The jockey who mercilessly beat American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby has been fined in California for similar abuse. According to Blood-Horse, Victor Espinoza “was fined $300 by the Santa Anita Park stewards May 8 for ‘causing a break in the skin’ with his whip on Stellar Wind during her 5 1/4-length victory in the Santa Anita Oaks April 4.” Last Saturday, you might remember, Espinoza whipped American Pharoah 32 times down the stretch – animal cruelty played out in full view of cheering millions:
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
crack
This is horseracing.
Don’t know how much a winning jockey makes, but $300 is a piss poor fine, should have been significantly more. This has got to stop.
Patrick,
How many horses have been killed on Kentucky Race tracks.
Have they released those numbers to you yet ?
Kathleen, the official number that Kentucky forwarded is 16 killed in 2014 (surely too low). The Racing Commission, however, claims to not know the identities of the dead.
Thank you Patrick. That does seem extremely low.
The person I talked to on Friday at the KENTUCKY HORSE RACING COMMISSION said that sending race horses to slaughter is against their rules and if they find them they will be banned from racing. The really hard part is finding whistle blowers that will let the Commission know.
Espinoza – scum of racing – proving it yet again. He thinks he has risen to the top though.
Probably sees other “pinhead” jocks at low level tracks as beneath him now too –
He is a disgrace to children alone who love horses, never mind the rest of us!
Too bad California Chrome didn’t knock him on his ass
Vicious Victor – got a $300 fine – what a joke
Anyone who eats horse meat deserves whatever disease it gives them. They are scum!
Question,
i heard from a friend that the jockey of AMERICAN PHAROAH also rode in the Kentucky OAKS and hit his horse in that race.
Did anyone else here that story ? if so, please post it as i want to add it to my letter.
Here is what i found. STELLAR WIND – may 1st
Kentucky OAKS
SAME HORSE -DIFFERENT RACE
Stellar Wind
Victor Espinoza
Steve Asmussen
Right: Soon after the start. Jockey Victor Espinoza aboard Stellar Wind said, “She broke just a bit slow and that was a problem. I tried to stay up with the horse next to me, but we were getting outrun. Then when we went into the first turn and the dirt was flying back, she started jumping up and down. This wasn’t her day.
http://www.horse-races.net/library/oaks15-results.htm
American Pharoah (owned by Zayat, trained by Baffert) has lost some kilos immediately post race. This is evidence of how much that race and the merciless flogging by VICTOR ESPINOZA has damaged his body and of course his mind as well. YOU ARE UTTERLY DISGUSTING ESPINOZA!
A fine is a joke (an insult) because it’s just chicken feed to the jockey and the connections. In my view the Whip Rules do not work, there are no effective deterrents (even suspensions) and Whip Rules most certainly do not protect the horse.
Why do they need to have Whip Rules if the industry’s allegation is that the whip does not hurt the horse?
Whips are banned in Norway, the jockeys there have had no problems with it, it has been a success and there’s always a winner. And the jockeys are prohibited from even carrying a whip. They lengthen their irons and they use their feet which helps the horse – now that is horsemanship.
If it can be done in Norway, it can be done in other countries!
Hi Kathleen. Again, I’m sorry about the confusion for you, in regards to us ladies named Jo-Anne.
Author of book, you read, Saving Baby, JoAnne Normile has spoken before.
But to answer to your question, yes, I am going to the Summit next weekend. And here’s just one reason why.
http://equinewelfarealliance.org/Int_l_Equine_Conference.html
Presenters (page 24)
2014 International Equine Conference Sept 19-21 Wellington, Florida
You will see pic of one of my retired ottb. Her name is Ottawa Oksana, my very much loved 12yo mare.
Her only job now, is to eat grass, and send messages to Canadian government – End Horse Slaughter –
She is with Lonita, who is speaking again this year.
Any rider who whips a horse 32 times is by heart, action and definition a MUCKSACK.
Bob Baffort stated he didn’t see anything wrong with Victor whipping AP because the “whips don’t hurt” and Victor was hitting the saddle cloth anyway. (eye roll). And the racing commission didn’t see anything out of line. Wow.
Everyone in the room with me while watching the race sure did notice the whipping and was appalled.
Zig, you might be interested in this – it is the latest scientific research of the affects on a racehorse (and a human being) when hit with a jockey’s whip.
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4201890.htm
Jo-Ann Ward,
I got an email from John Holland about the event a few days ago. EQUINE ALLIANCE usually sends out an announcement about the event but he said they were too busy this year to do so.
