and eased up in the lane”…this at Gulfstream (FLORIDA) for owner-Rosebud Stable and trainer-Marcus Vitali. Don’t you wonder what that long trip from Florida to Texas was like for Rangey. Passed around, just “damaged goods”.
BMS Stable (Sarah Delany)-owner and Sarah Delany-trainer also raced the little bay filly KATELYNN’S THE ONE…”stumbled…pulled up…vanned off”. Not yet three years old.
In this same race where Katelynn’s the One was vanned off, the Asmussen father-son duo of Keith and Steve raced Pretty Adieu. The gray filly who has her third birthday in March, “was USED UP then stopped”.
I was sickened by the press exclusive story I read months ago I live 30 miles from a race track do not go there don’t want to unless to check out the horses they need to be rescued I just hate it when all the horse people and gamblers come to town the businesses here survive that four months out of the year they are here spending money sooo many residents have protested to shut it down but it is part of history they say been here since 1800’s so what animal abuse is a felony in so many states now but racing horses doesn’t count its a disgrace how ignorant people are
FYI, Success is Life is not deceased. I recently purchased him, and he is doing great in retraining as a dressage horse. Yes, he was injured, but he is, and has been, doing fine
Success is Life is one of the too few lucky ones…it’s always good to hear of the injured and discarded horses who have received a second chance – I hope you are committed to him for life. And, of course, the fact that there are some fortunate racehorses who make it out alive will never justify the crippling, killing and slaughtering of countless others. And to think, all for an unnecessary gambling industry.