Through a Wyoming “Sunshine Law” request, I have confirmed the death of 7-year-old First Down Man in the 4th race at Wyoming Downs last June 22. On the charts, First Down Man was merely said to have “clipped heels, vanned off.” While true that the chartwriter may not have known the severity of the injury when submitting his notes, not another word was written on this horse – not on Equibase, not on the WD website, not on the Commission website. Nothing, until now. They deceive and cover up because they have to. This is horseracing.
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They are not horsemen, they are horse abusers. The one and only thing important in racing is the money, period. Horses are killed on the tracks daily, die mysteriously in their stalls and thousands are sent to horrific deaths in slaughterhouses. And someone had the nerve to say but for racing we would not have Thoroughbreds !! But for racing we would not have the suffering these animals endure. Better they were never born.
PS
To illustrate what racing is about, 20 million was offered for AP breeding rights. A Smart Strike filly sold for 1.2 million at the recent F-T sale. There is lots and lots of money in this dirty game and lots of influence peddling too ! There is nothing good for the horse in racing.
I need a “LIKE” button for your comment, Rose!! …”but for racing we would not have the suffering these animals endure…better they were never born.” AMEN!
The industry justs sets horses up for a life (and death) of misery. The breeding of horses and MORE horses for the “sport” assures there will not be enough safe and forever homes when they are ultimately disposed of at the end of their “careers” (if they live to see it). This latest fiasco with the 30-something racehorses of Midwest Thoroughbreds is a perfect example. They don’t “need” them anymore, and of course they don’t have 30-something homes to put them in – or even their own farm where they can give them the retirement they deserve – so they hand them over to ONE person who they trust to carefully place them. Are the folks at Midwest smokin’ somethin’?!?!…they think ONE person can safely, carefully and responsibly place that many horses?!? Of course she couldn’t!…within literal HOURS of receiving the horses, there were some brought to a KB-attended auction and three are confirmed slaughtered. And the racing insiders admit that these huge racing farms cannot take back all of their used-up racers….they act like it’s no big deal…rather, it’s just “one of those things”. Yes, this industry sets the horses up for failure…during AND after their laboring on the track.
Everytime I look at the OTTB I rescued over 12 years ago living out the rest of his years peacefully with his pal in a big pasture without any demands I wish all the others could have a retirement as well not thrown away at the end of their racing careers. They are such wonderful horses love people love attention recover quickly from their racing careers to become normal happy horses. My heart aches that I could only afford to do this twice. Will do again in the future to save another horse’s life.