I am glad that Lonita is speaking. CHDC has done an excellent job with all the exposes and with the information on their website about the issue of horse slaughter. I know they have been pushing Parliament to get horse slaughter banned for years. i hope you can get it passed this year. I heard that the bill to end horse slaughter was narrowly defeated last year. I understand that this year, Canadians will be able to send in an electronic petition on the subject.
I am part of a group on facebook called BAN LIVE EXPORTS AT THE YCC and Heather Clemenceau is part of that group and also on the board at CHDC (Canadian Horse Defence Coalition) that group also wants horse slaughter to end so there is another group I am a part of for that purpose. They recently did a protest on the live shipments of horses being sent to Japan ALIVE. It is a terrible situation of HORSE ABUSE over there.
I see that Loni Stewart will be the one speaking for Canadian Horse Defence Coalition.
here is the announcement i found. I think it will be at Victoria McCulloughs place again. Is that right ?
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/north-american-experts-to-present-at-equine-advocates-2015-horse-summit-300078524.html
ANIMALS ANGELS GROUP is doing another INvestigation on the BOUVRY export Slaughter PLant in Canada for the third time on the horrible conditions there. On their website they have links to all the previous investigations at the different horse slaughter plants in Canada.
I hope and pray that this HORRIFIC abuse and murder to all these horses can end soon. The Canadian slaughter houses were cited for violations by the EU but they have not been shut down yet or blocked from transporting meat yet like Mexico has.
it was the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition that submitted the FOIA
Canada slaughterhouses failed an audit even before Mexico had theirs, but appear to be getting a reprieve, at least for a while. EU has refused to answer a FOIA about their negotiations, citing an exception that allows them not to disclose foreign relations negotiations. Clearly it is not the kind of thing the exception was supposed to protect.
John Holland sent me a CHART that showed Mexico export markets of horse slaughter have collapsed.
I hope Canada exports will be stopped next and the SAFE ACT will be finally PASSED here in the US..
When the SAFE ACT has passed those that breed and train and own race horses will not be able to TEXT KILL BUYERS to come and get their wounded horses to be taken to Canada or Mexico to be brutally killed.
I pray for the day this HORRIFIC ABUSE will end.
In an interview for the Lexington-Herald Leader, Kentucky chief state steward Barbara Borden stated, “He did hit the horse quite a few times but it was all within the rules of the state.” What on earth would they term excessive? 33? 40? 100?
In this same article, Jockey Calvin Borel (who has previously faced criticism for excessive use of the whip) stated about the new “safety crop”: “You have to hit them six times to one times to the old crop; that’s what it amounts to, because they really don’t feel it,” Borel said. “With that kind of crop, you have to — not hit them hard — but keep popping them.”
A jockey is saying “because they really don’t feel it”? You’ve got to be kidding me. True horsemen have seen horses FLINCH when a FLY merely lands on them!
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2015/05/10/3845416_chief-steward-peers-defend-espinozas.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&rh=1#storylink=cpy
Furthermore, a peer-reviewed research study done in 2011 found: “That increased whip use was not associated with significant maintenance of velocity as a predictor of superior race placing at the finish of the race.” http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0015622
Jo-Anne Ward, thank you for clarifying the two of us with the same name. I am unable to attend the American Equine Summit this year but I’m so glad it will be video taped and available for all to see later.
Thank you! Jo Anne –Author of Saving Baby which is about my experiences in horseracing as a breeder and owner and ultimately leaving racing to start CANTER. For more information http://www.savingbaby.com
Agree with all you’ve said Jo Anne Normile.
The following link will take you to the next study Paul McGreevy did after the 2011 study which you cited – thanks for putting it up.
http://www.rspca-act.org.au/campaigns/whips-racing/whip-use-jockeys
And the latest study Paul has done (March 2015) is this one below
“It’s become an extremely important issue because it is arguably the most visible form of violence to animals.”
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4201890.htm
According to NBC Sports Live Extra Sets Kentucky Derby Record – 2 May 2015
16 million people watched the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby on NBC
Viewership Peaked at 17.9 million as American Pharoah Crossed Finish Line.
And there was an audience of 170,000 people at the racetrack.
It sure was VISIBLE with 17.9 million viewers watching American Pharoah being MERCILESSLY beaten with a whip 32 times!
http://www.kentucky.com/2015/05/10/3845416_chief-steward-peers-defend-espinozas.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&rh=1
See photo in the above link
Just look at the force Espinoza is using to beat this horse with a whip. He is almost off the horse to inflict this abhorrent cruelty. And look at American Pharoah’s eyes, it says it all. Consecutive hits with the whip and not giving this animal a chance to respond.
