An update on Hear Me Purr:
Yesterday, the 4-year-old was raced for the 6th time in a little over 5 weeks – 11th time in 13 weeks. And the result was no different than the rest: 7th of 8, 25+ lengths back. Trainer Randi Persaud is running this horse into the ground.
For those interested, Florida’s (all 11 races have been at Gulfstream) animal-cruelty statute reads in part: “A person who unnecessarily overloads, overdrives, torments…any animal…commits animal cruelty, a misdemeanor of the first degree…”
contact info
Florida Attorney General: http://myfloridalegal.com/contact
Broward County State Attorney: http://www.sao17.state.fl.us/
Gulfstream Park: http://www.gulfstreampark.com/racing/contact
Thank you for the contact info.
This poor horse is going to be ridden into the ground. If this has been going on for so long, why hasn’t any action taken place?This is abuse and should be put to an end today. I hope I don’t have to read about this horse and her trainer and owner again.
Already run into the ground.
I just spoke with the State steward at Gulfstream Park. He informed me he was to speak with the miserable trainer.RANDI PERSAUD next week. Why dont more concerned people call the Florida Attorney General and ask why the laws against this type of abuse is allowed.
I sent a message to the track so far and will send one to the other two links you gave.
This needs to be stopped! An innocent horse doing what a human wants& one that doesn’t care! Horse racing needs to be stopped !it is NOTHING BUT ABUSE!!!! PLEASE,,,STOP THE KILLING OF HORSES!!!!
Thank you for the contact info, Patrick. Letters to all three will be mailed on Monday. But I imagine this tragic filly will run again before they reach Florida from California…
Patrick, sometimes you note the ugly irony of TB racing’s nickname, “The Sport of Kings.” If it still were, there would be no Randi Persauds or Prem Birbals. True horsemen could not condone this abuse. Why is it left to horselovers offtrack to bring this cruelty to the attention of local and state officials? Why are the ontrack people ignoring or turning away from this? The stewards? Ha! The trainers down the shedrow from Persaud? You know, the people who “just love and live for these horses”…
Thank you, Judy Behler DeRoin and ginajudd. I have, as well, contacted Gulfstream but not because I believe they will do anything or even respond to me. I’m just hoping they are bombarded with calls and e-mails that will let them know their inaction on behalf of Hear Me Purr is being seen by many. What gutless, heartless excuses for “officials” they are.
So sad.
The situation with Hear Me Purr is testimony to the fact that people in the game, at every level, are complicit in animal cruelty and they get away with it. This abuse is there for all to see and nobody in racing will do anything about it, not even the “good people” ! This is so in your face, it makes me ill. The comeback for questions as to why nothing is done about horses starting too frequently is that decisions are left to the trainer. What an outrageous cop out !
Incidentally, I see the agenda is set for the 6th Welfare and Safety of The Racehorse to take place in Keeneland . What a sham. It is just an excuse for “officials” and “guests” to meet, shoot the breeze and feed their egos !!
Also, Keeneland President and Chief Executive Officer, Bill Thomason said, “This event has made important strides toward improvements in horse health and safety in less than 10 years and we are proud to be part of it”. How ridiculous is that statement, when horses are dying every day at the tracks and the most basic dangers to the horse, such as joint injections, racing sore horses and frequent starts, ETC , are not even considered !!
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Rose, as always, you hit the nail on the head. Of course no one in racing will do anything about Hear Me Purr!…we can call them and e-mail them until the freaking cows come home but they are GOLIATH with their own rules and NO ONE can hold them accountable! There IS no one to hold them accountable! And this so-called “SPORT OF KINGS” is nothing but an industry of paupers – and poor Hear Me Purr’s earnings for her last place finishes are just enough to keep this Persaud and Birbal entering her! SHAME on the racing secretary and the commissioner and the track vet! SHAME on those who are responsible for the filly’s well-being! In trying to help this filly, we’ve been told this Birbal is clueless about horses. Too frequently we’ve come across OWNERS who don’t know a damned thing about horses and don’t even care to learn. Idiots. “Sport of Kings” my a**. Yes, this industry is PERMEATED with those who care nothing about the welfare of the horses!
