The California Horse Racing Board has disclosed the following deaths at Golden Gate:
3-year-old Ekatitude was euthanized four days after fracturing her shoulder in the 7th race on May 30. The filly was injured when, according to Equibase, she “tried to hurdle the rail.” She was being raced for just the 5th time. Her people: Frank Alvarado, Tim McCanna, Russell/Lois Bennett.
A day later, 6-year-old Lewkodonia was euthanized after breaking a leg in the 2nd race. The Stewards Minutes read: “LEWKODONIA, trained by Louis San Juan and ridden by Alejandro Gomez, was eased and dismounted at the 3/16 when the jockey felt the horse was in distress. Dr. Sporer diagnosed the mare unsound in the upper left hind at the scene and the horse was removed from the track in the horse ambulance. A later diagnosis at the Receiving Barn by the attending veterinarian stated the horse may have ruptured a femoral artery and was bleeding internally.”
This is horseracing.
How does one just accept this?…what has happened to one’s heart and mind to not be overwhelmed with sadness and rage when sentient beings are killed in an unnecessary entertainment industry?
EKATITUDE a three year old filly “tried to hurdle the rail” fractures her shoulder and four days later is euthanased (one hopes it was not a serious fracture if she was left for 4 days before being euthanased). Trying to jump over the rail tells me she was trying to escape the life threatening environment of horseracing. Was she being whipped? She had already experienced 4 races.
LEWKODONIA a six year old mare who broke her near hind leg and vet diagnosed she may have ruptured a femoral artery and suffered internal bleeding. I cannot bear to think of the pain she must’ve been in when removed from the track in an ambulance.
Could someone please correct me if I am wrong – my understanding is that there is not a pain killing injection for the equine on the market that can relieve the horse of pain in the short period of time from when the horse is vetted on the track before being placed in a vehicle.
I once witnessed a 3 year old filly suffering a similar injury and because it was a big prizemoney day with a huge crowd they were determined NOT TO put the dreaded green screen up and humanely euthanase the horse there and then. Not a good look for racing. Just a few minutes drive up the road she arrived at the equine hospital DEAD.
The sad part about this Carolyn is that we also treat humans just as bad. I went to the ER several times, by ambulance, for kidney stones(very severe pain) and had to wait around 45 mins for pain medication. I went back to talk to the director there and, according to her, she said ambulances don’t have pain medication for trauma emergencies anymore. Even worse she said once you get to the hospital no matter how bad a trauma it is she said expect 15 mins min to check in and another 15 mins until a doctor can give an order. So 15 mins for the ambulance plus 30 mins. That’s 45 mins she said all patients can expect to wait!. No matter how excrutiating the trauma or acute pain is.
That’s in the USA. In New Zealand and Australia paramedics keep Nitrous Oxide on ambulances and treat pain at the scene. So your right we in America live in bad times for both animals and humans.