According to the official chart from Santa Rosa’s (Sonoma County Fair) 2nd race last Thursday, 7-year-old Mr. Candy Bar finished without incident (albeit last). But now we learn that the long-abused (61 races) horse is dead, having broke down just past the wire. The Press Democrat says MCB “snapped his ankle” and “there was no way to save [him].” The reaction from trainer Gary Greiner:
“It was just bad luck. You’ve just got to accept it because there’s nothing you can do about it. …it’s just one of those things that sometimes happen.”
Mr. Greiner, a flat tire is bad luck, “one of those things that sometimes happen.” Whipping a horse to his death? Depraved.
”Bad luck?” Try ”horrific abuse”……everything is disposable and expendable, so why not horses also. Broken horses and flat tires.. just don’t get the connection!
Patrick, again the words coming out of these trainers are beyond sick!!!! I would encourage all advocates against horseracing to write letters to the commissions and boards of the states where our beloved horses are being raced to death. Speak out where it counts!!!
We can’t remain in a bubble.
Patrick, thank you so much for this report but I would remind us all that comments are not enough! I will be writing a letter as a concerned citizen and an animal rights activist regarding the death of Mr. Candy Bar.
I would also like to comment that I will never use the word athlete to address these horses. Doing so ratifies the industry that these horses are athletes of a sport. These horses are not athletes and horseracing is not a sport. It is “racing” “horses” with man enslaving the horse’s free will. Therefore, it’s abuse and cruelty at the hand of man.
Mr. Candy Bar, I am so sorry you had to live this life of abuse. We will never stop fighting to end horseracing for good! When we cross the finish line and are victorious against this mahyem, your death will not be in vain.
All those, and I mean every person involved in this industry, will be judged for the blood money made off your precious life.
We will not give up this fight!!!!
“It was just bad luck”. No it was not. This horse was raced 61 times and in my view it was inevitable that this horse suffered a catastrophic injury given the wear and tear on his body especially the stress on his feet/fetlocks.
“You’ve just got to accept it because there’s nothing you can do about it.” No, we the public do not have to accept it.
“it’s just one of those things that sometimes happen.” Are you kidding me?
Here we have another racehorse trainer misleading/deceiving the public with untrue statements.
And as we all know it does not happen “sometimes” the truth of the matter is that it happens ALL THE TIME every day in racing.
Further, there is evidence that some racehorses breakdown as a direct result of being beaten with the whip.
MR CANDY BAR a 7 year old gelding (foaled 1 May 2008)
According to equibase.com, connections as of his last start were
Jockey: Hugo Herrera
Trainer: Gary Greiner
Owner: Gary R Gomes
Breeder: Mr & Mrs Nelson Bunker Hunt
First start as a 2 year old on Sept 12, 2010 his trainer was O JAUREGUI and owner was West Point Thoroughbreds.
On July 18, 2012 he comes home 2nd and is claimed for $32,000. His new trainer is MICHAEL MACHOWSKY and new owners are Kagele Brothers Inc. and Lo Hi Stable.
On Nov 18, 2012 new trainer is JACK CARAVA and new owners are Howard and Janet Siegel Racing and Norman Sobel.
On July 20, 2013 he is claimed for $20,000 and new trainer is GARY SHERLOCK and new owners are William Ernst and Tom Mansor.
On May 18, 2014 appears there was a change of ownership – Tom Mansor (retained) and Gary Sherlock new part owner.
On July 17, 2014 he comes home 3rd and is claimed for $10,000 new trainer is O JAUREGUI (his first trainer) and new owner is Charles Gerson and Seamist Racing.
On Sept 14, 2014 he is claimed for $6,250 and new trainer is SALVADOR NARANJO and new owner is Troy Johnson.
On Nov 9, 2014 he won his race and was claimed for $4,000 and new trainer is VOD J FARRIS and new owner is Velocity Racing Stables.
On Jan 11, 2015 appears there was a change of ownership – Cal West Racing and Velocity Racing Stables (retained). He comes home 2nd last and is claimed for $5,000. His new trainer is WILLIAM E MOREY and his new owner is Gary R Gomes.
Then on July 4, 2015, it appears there was a change of trainer, new trainer is GARY GREINER.
In his second last race, the Chart mentions that MCB “lagged early, offered a mild bid and flattened out”.
In his last race the Chart mentions that MR CANDY BAR was “always outrun and had no speed”, comes home last and then he has a catastrophic injury. This horse had 5 years of racing and during that period he had NINE (9) trainers and NINE (9) owners.
If I have read it correctly, he had 17 starts in 2014 and there were 3 instances where he had only 9-10 days respite between races, this was in Sept and Oct 2014. It was only in late 2014 that he got a lay-off of about 12 weeks and I suspect they had no choice as he was highly likely showing signs of not coping. He had 3 other lay-offs of about 8 weeks during his career which is not sufficient for recovery, rest and mending of his bones/body. This horse earned $188,010 in prizemoney (let alone the punt). His reward – just race him until he drops.
Another horse KILLED by the racing industry.
This is horseracing.
I was the first person to pony mr candy bar
He was such a sweet horse
Makes me sad he is gone
He was such a good boy
A very classy horse when west point thoroughbreds owned him
So sorry he went that way…….
Kendra, Mr. Candy Bar didn’t lose his class once West Point Thoroughbreds dumped him via a claiming race. The KY-bred stakes winning bay gelding was raced by WPT for over one-third of his 61 starts, but when he could no longer perform to their expectations, they just wanted him gone. And although his life was snuffed out with a damn 4K price tag on his head, he was priceless.