Rose, I also saw the notification about the upcoming “Welfare and Safety” sham. SHAM is right. Their bank accounts come and go with the labors of the horses…
Just googled this Randi Persaud…to follow, two copied/pasted articles:
From Bill Finley, ESPN, 12-15-2010…
“The Iron Horse
Randi Persaud isn’t someone who comes to mind when you think of the sport’s top trainers, but the New York-based horseman has done a terrific job with a horse named More Than A Reason, who has earned $477,720 in his career. Persaud’s secret? He believes in actually running his horses, a radical theory in this day and age when most trainers can’t keep their horses in the barn enough.
Persaud claimed More Than A Reason for $15,000 for owner Anthony Calabrese on Nov. 8, 2008. For that amount of money, he bought a horse with modest talents. But run a horse with modest talents enough and good things will happen.
Since that race just more than two years ago, More Than A Reason has run 44 times, including 24 starts in 2009. He doesn’t win often, but he doesn’t miss many dances. And last Saturday, he won the Grade 3 Queens County Handicap at Aqueduct, earning $60,000.
‘I baby him,’ Persaud said. ‘He’s my best horse. I don’t train him hard. I just run him.’
And run him and run him.”
FYI…More Than A Reason, Persaud’s “best horse” that he “babied”, last ran for Larry Winchel and Amy Piper at Hazel Park here in Michigan last September…in a 4K claimer where the then 9-year-old horse came in last, over 23 lengths behind. That was his 102nd race.
And then this, from David Grening in the DRF, 10-8-2012…
“ELMONT, N.Y. – The stewards fined trainer Randi Persaud $1,000 for failure to tend to business in a proper manner in regard to a horse of his that was on the veterinarian’s list.
In order to get a horse off the vet’s list and make him eligible to race again, the horse has to work before a veterinarian and only on medications that he would permitted to race on.
A blood test was taken on the horse in question and it revealed the presence of Bute, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that the horse would not be permitted to race on. The horse was put back on the vet’s list for a 14-day period.
Entering Monday’s 10th race, Persaud was winless with his last 168 starters dating back to March 30.”
Dear Patrick,
I took your advice and sent an email to the Attorney General. I also sent an email to the race track. I did not receive a response from the race track. But today I received a response from the attorney general’s office. I wanted to share it with your readers. Sometimes to me it seems like people who care about these horses see it as a hopeless fight. I believe with letters and talking to the right people we can make a difference. This website of yours brings awareness which is a necessary step. We should continue to write to politicians and government when we see the out and out abuse that takes place everyday on America’s racetracks. It only takes a few minutes to do that. Here is Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s reply. It is a step in a positive direction:
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi received your email regarding your concerns with Randi Persaud at Gulfstream Race Track. Attorney General Bondi asked that I respond.
This office appreciates hearing from you, and we will take your comments under advisement. Additionally, because animal cruelty is a criminal offense, we suggest that you share your concerns with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. The Attorney General is not generally involved in criminal cases at the local level. The contact information is:
Seventeenth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office
201 Southeast Sixth Street, Suite 665
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Phone: (954) 831-6955
Website: http://www.sao17.state.fl.us/
Another potential resource is the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), the agency which licenses pari-mutual facilities. The following DBPR web pages provide frequently asked questions and further information about its complaint process:
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pmw/faq-pmw.html
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pmw/PMW-Association_Links.html
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pmw/index.html
Attorney General Bondi is a passionate advocate for the responsible and humane treatment of animals, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with our office. I hope this information will assist you.
Sincerely,
Summer Stokley
Office of Citizen Services
Florida Attorney General’s Office
PL-01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
Telephone: (850) 414-3990
Toll-free within Florida: (866) 966-7226 FREE
Website: http://www.myfloridalegal.com
Thank you, Gina.