I have confirmed that 4-year-old Red October is dead after breaking down in the 1st at Thistledown Wednesday afternoon. Prior to his death, Red October had been put to the whip 23 times. Trainer/owner, Gerald Brooks.
Also, the Los Alamitos stewards report that 3-year-old Delightful Molly was euthanized after the following happened prior to the 4th on May 1:
“While the field for the fourth race was in the saddling enclosure, #5 ‘Delightful Molly’ reared up several times, fell and was thrashing around for several minutes.”
“Thrashing around for several minutes.” This is horseracing.
Today, Joy alerted me to a story written by Ms. Susan Salk, the consummate “story teller”. Her story was about a 3 year old TB gelding by the name of Say Dat Who and the horrific head wound suffered by this horse. In fact, the wound was so bad that the horse had to be euthanized. Of course, that is where it should have ended because Say Dat Who is just another throwaway from the TB racing industry, but, just like this blog, people can post comments on Salk’s blog. When I read through those comments, I was shocked at the number of people speaking out AGAINST racing. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. Salk has her head rammed firmly up racing’s ass but it appeared to me that she allowed plenty of negative comments to be posted. However, just when you think it can’t get any worse, Salk makes one of the most horrific comments that I have ever read. These are Salk’s words in a comment to a poster by the name of Louise…
Louise, It’s so good to hear from you! And thank you for sharing the story. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I couldn’t stop thinking about this horse, and wondering what sort of people are *out there* in the world. It scared me a little. And, of course, I, like so many, am excited to see the Preakness, and I didn’t want to besmirch such a great weekend. That wasn’t my intention. But this poor horse … I can’t imagine dying that way.
Susan Salk seems to care more about upsetting the Preakness fans than she does about the demise of a horse destroyed by racing. Salk didn’t want to “besmirch” such a great weekend. There are those that admire Salk and follow her which is totally amazing to me but her comment was sick and disturbing. I guess Salk doesn’t want to take the focus away from the pretty side of racing, you know, the fancy hats, bright smiles and fruity drinks. The reality is that this happens every day in an industry based on exploitation, and abuse, of the horse, yet some people still choose to support it, including the Salk girl. I had zero respect for her prior to this but now I have even less, if that is possible. I bet Say Dat Who couldn’t sleep very well with that horrific head wound and I’m sure he is sorry to “besmirch” Salk’s great weekend watching the Preakness. Nauseating, at best! Now, Ms. Salk, you wonder “what sort of people are out there in the world”? If you remove your rose colored glasses and leave the enchanted forest in which you live, you will soon discover an question to your ridiculous question. Open your eyes, Ms. Salk, just open your eyes!.
For those that want to read about Say Dat Who, here is the link.
http://offtrackthoroughbreds.com/2015/05/15/tbred-with-head-wound-dumped-dies-at-age-3/
Meant to say “you will soon discover an ANSWER to your ridiculous question”.
I forgot to mention that Maggi Moss was quoted in Salk’s story. This is what Moss says….
In a statement to friends on Facebook, Moss thanked those who expressed concern for the horse. But she stressed it would be a hard battle to get the attention of the proper authorities. Sadly, she says, the demise of the 3-year-old bay is a drop in the bucket when compared to the “hundreds of thousands of horses going straight to slaughter we don’t even know about,” she says.
“The things I have learned as to the literal numbers of horses and broodmares being “dumped” to slaughter is staggering,” Moss states on her Facebook page. “THIS IS A PROBLEM on levels I have never seen …” which can only be resolved when lawmakers, racing leaders, racetracks and others in the horse world “unite to help protect the very horses that make up the racing environment, and, in a meaningful way.”
Now, Moss states that there are “hundreds of thousands of horses going straight to slaughter but she STILL supports an industry that uses slaughter as a disposal system for unwanted equines. Why does she support racing? For two reasons…MONEY and GLORY. Sorry, folks, but I have a problem with that. Again, there are NO heroes in horseracing, only exploiters.