Barbara Borden, you state 12 racehorse vets found no welts, with all due respect that does not necessarily mean that welts (which can take 6 hours to appear) were not evident many hours post race. 32 strikes and there were visible whip marks on American Pharoah and he would’ve still been stinging 24 hours later, you can be rest assured of that!
When a person or an animal is hit with force with any type of whip, that person or animal experiences pain and a degree of tissue damage. One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to know this fact.
Channing Hill – the statements you’ve made about the whip are incorrect.
The latest scientific evidence of the affects on a racehorse (and a human being) after being hit with a jockey’s whip is contained in the link below –
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4201890.htm
Thank you, Carolyn.
Awesome, Carolyn, thank you ever so much!
Chief steward, Barbara Borden said : “The stewards FELT Espinoza’s use of the CROP( guess that sounds better than whip!) fell within our regulations and FELT no disciplinary action was warranted.” Further, as noted by Jo Anne Normile, Ms. Borden stated “He did hit the horse quite a few times but it was all within RULES of the state ”
Saying the beating of AP was all within the RULES of the state is ridiculous. There are no RULES to restrict the number of strikes a horse can be subjected to during a race in Kentucky.
Shame on the KRC for being so lax in it’s rules. Feelings are subjective, and judging the beating of AP should not be left up to how the stewards FELT.
This situation is glaring evidence of how racing cares about the horse !
Exactly Rose! These Stewards’ opinions are subjective – how could they possibly be objective when they are biased.
If your a rider you use the crop to tap a horse to get their attention. Not the beating that was seen at the Kentucky Derby.. These horses are bred & trained to run there is no need for this type of abuse. Everyone should contact the owner, Bob Baffort the trainer, the Maryland racing commission demanding that Espinoza should be banned from racing. In the Preakness. The treatment of American Pharoah was total abuse. As for the stewards @ the Derby they should hang their heads in shame.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/horse_racing/20150513_Jockey_may_have_whipped_Pharoah_out_of_Preakness_contention.html
Bob Ford, Inquirer sports columnist, wrote the above article just 2 days ago. He is to be lauded for calling it as it is. The whipping of AP was blatant abuse of an animal and was sickening to watch and this is evidenced by the public outcry on social media.
That race flattened AP and the whipping was the main reason, in my opinion. The dirt track surface would also be very hard on the horses. I scrutinized the footage of the race a number of times and saw whip marks (not welts) on AP. It was reported that 12 racehorse industry veterinarians inspected AP one hour+ post race and did not find any welts but that does not mean that no welts appeared later. It is a fact that it can take up to 6 hours for welts to appear. After 32 hits with a whip by a jockey who has a reputation for using great force with the whip (photo riding AP in the media shows this) he leans so far to the left to hit with greater impact into the right side of AP he’s almost off the horse. It was business again for ESPINOZA when he put an incredible amount of force into the beating of AP. I would be very surprised if there were no welts post race. AP would’ve still been stinging 24 hours after the Derby, you can be rest assured of that.
So called “soft” whips, oh what a joke! The so called padded whip is cosmetic – fooling the public into believing that because it is “padded” it doesn’t hurt the horse. The whip has a solid rod underneath a piece of thin vinyl padding and, further, horses often get hit with the non-padded section of the whip. The jockey’s whip is used to make the horse run faster even though the horse is exhausted and suffering serious fatigue.
It was reported that the trainer said words to the effect that Espinoza does not hit hard and was hitting the saddle cloth. Well, he does hit hard, he broke the skin of Stellar Wind and it would not surprise me if she was hit with the seam of the padded section which is hard, one only has to run their fingers along the seam to realize that. Under the thin saddle cloth is the flank which is an extremely sensitive area of the horse. The International Agreement on Breeding, Racing and Wagering lists specific prohibitions for whip use, including using the whip on the flank.
Even welts, bruising or cuts do not have to be visible to indicate whip abuse. When a jockey hits a horse using force, the horse will experience a degree of pain and a degree of tissue damage. Even whip marks (not welts) which have some indentation, indicate how hard these jockeys hit the horse with the whip. For anyone to suggest that it doesn’t cause pain is ridiculous, and for argument’s sake, if it didn’t, why would jockeys use whips in the first place?
