Through an Arizona “Public Records Law” request, I have confirmed the following 45 deaths at Turf Paradise in 2014. Please note that while I also requested documentation on Rillito Park, to date I have not received.
4-year-old Honor Thy Wife, January 3, Turf 6 (euthanized January 6)
4-year-old Big Pancho’s Star, January 7, training
“spinal cord injury”
9-year-old Favorite Meeting, January 8, training
“fracture hind”
8-year-old Devils Afleet, January 8, Turf 3
“ruptured suspensory ligament and fracture sesamoids”
3-year-old Elite Boutique, January 11, Turf 5 (euthanized January 14)
4-year-old Horizonbound, January 21, Turf 8
“fracture shoulder”
7-year-old Irish Shortcut, January 26, Turf 1
“fracture fetlock”
4-year-old Gimmenosass, January 26, Turf 8
“fracture cannon”
4-year-old Special Sale, January 28
“infection in neck” (last raced January 3)
4-year-old Collective Concept, February 3
“spinal cord disease” (last raced January 22)
4-year-old Minotaur, February 4, Turf 1
“fracture fetlock”
4-year-old L G Jet, February 15, Turf 2
“fracture pelvis/lower spine”
4-year-old Play N Win, February 16, Turf 3
“fracture ligament”
5-year-old Gracias, February 17, Turf 2
“fracture fetlock”
5-year-old First Time John, March 1, Turf 2
“fracture sesamoid”
4-year-old Humble Suspect, March 9, training
“fracture sesamoid”
3-year-old Honor Spirit, March 12, Turf 6 (euthanized March 13)
“fracture”
3-year-old Hot Little Thang, March 17, Turf 1
“fracture fetlock”
Foxy Silvers Socks, March 18
“colic”
2-year-old Sportwagon, March 18
“tendon infection”
5-year-old Tapits Wildcat, March 26, Turf 8
“fracture sesamoid”
6-year-old Lewkacy, March 30, Turf 6
“fracture fetlock”
2-year-old Blondie La Jolla, April 6, Turf 2 (euthanized April 9)
“compound fracture both cannons”
5-year-old Bojax, April 21, Turf 2
“fracture shoulder”
3-year-old Genuine Windi Dash, April 23, Turf 2
“bled – died”
4-year-old Gadzooks, April 24, training
“fracture sesamoid”
5-year-old Rock U Up, April 26, Turf 6 (euthanized April 28)
“torn suspensory”
2-year-old Distorted Trick, September 15, training
“broken shoulder”
7-year-old Saturday in May, September 26, training
“fracture sesamoid/suspensory”
4-year-old La Tiela, October 9, training
“fracture bone and paralysis”
2-year-old Eyesa Feisty Dasher, October 16
“foundered”
10-year-old Yes Talk to Me, November 4, Turf 1
“probable aneurysm”
4-year-old Alydidit, November 5, training
“stifle injury”
2-year-old Pb El Chiltepin, November 23, Turf 1
“compound fracture of both fetlocks”
3-year-old Pull in Time, November 25, Turf 8
“compound fracture cannon bone”
3-year-old Verri Fast, November 28, training
“fracture shoulder”
4-year-old Whistle My Way, November 30, Turf 6
“heat stroke”
2-year-old Sweet Strider, December 3, Turf 1
“multiple fractures pastern”
3-year-old Jacaranda Cat, December 6, Turf 5
“compound condylar fracture”
3-year-old Be Remarkable, December 8, training
“fracture sesamoid”
Storming Dreams, December 9, training
“slab fracture”
3-year-old No Ice Castles, December 14, Turf 8
“ruptured suspensory and fractured sesamoids”
6-year-old F D Icy, December 20, training
“anaphylactic shock”
5-year-old La Mano Nera, December 28, training
“injured spinal cord”
3-year-old Moonlight Stroll, December 31, Turf 6
“ruptured ligament and fractured sesamoids”
MY comment on this post from BLOOD HORSE is this.
Horses can live into their 30s so I do not believe she died of “old age”
Champion Escena Dies At 22
6/3/2015
Escena, the champion older mare of 1998, died at Diamond A Farms near Versailles, Ky., on June 3 due to the infirmities of old age, according to the Blood-Horse. She was 22.
“She had a great life and went out with some real dignity,” Diamond A Farms manager Ted “Mac” Carr told the publication. “She had been retired and got to hang out with her friends and eat some grass. Old age infirmities finally gave out and she decided it was her time. She’ll be buried up on a very pretty hill here.”
Escena captured 11 of 29 career starts and earned $2,963,639 while racing as a homebred for Allen Paulson. Trained by Bill Mott, Escena notched Grade 1 wins in the Fantasy at age three and the Ramona at age four. She arguably her best season as a 5-year-old, when she captured the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Apple Blossom, and Vanity (all G1). She went on to win the Eclipse Award as champion older mare that year.
Another fact you should know about the “good” folks that made over 2.9 MILLION off of this racehorse is that they SOLD her when she was no longer profitable.
After she had made all the money for her connections, could no longer be raced, it was time to dump her.
She was sold at the Keeneland Auction for $3,250.000 to Reynolds Bell Jr. in 1999. She was bought for broodmare purposes.
