Through a “Public Records” request, I have confirmed the following 24 deaths at Florida racetracks in the 2nd quarter, 2014:
2-year-old Lucky Leroy, April 2, Tampa Bay, training
3-year-old Olmeca, April 4, Calder
“ruptured bladder” (DNF in his only race, March 21)
“Destroyed by: L. Gonzalez” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
4-year-old Vivi’s Party Girl, April 7, Calder
“internal bleeding” (in her last race on March 30, finished last – 50+ lengths back)
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
2-year-old First Glance, April 9, Tampa Bay, training
3-year-old D K Warrior, April 10, Tampa Bay, training
2-year-old Mongol Ring, April 11, Calder 1
“Destroyed by: H. Carroll” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
2-year-old Moonshine Gracie, April 13, Gulfstream, training
5-year-old Kollos, April 14, Calder, training
“Destroyed by: Euthanasia” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
5-year-old Onetwopunch, April 17, Tampa Bay, training
4-year-old Goodness Sakes, April 18, Calder, training
4-year-old Soulsinging, April 20, Gulfstream, training
4-year-old Classy Marlene, April 20, Calder 6
“fractured P1 & P2 left hind, shattered with no limb stability”
“Destroyed by: H. Carroll” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
4-year-old Skinner, April 25, Tampa Bay, training
5-year-old Marine, April 26, Gulfstream 9
3-year-old Country Tricker, May 1, Calder
“Destroyed by: Not Apply, Died by himself – Barn 50 Stall 12”
Mayan Summer, May 1, Calder, training
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
Owner: Just For Fun Stables
3-year-old Dumpling Man, May 3, Tampa Bay 7
“rt rear broken”
6-year-old Kid Curry, May 7, Tampa Bay, training
4-year-old Humor Me Doc, May 9, Gulfstream 1
4-year-old Explosive Smile, May 12, Gulfstream, training
5-year-old Summer Blaze, May 31, Calder, training
“breakdown – fetlock, sesamoids”
“Destroyed by: E. Abreu” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
6-year-old Fabulous and Clear, June 3, Calder, training
“disarticulated fetlock”
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
5-year-old Impetuous Power, June 10, Calder
“colic”
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
4-year-old Pegasus Star, June 21, Calder 7
“apparent cardiac arrest/heart attack”
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
Of the 6 horses killed while racing, 5 were originally reported (on the charts) as merely “vanned off” (one took a “van ride”); only 1 was listed as “broke down” (racing-speak for dead); the 18 training/other deaths, of course, were completely hidden. Translation: As far as the public knew, only 1 horse died on/at Florida tracks during these three months, not the 24 we reveal today. It’s a grand ruse, folks.
You don’t know how much ugliness exists in Florida….it is worse than the days when August Belmont shut down racing in New York and cleansed the backstretch of all riff-raff and immoral trainers, jocks, grooms, etc. This time, racing can’t be cleaned up. The crimes are too horrific and savage. The gates have to close permanently. Racing is nothing more than a hell on earth for horses.
It is hard to believe such savagery is going on and , even worse, is accepted. I wonder about the statement
“destroyed by H. Carroll ” Who is this guy and how are the horses “destroyed” ??.
Rose – surely people like H Carroll and the others listed are qualified vets. Please don’t tell me that just anyone can go in and kill a finished with racehorse in any manner he chooses. Lowes Dead Animal Removal would be doing a roaring trade with the racehorses. Do they not question their part in all of this. Removing a dead animal say from a horse show where horse broke its leg and was euthanased by a vet on duty, well Lowes Dead Animal Removal would be doing its job ethically in that instance. But all of these racehorses and they don’t query it and go to the authorities and say THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG HERE WITH SO VERY MANY OF THESE ANIMALS DYING ON RACETRACKS.
Yes, they are vets. I included those lines for the crudeness of the phrase (“Destroyed by”).
Lowes is in the dead animal business. The more dead animals it removes the more money it makes. Ethics in the animal business is a scarce commodity !
Are most race horses insured?
No, Gina, the majority of horses are not insured.
Great work Patrick, thanks for what you are doing for these horses.
3-year-old Olmeca, April 4, Calder
“ruptured bladder” (DNF in his only race, March 21)
“Destroyed by: L. Gonzalez” “Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
I would be surprised if this horse didn’t show signs of being unwell prior to its FIRST AND LAST START and just a baby. I would be interested to know if it is a Racing Rule that before a horse is permitted to race in its very first start, it has firstly competed in an official barrier trial (to see if horse has any problems and is suitable to race). Or can a trainer just train up a horse a few weeks before its very first race start and see how it goes on raceday?
4-year-old Vivi’s Party Girl, April 7, Calder
“internal bleeding” (in her last race on March 30, finished last – 50+ lengths back)
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
Just wondering if April 7 was the date of her death or date disclosure that she had died and was “removed”. If it was her date of death I hate to think of her suffering. Wonder what her post race care management was after coming home so very distanced. I managed to look up her history and if I’ve interpreted it correctly she had 6 starts in her career and was put in claiming races. I tried to look at her last race but one has to be a customer to do so.
3-year-old Country Tricker, May 1, Calder
“Destroyed by: Not Apply, Died by himself – Barn 50 Stall 12″
I’ve assumed that “Barn 50” is on a racetrack. He was in stall 12 with no doubt other horses in that barn and NO ONE NOTICED that his behaviour was indicating that he was not well. Appears cheaper to let the horse die by himself than calling a vet in. I was told that in India some trainers/owners just leave finished with racehorses in stables and let them starve to death. Imagine walking along feeding in form horses and walking past the finished with ones starving and slowly dying.
There was a wonderfully strong woman in India who fought very hard for the horses there and gave the racing authorities and politicians a hard time and got somewhere and did make a change albeit small.
5-year-old Impetuous Power, June 10, Calder
“colic”
“Removed by: Lowe’s Dead Animal Removal”
Oh and here we have another one – COLIC. As I’ve posted before as soon as you see a horse displaying symptoms that MIGHT be colic you call a vet in immediately because it is a horrible agonizing death for a horse. Really, there is no excuse for a horse to die from colic these days because so much can be done for them if acted on early. Appears no one bothered to call a vet in.
I do not know all of these horses’ histories but if these horses were not performing well and no longer viable, then my experience has been that their health/welfare is never a consideration.
Thanks, Carolyn. Yes, according to the documents I received, Vivi died on April 7th.