By all reports AP lost some kilos and that reveals the terrible toll it took on his body and his mind. It can take many weeks for a horse to recover from a gutbuster. Admire Rakti, the Japanese horse that died post race in Australia’s Melbourne Cup last year, copped a shocking flogging by his jockey in a $million+ race just a few weeks beforehand. When his jockey pulled the whip on him in the Cup, Admire Rakti surrendered as the field went by him, he came home a very distanced last and was distressed on pulling up, collapsed and died. He was the hot favourite. I hope that AP survives the Preakness. Sadly, it appears that the prizemoney to be won is the reason for him running. And he may well win but that does not mean all is well with the horse.
Carolyn,
This is an excellent expose on WHIPPING. Thank you so much for sharing this.
All WHIPPING of horses should be banned immediately.
Espinoza was having a whipping frenzy on Derby Saturday. He actually hit AP thirty-three times -an advocate friend recorded the race and slowed it down by 6% and counted. The stewards missed one crack. Sadly though what he did to AP pales in comparison to what he did to Finnegans Wake in the Woodford Reserve. He throttled that poor six-year-old from last to first. No one even protested! Victor needs a year with his feet on the ground and his backside bent over a steward’s desk where every single person who found these acts disgraceful gets to take a birch stick to his behind.
Susan, I couldn’t agree with you more. We aren’t talking about two or three cracks coming down the lane. We are talking about blatant abuse and I would be happy to personally apply the whip to the backside of Espinoza. However, as disgusting as whipping is, there are even more egregious acts committed against the horses in the racing industry. How anyone can continue to support racing just boggles my mind.
My sincere apologies for this lengthy post (some of which I’ve already posted) however, a person called “Docfager” responded to my post on the philly.com article by Bob Ford re AP in the Kentucky Derby.
Given the contents of his public comments about me, i had no other option but to respond
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/horse_racing/20150513_Jockey_may_have_whipped_Pharoah_out_of_Preakness_contention.html
Docfager – MY IGNORANCE OF THE SPORT???
I was born into a racing family who have been racehorse owners since the early 1800s.
It wasn’t until someone reported to my father that our horses with a certain trainer were being abused that I took my rose coloured glasses off, no longer socialised in the Members’ Lounge on raceday and proceeded to investigate the welfare of the racehorse.
The only way I could find out the truth was to work at the coal face which I did and worked as a stablehand/strapper for an experienced trainer, I also rode some trackwork. I have had to tend horses with abrasions, welts and cuts from being whipped. Years ago a top jockey said to my father “if I whip this horse with this particular whip on Saturday, he’ll still be stinging on Sunday afternoon”. Needless to say that jockey was never allowed to ride our horses again. I have researched the welfare of the racehorse for several years now and it includes whipping, such research and data is presently in the hands of experts. I also saw many other abuses of the horse but will not venture there now and stick to the topic of AP. I have had far too much experience with official raceday vets and stable vets to know that the majority of them are on a regular basis in breach of their veterinarian oath. Many a time I’ve legged up a jockey with trainers nearby instructing the jockeys to use plenty of stick. Many owners are fully aware of the abuse of the horse in the racing industry and they don’t give a damn. Sadly, some owners are blind to it and believe every word that comes out of the mouths of the trainers and jockeys. As for stating it is my “perception” you are incorrect. It is my first hand experience, knowledge and facts that I base my comments on.
Where did I state in my comment that “they are just the money grubbers”. Your words not mine.
I say that race flattened him and you say he did look a bit drawn post race. Any objective thinking person would opine that both descriptions are similar. It is common knowledge in the industry that a gutbuster such as AP in the Kentucky Derby, flattens a horse and it can take many weeks for a horse to recover, I have personal experience of this and many a racehorse has been ruined. Some have never returned to the racetrack. AP appeared very ribby to me and that is not a state of being race fit. Re the track surface, you yourself stated that it had dried out and I know how hard it is on the horse when a track dries out whether it be dirt or turf.
Stellar Wind – the injury was reported to the stewards by the state veterinarian. I’ve seen official raceday vets turn a blind eye to welts and cuts, so for this particular vet to report to the stewards that Stellar Wind’s skin had been broken by the whipping then it must’ve been pretty bad. Let’s be realistic here, as if Sadler would come clean and make such an admission and as if he’d call Espinoza to task after handing him a Grade 1 win? Oh please, how stupid do you think the public are! Further, why didn’t Espinoza refuse to pay the fine and take a stand if it is not true?