Allow me to point some FACTS out about this industry using this example.
Many people made tons of money off this racehorse from the Owner, to Trainer, to jockeys, to grooms, and Keeneland of course gets their fingers in the pie since they make about 10% of her sales price. This happens to many racehorses who make billions for the sales auction houses like Keeneland. Keeneland has this pristine image of taking care of the horses. Yet, they give very little (compared to their profits) to racehorse aftercare.
More often than not, broodmares who generate more millions being forcibly bred to produce more horses for exploitation suddenly die after they are no longer viable (can no longer get pregnant) or are shipped-off to the Keeneland Sale.
I’ve seen 15+ year old broodmares at the Keeneland Sale that have been dumped there.
Of course since it’s Keeneland they project this image that the horse will go to a good home after being sold. Some do, but their new home is based on their ability to either produce (broodmare) or race (racing prospect) for the most part.
When they don’t sell they are sent back to a owner who does whatever with them.
This is horse racing.
Her tough racing career contributed to her infirmities, no doubt. Also, it is interesting there was no mention of any foals.
PS 6 yr. old FD Icy “anaphylactic shock” from what ?, training ? !!!! Also, a slab fracture is not a fatal injury unless of, of course, the connections decide it is !
Rose, I agree .
A friend of mine had a horse that lived til she was 37. A second one til she was 35. then she rescued another one that was supposed to die due to a neurological issue from malnutrition and that one has totally turned around. Now she has another one she just rescued from near death.NO racing for any of them.
I wonder why the horse Clodhopper is not listed as having been euthanized on Jan. 6, 2014. I BELIEVE the horse was killed after taking a tumble during a race. Perhaps you are not getting all the deaths?
Clodhopper is listed on my KIA, 2014 list, a confirmation I secured when it happened. But her name did not appear on the FOIA document I received from Arizona (a clerical error, I’m sure, on their part); hence, that is why she was not listed on that particular post. But, yes, she is dead.
Absolutely HEARTBREAKING story coming out of Arizona today. It was researched, written, and published by the Blood Horse Blog site. I was stunned to read the comments by pro-horse racing people in the industry. IF you can believe this they were disgusted by this story. No words for this one. Just tears. PLEASE READ:
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/time-for-a-change-veterinarians-list-no-safe-harbor-for-racehorses/
I’ve train race horses for 30 years horse racing is regulated very very safe we’re under State supervision you can get killed in your car I don’t hear you talking about people getting run over I don’t hear you talkin about accidental deaths you’re focusing in on just these horses if you look at how many horses run how many races are run you’re bound to have injuries in horses being euthanized horse racing is the love of my life please find the good and stop focusing on the negative and come join us for opening day thank you Steve Orlando
Good for you. You’re talking to many, many people here, myself included, who were involved in racing for years. Go try to BS people who don’t know any better.
Regulated and safe where, Steve? Even big name tracks like Belmont and Keeneland are having horses drop dead, fairly often. I find it ironic that you posted your stupid comment under 45 dead at turf paradise, which is notoriously one of the shittiest and most corrupt tracks. And that’s 45 dead horses, dumbass, but hey- as long as YOU have your livelihood provided by horses endangering their lives and dying, it’s all ok in your little mind. Right?
And while we are at it Steve, tell me this. Do you run your horses completely medication free? Like not even bute or lasix? Have you had any break down in 30 years? Any crippled to the point where they are no longer able to even be ridden? If you tell me no to these questions- you’re a liar. Cuz I can tell you in the brief years I was on the track- I had all that happen. And more. And do you keep track of all the horses you’ve dumped in 30 years that no longer made you money? Made sure they didn’t end up on a dinner plate in a foreign country?
Very very safe were under state supervision, same place that only started doing pre race vet exams in march 2018? Same place where a jockey laid on the track for 30 minutes with a crushed pelvis waiting for an ambulance? Finally i give you this https://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/time-for-a-change-veterinarians-list-no-safe-harbor-for-racehorses/. Get your head out of your ass steve and open your eyes, you state if you look at how many horses run how many races are run you’re bound to have injuries in horses being euthanized horse racing, how many kids college students and adults are playing football this weekend,thousands, what do you think would happen if football had the same death rate as horse racing? Horses mostly the thoroughbred are the loves of my life steve, they have no voice no say what happens to them thats why we are all here, love of the horse and tired of seeing what the industry does with them. Arizona claims a 40 percent reduction in injuries after implementing their safety protocols, if you all cared so much why did it take until 2018 to make changes, oh thats right the news got wind of how many horses were dying, the industry only wants to change when they run out of the status quo. I read some articles with your name in it, question, how come you had to take in so many horses that were given to you? Why are people turning their horse out instead of sending them to the auction? While you say youve trained for 30 yrs, look where your love lies with the game, not the horses, theyre just the means to an end for the most part. You say find the good, ive been looking for it, not much of that in the horse racing industry, it exists but on a very small scale. Horse racing has had 100 yrs to get their shit together,and its still a nightmare for the horse, how do you defend that? Your industry has NO will to make it about the horse, both you and i know that.