Saratoga, still several weeks from opening day, notched its second “casualty” of the year Tuesday when, according to the NYS Gaming Commission, 2-year-old Jay Bird “collapsed and died on the training track.” “Sudden death – possible cardiovascular event.” Oh, and the perfunctory “investigation continues.”
While shattered-bone kills are more common, these sudden “cardiovascular” deaths do occur with regularity. Now – on the physical maturation chart, a 2-year-old horse is roughly akin to a 6-year-old child. In other words, something is rotten in Denmark.
The unraced Jay Bird was made by Woodford Thoroughbreds and controlled by Chad Brown. For Brown, this makes six dead horses (Hard To Explain, Tony Manero, Bluember, Poppo, Ludicrous) in NY since 2009.
Horses are intelligent, a lot more intelligent than a lot of people know. It is horrible that people treat them this way. Like Killer Whales, intelligence seems to be their curse when it comes to human beings exploiting and abusing them. Sometimes I’m ashamed to be part of the human race.
When will they all realize that two year olds shouldn’t be training or racing.
“They” already know a 2 year old should not be subjected to training and racing. It will not stop. The whole philosophy is “return on investment” as quickly and as much as possible. These horses are “old” and used up, physically as well as mentally, by the time they reach maturity around 5-6 yrs. And as we know, many do not even survive that long. Racing is animal abuse, pure and simple.
When will they learn that racing 2 yr. olds is a recipe for disaster. These poor babies don’t stand a chance; forced to run at break speeds with 1000 lbs. of force impacting soft bones that aren’t fully formed.
All owners, and their complacency, make me sick, but owners running 2 yr. olds makes me sicker. Again, no feeling for the horse whatsoever. POOR JUDGEMENT, by the owners/trainers, NO COMMON SENSE…………..Animal cruelty in its purest form.
Marlene Thornley
They treat these horses like so much garbage…..Not too long ago I read about a one year old that died during training. All of it makes me sick.
disgusting..2 year olds are not fully developed to put on the track. pure greed…..greed kills..how heartless…poor baby..
Peggy, neither are 3, 4, and 5-year-olds.
TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW. SHUT DOWN RACE HORSING. IT IS A CRUEL SPORT. WAY TO MANY ANIMALS GETTING HURT AND ARE ENDING UP DEAD JUST TO PUT SOME DIRTY GREEN IN YOUR POCKETS. SHUT DOWN ALL RACE TRACKS THAT ANIMALS RACE ON.
What can we (I) do to help stop racing?
HORSE RACING and the ABUSE of horses is a Major problem.
Every issues need to be exposed. Horse drugging, horse whipping, horse slaughter, racing wounded horses. All RACE HORSE ABUSE.
THis website is the only website I know of that exposes how many horses are dying at the track.
One way to help is to go on social media, create a facebook page and promote HORSE RACING WRONGS website and the facebook page.
The more people learn about what ABUSE is going on at the racetrack, the less money they will spend gambling.
GAMBLING is what keeps racing alive and GAMBLING must end and then racing will end.
We can Expose specific problems as we see them and take action whenever we can.
THere are people on this list who rescue horses.
There are people like JoAnne Normille who writes books “SAVING BABY” and lectures at different events on stopping horse slaughter and other issues.
There are people who write letters to Congress, file complaints to racing officials in different states,
I write letters and do research and make phone calls and follow horses i think are in danger of being slaughtered that I might be able to help..
Right now myself and others I know on this list are writing letters to the KENTUCKY RACING COMMISSION and demanding that the rules be changed so that jockeys cannot keep whipping horses. Whipping should be banned.
In ENGLAND, hitting a horse is limited to 7 times for flat racing.
8 times for jumping.
PLease consider writing a letter to the Kentucky Racing Commission. The person I spoke with said that if enough pressure is put on this issue change can happen.
The more people learn about what ABUSE is going on at the racetrack, the less money they will spend gambling.
GAMBLING is what keeps racing alive and GAMBLING must end and then racing will end.
this is my input. i am sure there are many others that could say a lot more.
I am new to the world of racing abuse and horse slaughter. i had no idea it was even going on til a year ago when i watched a show called HEARTLAND, a show about horses filmed in Canada. it is a hallmark quality show that i highly recommend. they consistently rescue the horses. nice happy endings.
what is happening in reality is a much darker truth.