The link below is my source re 12 vets and one hour+ statement and it also contains the photo of AP and Espinoza. It would’ve been a struggle for AP keep his balance with the position of his rider – this photo is very telling.
http://www.kentucky.com/2015/05/10/3845416_chief-steward-peers-defend-espinozas.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&rh=1
I find it somewhat interesting that neither Espinoza, Baffert, Zayat and the Stewards have not denied that AP was struck with the whip 32 times. It cannot be denied because the footage evidences same. Head on footage would show AP being hit on the near left side. If he wasn’t making contact, which you seem to be implying, then what was Espinoza doing – waving flies away? The photo in the above link also substantiates my comment. And you regard my comment as “Further jaw-dropping evidence of your lack of understanding of the sport.” ?
“Now you’re a mind reader? A horse’s mind at that.” Apart from my lengthy and continuing years of experience with racehorses, I have also studied equine behaviour. It appears to me that you are equine uneducated.
He seemed to be moving without obvious pain. A horse is a prey animal, a dog is a predator. If a dog had’ve been whipped like AP was, the dog would’ve yelped and yelped. The horse being a prey animal cannot do that and it is inherent in the equine to mask pain, it’s called self preservation and the equine is that 24/7. Just because he was moving without obvious pain does not mean that he is pain free. Any professional vet would use the proper test by trotting the horse up on a hard surface (not grass). It is then a vet can tell if anything is amiss with his musculoskeletal system. Did they do this to inform the public when they displayed him to the media the following day to prove that AP had pulled up okay? Assuming the 12 vets watched the race, they would know that AP felt pain and suffered tissue damage when he was hit mostly in the same area 32 times. They also would’ve noticed that AP was not given the chance to respond and that is in breach of the international whip rules.
Perhaps you might like to have a look at the Catalyst video
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4201890.htm
Whips are banned in Norway, the jockeys there have had no problems with it, it has been a success and there’s always a winner. And the jockeys are prohibited from even carrying a whip. They lengthen their irons and they use their feet which helps the horse – now that is horsemanship. If it can be done in Norway, it can be done in other countries.
Carolyn…as always, I appreciate your comments. Thank you for using your experience in this disgusting industry and now your strength and GUTS to speak out! I didn’t see what this Docfager said to you (it’s probably best that I didn’t! – don’t they always like to claim “ignorance” and “perception”?!?), but I sure would have loved to see the sick look on his face after he read your reply to him!!
THANK YOU for standing up for what you really love and care about…the horse. As for racing supporters?…when they say they love the horses?…total bulls***. It’s horseracing they love. We simply love the horse.
Thank You Carolyn,
I am off on a rush project but I wanted you to know that I have greatly appreciated the posts that you have added on this subject. You consistently write excellent posts.
WHIPPING needs to be banned and people watching the races need to wake up and realize how abusive whipping is to a horse physically and psychologically.
I am really hoping that AMERICAN PHAROAH does NOT win today in the PREAKNESS. this jockey should Never again win a race and should be banned from racing.
These owners are just as guilty as they chose him again as their jockey and thereby they are endorsing that HORRIFIC abuse.
Carolyn, when people such as Docfager resort to attacking the messenger you know you have touched a nerve. And what does it say about him when he hides behind a pseudonym !!
Keep up your good and important work.
Thank you Joy, Kathleen and Rose for your understanding and supportive words. This “Docfager” pro-racing dingaling has responded with a weak apology and said if he had’ve known i had some knowledge he would’ve responded differently??? He then immediately writes paragraph after paragraph as to how much he disagrees with me and was very selective in avoiding my viewpoints based on fact. He made a pathetic attempt to declare how much he knew about horses – would’ve had all of us on this site in hysterics! He revealed that he is a BETTOR! Yes, says it all doesn’t it! And I got the impression he makes a living out of it. He ends his post with just watched AP win the Preakness.. I’m in two minds as to whether to respond, firstly I don’t think his crap deserves a response but secondly I want to pull him up on his incorrect statements purely for the sake of the readers who are likely to believe him.
Have you heard the latest?
Dortmund sent American Pharoah an email after the Preakness…
“Hey AP you sure went hard today, are you okay?”
“Umh you know what it’s like Dort, I’m gutted, I could lay down for weeks. He’s got me on something I’ve never had before and it made me go so hard and my body was saying no, slow down. Did you hear that there was an outcry about the flogging Espinoza gave me in the Derby?”
Dort “Oh yeah that’s what the stablehands were talking about and when he walked in they shut up real quick. Nice, eh, AP that there are some human animals out there trying to help us – they’re going mad about the 32 hits with the whip you got.
