Through a “Public Records Act” request, I have confirmed the following 15 deaths at Louisiana Downs in 2014. (With these Louisiana reports, I have noted that training deaths were not included in the Commission documents. After reaching out again, I received this response: “We do not track or maintain a list of deaths that occur during training hours as those are more often than not handled between the trainer and their private veterinarian.” In all, Louisiana reported 73 fatalities at its four tracks. If training deaths were included, we could probably almost double that total.)
4-year-old Jazz Under the Oaks, February 8, “died” – unstated cause
4-year-old First Prize Prince, February 16, Louisiana 2, “displaced acute”
chart said “injured, did not finish”
2-year-old Chica de La Noche, February 23, Louisiana 7, “comminuted acute”
chart said “stopped, euthanized”
3-year-old Aggressive Prize, March 3, Louisiana 5, “comminuted acute”
chart said “fell, euthanized”
6-year-old First Spirit, March 26, “sudden death – colic”
3-year-old Aztec Secret, May 10, Louisiana 3, “open severe acute”
chart said “fell, euthanized”
3-year-old Rulers Brite Lite, May 17, “trauma – paresis/paralysis”
3-year-old Oriental Silk, May 18, Louisiana 8, “acute”
chart said “fell, euthanized”
6-year-old Eric the Ram, May 24, Louisiana 1, “comminuted acute”
chart said “pulled up, vanned off”
3-year-old Loooch’smachoman, May 25, Louisiana 3, “comminuted displaced acute”
chart said “pulled up, vanned off”
6-year-old J.B.’s Marquis, June 14, Louisiana 5, “compound displaced acute”
chart said “pulled up, euthanized”
3-year-old Ol’ Bob, June 19, Louisiana 4, “open severe acute”
chart said “fell, euthanized”
3-year-old Movin’ On Up, July 25, Louisiana 8, “displaced open acute”
chart said “fell, euthanized”
3-year-old Kitagal, August 30, Louisiana 3, “displaced open acute”
chart said “faltered, euthanized”
4-year-old Sequoia Skyline, September 4, Louisiana 4, “acute”
chart said “pulled up, vanned off”
“We do not track or maintain a list of deaths that occur during training hours as those are more often than not handled between the trainer and their private veterinarian.”
It appears to me that the Louisana racing authority is wiping its hands of non-race deaths (training) which the racing industry, generally speaking, has done since the year dot.
Agreed, Patrick. Based on my research in just my State (my findings were closer to tripling the deaths) so one could at the very least double that figure of 73 horses at its 4 tracks in 2014. It appears that one hundred and forty-six horses (146) horses is closer to the truth but the racing industry appears to have great difficulty in being transparent and disclosing the real truth.
My understanding is that the horses that are not included in these statistics are the ones that have suffered a serious injury during a race but are not euthanased at the track on raceday. Then in the subsequent days trainer/owners/vet decide to euthanase the horse. These are the HIDDEN RACEDAY DEATHS!
Yes, that is true, Carolyn.
Patrick,
Will you please let us know when you have heard from all the tracks.
Even then, tragically it will be quadruple or more of what your final list is considering the amount of race horses being sent to slaughter each year.
SAY DAT WHO – 3 year old gelding
Speaking of Louisianna and dead race horses
SAY DAT WHO was put to sleep after being discovered with a severe head wound
A 3-year-old Thoroughbred suffering from a gruesome head wound—slicing in an arc from the top of his head through his right eye— was dumped off this week at a Louisiana horse lot in May of this year.
Angelo Trosclair saw the horse standing in the lot and he transported the animal to the Red River Equine Hospital in Benton, La.
The shockingly injured gelding was identified via a lip tattoo as Thoroughbred Say Dat Who
He was wearing new racing plates 2) nobody called the vet or euthanized him
I was told that The breeders name is Margie K. Albert of La. She probably knows who his owner (if not her) and trainer is. That info wasn’t available on equibase, he may not have run yet.
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2015/05/15/tbred-with-head-wound-dumped-dies-at-age-3/
I posted (today) a comment on the OTTB site re the article by Susan Salk re SAY DAT WHO and Maggi Moss but it was not published. I have submitted the following new comment and it is awaiting moderation – it will be interesting to see if it is published.
According to equibase.com this horse never raced. This horse was bred by the racing industry, this horse was registered/named in readiness to embark on a racing career, racing plates were put on him and he was highly likely in training. Therefore the racing authorities have the responsibility to find out who the owner was, who the trainer was and who the farrier was. Authority, power, resources and certain Rules is all that is required here and the racing industry cannot say that it is not armed with these requirements. It is highly likely the breeder sold him on and then again it is possible that she kept ownership/part ownership, which is what some breeders do.
As Blackhorse1Jan commented
“Whoever drops a horse off at an auction has to leave their name and address for a check can be sent to them when their horse sells. The auction barns has to have that information.”
In my experience with horrific cases similar to this one, the 3 year old SAY DAT WHO, the person/entity who dropped this horse off and the names of the owner, trainer and farrier would’ve been found within days by the very powerful racing industry.
Well there you go……… they’ve refused to publish my above comment.
Yes SUSAN SALK and MAGGI MOSS the truth sure can be uncomfortable.
Another pro-racing forum where it is absolutely forbidden to say anything remotely
critical of the racing industry. Constructive criticism they just cannot cope with…..?
Their behaviour is very telling indeed and i can only feel pity for them.
Meant to add my original comment –
“If a genuine attempt was made to find out who was responsible for this abhorrent
cruelty the relevant information would be to hand by now. Deeds not words.”
Looks as though they’ve had a re-think and published the above comment.
Here is an interesting post that i thought was worth sharing on the subject of LOUISIANA and HORSES
I did NOT write this post. Christa May wrote this post on May 17th
_____________________________________________________________
The Arabian Horse Association advocates for sending horses to slaughter.
