Saturday, I posted on the breakdown/death of La Ranchera at Tampa Bay the day before. Her fatal crumple, you may remember, initiated a pileup that eventually included four horses. One – Bright Promise – was listed as vanned off; the other two – 6-year-old Juliebrowneyes and 3-year-old Carol Ann – were merely reported as “fell over a fallen foe.” Nothing more – no word of breakdowns or ambulances. Turns out, according to a reliable source at the track, that both are dead – euthanized, like La Ranchera, for catastrophic injuries.
Juliebrowneyes was a 26-start career claimer, used for her entire life by trainer Edward Williams and owner/breeder Gail Wright. Carol Ann was first put to the whip back in May. After six cheap Suffolk claiming races (mostly, every 7-14 days) under trainer Alan Lockhart/owner Lloyd Lockhart, she was sold to Miranda Downing for $5,000. Two more at Suffolk, then she was shipped south for Friday’s race.
This business’ Big Lie – the racehorse as athlete, the horserace as sport – is not some harmless marketing ploy. By manipulating the masses and massaging the politicians, this terrible industry is allowed to function in the face of wholesale destruction. Sure, three dead (and another maimed) in a single race is a rare event, but death on American racetracks is not – it happens multiple times every day. So when they start with “this was an anomaly, a fluke,” refer them to this. Then watch them squirm.
If I remember correctly you provided the link so that we could watch the race. I remember seeing two of the riderless horses still running in the race and thought thank goodness two of them are not injured. I couldn’t be more wrong in thinking that. What a shame, my heart breaks for these horses.
Patrick, It breaks my heart to hear of all the abuse these beautiful animals are having to endure. Thank you for keeping us all informed of these tragedys that are unfolding everyday. I know it breaks your heart as well. Shawna O’Connor
Yes it does, Shawna. Thank you.
You have a lot more listed than other sites, thank you for being more informative than the rest!
A few weeks ago I bet on Julie Browneyes. That was before I found this blog and others that expose all the abuse. This weekend was the first weekend I did not gamble on horses. I bought some lotto scratchers. I had no desire at all to bet. The sad thing is I only remember a couple of the horses names that I bet on, I guess it didn’t matter all I cared about was winning money. I feel pretty bad about that and hypocritical since I think of myself as an animal lover.
Thank you for sharing, Gina. This means a lot.
Gina,
I think many people who go to races love horses and they have no idea what abuse is going on behind the scenes because of the huge cover up in the media.
Nor do they know the following: This is from Patrick and horse racing wrongs
http://horseracingwrongs.com/category/horse-anatomy/
A reminder from equine vet Kraig Kulikowski:
“A two year old horse is the equivalent to a six year old human. Neither species is mentally or physically mature at this age. Asking a six year old human to be exploited as a professional athlete for economic gain would be considered inhumane. Exploiting juvenile horses for economic gain is equally inhumane. They are subject to permanent mental and physical trauma that, in too many cases, is catastrophic and even fatal.”
Speaking of drugging race horses.
Please call Florida Senate to encourage them to pass this bill.
Florida Senate to Discuss Uniform Racehorse Medication Bill
By Tom LaMarra
Feb 15, 2015
Legislation governing equine medication policy is scheduled to be heard Feb. 18 by the Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee.
Introduced by Republican Sen. Jack Latvala, the bill would bring Florida racing in line with the National Uniform Medication Program. The effort by Florida stakeholders to update equine medication regulations began in earnest in 2014.
The bill calls for adoption of the Controlled Therapeutic Medication Schedule, which establishes conditions of use and maximum concentrations for commonly used therapeutic drugs approved the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI). There currently are 26 substances on the list.
The legislation includes a provision for the RCI drug classification system and its related penalties.
Furosemide, the anti-bleeding medication also known as Salix or Lasix, would be the only medication permitted within 24 hours of a race but not within four hours of a race, according to the legislation. The language removes permission to use prednisolone sodium succinate, a synthetic corticosteroid sold as Solu-Delta-Cortef, on race day.
Finally, the bill requires the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering to require its laboratory and any independent labs to participate in an external quality assurance program designed to assess testing proficiency.
original article is on the Blood Horse
I will no longer support horse racing, grayhound racing, circuses, animals in cages for human pleasure, etc.
Thank you, Sean.
That’s alright.
One of the problems with horse racing is that even champions and graded stakes winners can end their lives unhappily. Consider:
(1) Lady’s Secret, winner of 11 Grade 1 races, died as a result of foaling complications when she should have been enjoying her retirement years;
(2) Go For Wand, multiple Grade 1 winner, broke down in the now infamous speed duel with Bayakoa and was euthanized;
(3) Bayakoa, winner of 12 Grade 1 races on two continents, died as a result of laminitis due to foaling complications when she should have been enjoying her retirement years;
(4) Prairie Bayou, Grade 1 winner, broke down and had to be euthanized;
(5) Landseer, Grade 1 winner in Europe and North America, suffered a horrific injury and was euthanized;
(6) Monzante, Grade 1 winner, broke down and was euthanized;
(7) Caixa Electronica, multiple graded stakes winner, died in an exercise collision with maiden Six Drivers, etc.
All for human greed and entertainment. And this list is by no means exhaustive.
Yes, Sean…all for greed and entertainment. I will NEVER forget Go for Wand’s breakdown. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t turn against this gambling, abusive industry then…it took a number of years loading broken, discarded racehorses onto my own trailer…and standing with too many when there was nothing to stop their pain but death.
There are so many others, like:
(1) Pine Island, dual Grade 1 winner, broke down in the Breeders Cup Distaff and was euthanized;
(2) Barbaro, Grade 1 winner, broke down in a Triple crown race and was euthanized about eight months later due to incurable laminitis;
(3) George Washington, multiple Grade 1 winner in Europe, broke down in the Breeders Cup Classic in the United States and had to be euthanized;
(4) The filly Eight Belles, graded stakes winner, suffered compound fractures of both front ankles after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby and was euthanized;
(5) Turallure, Grade 1 winner in Canada and second in the Grade 1 Breeders Cup Mile in the USA, broke down during a routine gallop at Keeneland and was euthanized;
(6) Wigmore Hall, Grade 1 winner in Canada, broke down on a track in England and was euthanized, etc.
And these are only some of the unfortunate Grade 1 and graded stakes casualties of this industry.
What about the numerous horses running in the lower, less prestigious racing divisions like Juliebrowneyes and Carol Ann, etc., etc., etc.? The suffering these poor animals endure is quite inestimable.
Thank you for the comment, Sean. Just one correction: Juliebrowneyes is still alive.
I know.