AP “Yeah, I nearly went mad with the pain. I didn’t know there were some good human animals”.
“Hey Dort, just got an email from Firing Line reckons he’s done some damage jumping out of the gates, said it just about killed him having to run on.
I was lucky when I got into the lead, I didn’t get any kickback, it really makes a difference but you Dort and the rest of the field copped so much dirt in your faces and eyes. The antibiotics will be given to us to try and stop infections.
Dort “Yeah it was a shocker and I thought I was going to sink in the mud”
AP “Yeah it was really bad and all the extra weight we were carrying from the rain. What’s wrong with these human animals forcing us to race in such bad conditions?
Dort “oh come on AP it’s the money, pure greed, they don’t give a damn about us. Don’t forget it’s the Triple Crown and they’re hell bent on you getting it.
AP “Did you see what Espinoza did to me, hit me real hard when I was 5 lengths ahead and nearing the finish line? I’m hurting, as you must be and the other 6.
Dort “Yeah I saw that, he’s a cruel bastard, you know he broke Stellar Wind’s skin when he flogged her. Espinoza said in the media the other day that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt a horse.”
AP “He is a LIAR”.
Speaking of HORSE ABUSE.
I would like to see horse abusers charged with a felony.
___________________________________
FBI Makes Animal Abuse a Felony in 2016
Posted: May 12, 2015, 12:45 p.m. EDT
Beginning in 2016, the worst animal abusers will no longer be looking at a slap of the wrist as the FBI has reclassified animal abuse, making it a felony.
As far as the nation’s top crime fighting agency is concerned, animal abuse will be felonious just as arson, burglary, kidnapping and murder are now.
Often, animal abusers don’t limit their abuse to pets but spread the pain and are involved in spousal or child abuse or both, noted Cindy Sanders, co-founder of Community Action for Animals, an animal welfare group in Memphis, Tenn., who spoke with KCTV5 in Kansas City, Mo.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (SPCALA) in partnership with the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse of the National Sheriff’s Association worked to convince the FBI to add animal abuse crimes to the National Incident Based Reporting System, says Madeline Bernstein, president of the SPACLA.
This article is from PET PRODUCT NEWS
Thanks for making me aware of this issue, I had no idea…but you all are preaching to your own choir here. Follow all celebs who are animal rights advocates and take to Twitter…Then research all the “compassionate” charities who use the races as a place to schmooze with their donors and expose that to the press…making headway with billion dollar sports groups?! Hardly..can u say NFL;(spouse abuse); recent soccer news; doping; new stadiums built where old ones aren’t yet paid for on the backs of taxpayers…addressing just the list of wrongdoings in sports would be a fulltime job.
Remember this?
Okay I realize that this blatant public display of egregious racehorse abuse is easy to forget because this is common practice in this vile business.
This is what they do to their champion racehorse, American Pharoah, who generated billions in wagering profits and then was subsequently sold for millions as his next role is breeding slave.
Beat them while the rest of the horse racing community looks on and thinks that this is okay.
It’s not okay and any normal person agrees, but these sadistic parasites don’t give a damn.
Nevertheless, the owner Zayat is now in the process of bankruptcy.
His son, Justin, was put in charge of their million dollar farm in Lexington full of million dollar babies from Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, plus Bodemeister, Justin Phillip, and Eskendereya.
It’s strongly rumored in horsey circles in Lexington that the horses in the barn were being severly neglected and nobody could report it because it was Zayat and it was American Pharaoh.
Furthermore, even if they were to report it, this is Kentucky and nothing would have got done as we’ve seen on many previous racehorse starving cases.
Neveretheless, it’s apparently so bad that a “stewardship” team has been brought in to take care of the racehorses because his son jumped ship while his father is fending off companies looking for long overdue payments.
Apparently, Zayat developed such a bad gambling addiction that is his priority not the health and welfare of a whole bunch of racehorses and, evidently, he was a compulsive gambler when he got into this business with secret offshore gambing accounts and all sorts of other hidden things.
Does this surprise anybody?
For an owner to watch his champion racehorse get the living shit beaten out of him and say nothing is a strong indication that the horse meant nothing he was merely a private ATM machine for his gamblling habits.
Furthermore, look at his corrupt, cheater, doper, racehorse killer “trainer” Bob Baffert and birds of a feather flock together don’t they?
All I can say is put American Pharoah under 24 hours surveillance so that he doesn’t end up dead for equine insurance money – I put nothing past these lowly parasites.
This business is vile and the people in it are vile and these poor racehorses are their voiceless victims.