The AQHA (quarter horses) advocates for owners to be able to do what they want with their horses…ie SLAUGHTER…as the AQHA registers the most foals of any breed organization each year and those large breeders need someplace to send their culls.
There is a monthly sale in Billings MT where on the Sunday of the Sale after Cowboy Church they run the “loose” horses through the ring, these horses are basically headed for the Canadian slaughterhouses (because the Billings company will help you with the paperwork to get them across the border). Just like the old TB mares TB trainer Steve Asmussen and his father sent through the ring as loose horses at a sale in Texas, but other folks saved from that trip to Mexico.
Ahmed Zayat (google him) was traveling in Europe between his horse’s Derby and Preakness wins.
In April he and his stellar NY trainer Rudy Rodriguez (google him) took the half brother to American Pharaoh (the winner of those races), Xixixi (who Zayat bred from his own dubious stallion) to Maryland and entered him in a $5000 claiming race after he was running in NY for $12,500 and the horse was claimed there in MD. Will Zayat know if the horse drops below the 5000…will he care? A friend of Zayat, a regular on Byk’s radio show, gets downright offended if someone calls him to say a horse he bred is racing for $1500 at Turf Paradise (AZ) and does he want to ensure the horse has a soft landing. Will Zayat step up if that happens to Xixixi?
Zayat sold his namesake, Mr. Z, prior to the Preakness for a “generous” offer. How much of this goes to the horses he has been responsible for? How much does he donate to TB aftercare? Bet we won’t hear about that on his twitter account.
You folks need to make your comments more pointed; BREEDERS and OWNERS need to be held way more accountable. There are many of us who go way beyond just the horses we breed.
One last point. I have unfortunately lived in Louisiana This is a state that doesn’t care about its women or children. Segregation, sadly, is alive and flourishing. It doesn’t give a thought let alone a care to its animals.
You are all on computers, start a petition, raise your voice, call the large breeders out, make a difference.
Another interesting post I did NOT write about the horse in Louisianna that was badly injured – SAY DAT WHO.
I am going to invite this person to join this group.
_______________________________________________________________________
I rescue off track horses and have been doing so for 20 years. My feeling after rehabbing these Horses is that the entire Horseracing Industry should be shut down using the RIOC Act. Drugs interfere with Gambling and we all know that all horses that race, no matter the breed or the type of racing, are drugged in some way. People must take 1 look at my now 14 year old Mare ‘Okay Renee’ who is still underweight. She has terrible Gastric Ulcers and we have tried all medications and after years of trying, she is now being treated by Diet.
It makes me ill to see what is done to these Horses, not just the TBs but all of them. I rescue any Breed and any age. I hope that this poor horse gets Justice, however, this Government has been happy to enable ‘Soring’ of the Gaited Horses, the destruction of the Wild Horses and Burros, so why should we think that there will ever be a change? We have to take matters into our own hands and do what we can to save these Horses, Ponies, Mules, Hinnies, and Donkeys from horrific treatment. We do this via education and hounding the evil doers in the Media and shine the light on them for all to see.
Thank you for posting this tragic story.
CD
THis is the group that had the previous statement about ENDING HORSE RACING
The Manes & Tails Organization
The Manes & Tails Organization was incorporated in June of 2004. We rescue slaughter bound Thoroughbreds, Quarterhorses and Paints and free lease them. Among those we have rescued are a son of ‘Seattle Slew’, a grandson of ‘Secretariat’, a great granddaughter of ‘Secretariat’, a son of Quarterhorse champion ‘Impressive’, a ‘Dash for Cash’ daughter and granddaughter, and a ‘Sahlih’ son, and two great granddaugthters of ‘Mr. Prospector.’ We never sell our horses; this enables us to guarantee them wonderful homes for the duration of their lives. Every horse we rescue from slaughter continues to contribute to the economy. We have horses ranging in age from 5 years old to 24 years old.
Our Board Member Dr. Lester Friedlander, DVM is a former USDA Chief Inspector. Dr. Friedlander is now a vegetarian.
I don’t understand how its not okay to keep records for any track breakdowns or the records to be.kept. Something like that is putting so many negative feedback to the taxpayers who pay for these race tracks.
Or how states say its vet and etc information. Disturbing to me.
they dont publish their kill lists , they keep them hidden away .
Right Lexi.
Not only do they not publish their kill lists, but they even cover-up the death itself.
They now force racehorses, with fractures, onto the trailer to transport them out of the public eye so that they can carry on the dubious task of euthanasia in the cobwebs of the stable area.
They do everything possible to hide the facts from public view.
Moreover, they are even (Gulfsteam in Miami, FL) eliminating videos of race replays that shows the horse going down!
This is a blatant violation of First Amendment Rights.
In order to complete the secret circle they ensure that vet records are not released after a death.
The horse racing industry deliberately fights against the exposure, and exchange of vet records leading up to a racehorse death.
While thousands of vets exchange vet records on a daily basis for domestic pets, the horse racing industry cites legal issues in order to hide the facts.
They pass the ball onto the owners who of course deny the release of the records as well.
So it’s one big secret after another with the racehorses paying with their lives.
The trainers, in most racing jurisdictions, don’t have to keep medical records of what is being administered to whom.
This industry is a legalized animal cruelty circus, and death camp.
Tonya, no taxpayer or business should have to pay for this.
This industry has been on a wing and a prayer for years now with both taxpayers and casinos paying for this dismal abyss or racehorse deaths.
It’s time to stop the financing by:
1. Support decoupling.
2. Cancel the Interstate Wagering Act.
3. Appoint an independent drug body like the USADA to hold this industry accountable. They currently police themselves.
4. Don’t watch or wager on a horse race.
5. Educate.