I am NOT defending the breeder of Say Dat Who, but I will defend Maggi. Her horses run clean, she regularly works to get horses to safety, retires them when the time is right.
To those that besmirch racing let me just say that since I came back to horses in 2006 I’ve seen owners and farms slowly moving to making things better. Has enough been done! There are tracks that say one thing but their reality is something else entirely.
The breeder in this case has said he gave this colt away with the understanding the colt would never race. Somehow over the cross of time this colt got onto a track, had new racing plates put on and then was viciously attacked which resulted in his death. The breeder claims he didn’t keep a log of who he gives his throwaways to. This guy is what is wrong with not only racing but breeding period. This breeder breeds specifically for breeder awards. Not for quality but for how many foals he gets on the ground.
The ones that aren’t right for his program are easily thrown away. And that IS WHAT IS WRONG. There’s simply no accountability for his breeding practices.
I feel safe in saying that regardless of which side of the fence your on as a breeder YOU are responsible for the life you bring into this world, same as if it was your biological child. I also believe that if you have successfully rehomed the horse for a period of time (for example say 5 years), and that new owner has to let go for one reason or another–if the horse ever has an issue with needing a soft landing that owner should have first dibs.
Margaret, you state the Moss’s horses run clean so let me ask you a question. Do you consider Lasix a drug because, if you do, Moss does NOT run her horses clean.
You then say that you’ve seen owners and farms slowly moving to making things better. Really? Ferdinand went to slaughter about 13 years ago. Approximately 18,000 TB’s enter the slaughter pipeline every year and many of those are discarded from the racing industry. In addition, over 1,200 horses die in the dirt at tracks across the country on a yearly basis and those are the ones we know about. It doesn’t include the ones that limp back to their stalls and are later euthanized but those horses should also be counted as racing casualties. Therefore, using my basic math skills, two thirds of the foal crop will eventually end up dead from racing or will end up on the slaughterhouse floor. How anyone can defend this industry continues to boggle my mind.
With all the atrocities committed against the horses in this industry, why must we move SLOWLY in order to change things? Why can’t we move FAST? I have the answer for you…because racing doesn’t want to change. If the industry wanted to change, it would have done so by now.
Finally, I think you missed my point in my post. Susan Salk is a racing apologist. She apologized for telling her “story” right before the Preakness. She didn’t want to “besmirch” such a fun filled weekend…Preakness weekend. However, I don’t give a damn about the weekend of the racing folks being ruined. I only care about that sweet horse with his head sliced open. RIP Say Dat Who. You deserved so much better than to be dumped by the person that should have cared for you the most…your owner.
I wonder if all along the race horses have been going to slaughter houses. Man O’ War was the first horse that was buried with his entire body in tact. It has always been the tradition to only bury the head and the four feet, not the entire horse. So, you can deduce that the entire body then went to the slaughter house. Anyone know any different?
Carolyn, I would venture to guess that horses have been going to slaughter for years and years. Some “famous” horses are buried with their body intact, but some are buried with just their head, heart and hooves. I would assume that the rest of the body is sent to a rendering plant. I think the reason for that is one of space. Equine bodies do take up a lot of room and there are environmental regulations in regards to burying horses, or cows, for that matter. The concern is that, as the body breaks down, the components will get into the ground water. Years ago, I went to a meeting concerning proper disposal of livestock but it was so long ago that I can’t remember much of what was discussed.
From visiting various farms throughout Lexington I have heard that the tradition of burying the head, heart & hooves has all but disappeared and the practice of cremation os becoming more &more popular as it conserves space and it doesn’t infiltrate the ground water as Mary stated. But cremating is expensive – therefore I have heard some farms that bury just a piece of the mane & tail but the body is sent to a rendering plant
This has to be one of the most tragic cases of abuse and cruelty that I have seen. The suffering this poor horse must have endured is unimaginable. I hope they find the sick human being that left this TB in this condition. Justice must be sought for this baby. Rest in peace Say Dat Who, I’m sure you are in a better place. Marlene Thornley