Four horses “broke down” on American tracks yesterday; all can be presumed dead:
4-year-old I Jus Wana Hav Fun went down in the 1st at Fair Grounds. The 22-start mare was “for sale” at $5,000 prior to falling. Trainer/owner, Edward Johnston.
4-year-old Wonderfella dropped in the 4th at Laurel. Wonderful symmetry here – yesterday was his birthday. Trainer, Benjamin Perkins; owner, New Farm.
6-year-old Praise a Native “broke down, [and was] hauled off” in the 5th at Rillito. “Broke down, hauled off” – industry callousness laid bare. Six times in the last two years, this abused equine was raced twice within a 10-day period, most recently February 8th and yesterday. Trainer, Santiago Lowe; owners Lowe/Mario Morales.
4-year-old Way to Go Gerda was felled in the 9th at Sunland. First put to the whip as a 2-year-old – the rough equivalent of a human 1st-grader – this mare endured 30 starts, all under trainer Roy Marcom and owner/breeder Larry Strain.
Patrick,
You stated in your post.
“a 2-year-old – the rough equivalent of a human 1st-grader.”
It is deeply tragic that those coming to this list that “love” horse racing and defend it can read your posts and not be moved by the reality that these people that race these horses are guilty of horse abuse just like they would be guilty of child abuse if they were taking a 1st grade child and ……
Drugging them and beating them and forcing them to run faster than their body could take.
Absolutely, Kathleen.
Question,
When these horses die in a race or at the track don’t they need autopsies so the insurance can be paid to current owners ?
Kathleen, the majority of horses aren’t insured. Spend some time at a low level track. Many owners/trainers can’t afford to feed themselves, much less their horses. Some live in their cars and trucks. Mount Carmel, a hospital system here in central Ohio, used to send a mobile unit to the track to provide care for those who couldn’t afford it. I knew very few who even had health insurance. I became good friends with the track chaplain, Reverend Harris, and several times took food to him so that he could feed the hungry. I don’t think the majority of people have a clue when it comes to the realities of low level racing. Yes, the horses suffer a great deal but so do the people who depend on the track to make their living. The difference is that people can choose their lot in life…animals can’t.
Horse will try their hearts out for you…why or why does it have to cost them their lives? Any other sport with such high killer statistics would be shut down by now…why are these horses such disposable commodities? Stop racing babies …this so called sport of kings does not give the horses a sporting chance…disgusting…
Why doesn’t industry ban these trainers? This is why racing is approaching its demise. The industry does nothing to protect the horse. V