News from the California Horse Racing Board:
7-year-old R Seeker was euthanized for a shoulder fracture sustained while training at Golden Gate August 11.
3-year-old Jetslegacy was euthanized after he “flipped over and injured himself” prior to a race at Los Alamitos August 16. Before dying, the child-horse had been raced twice: April 5 – last of 8, 28+ lengths back; June 25 – last of 10, 10+ lengths back.
Also, the latest Del Mar minutes reveal two more dead horses “where the turf meets the surf,” bringing that meet’s total to at least 13:
7/6-7/12: 3 dead
7/13-7/18: 1 dead
7/19-7/25: 2 dead
7/26-8/1: 3 dead
8/2-8/8: 2 dead
8/9-8/15: 2 dead
This is horseracing.
According to equibase.com, connections as of last start for R SEEKER were
JOCKEY: Chris Russell
TRAINER: Gary Greiner
OWNER: Mickey Kennedy
BREEDER: Mickey Kennedy & Joyce Kennedy
25 starts: 4-3-3 for $37,249 (averaging $1,490 per start)
His first trainer appears as Lloyd Mason and owner Mickey Kennedy.
Owner happy to part company in his very first start for $12,500 when RS began racing as a 2 year old.
23 of his starts were in claiming races.
According to equibase.com R SEEKER last raced on 21 December 2013.
After 1 year and 8 months later, horse is brought back into the racing game and is in training when he breaks his shoulder. RS was a 7 year old gelding and was high risk because of his age, began racing at 2 and was going back into work after a very long period of rest. 7 years of age is young for a horse, however, when a horse has been racing/training since he was a 2 year old his body becomes aged/damaged due to the unnatural stress and mistreatment placed on their bodies (and minds) and they are also robbed of their natural spirit.
Dr Chris Riggs, BVSc, PhD, DEO, Dipl. ECVS, MRCVS, head of Veterinary Clinical Services at the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
http://www.thehorse.com/articles/34672/preventing-injuries-in-thoroughbred-racehorses?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=10-08-2014
This horse suffered a very painful catastrophic injury and he was euthanased. Rarely is a vet on duty when horses are training – I hate to think for how long this horse was in agony before he was euthanased. If a vet was handy then R SEEKER would’ve been very lucky indeed.
It appears that RS had one owner only for the whole of his “career” the owner was also the breeder so he would’ve known RS since he was foaled.
According to equibase.com, connections as of last start for JETSLEGACY were
JOCKEY: Gonzalo Nicolas
TRAINER: Jose Hernandez Jr
OWNER: Hernandez Jr Jose and Windsor Heights Ranch
BREEDER: Dawn Lucas & Lois Meidinger
2 starts: 0-0-0 for $500
This 3 year old gelding in his first start came home 28 lengths last. Chart says he dropped back on THE TURN – first start can be a bit of a shock for these babies. He was up for grabs for $30,000 and it appears owner happy to part company. Second start again came home last and dropped back leaving THE TURN. No doubt this baby was struggling with galloping at fast speed in a circle. The biomechanics of the gallop and the physical forces associated with racing and training around a turning track (continuously in an anti-clockwise/clockwise direction) are incompatible.
Prior to his third start JET flipped over – now why would he do that? I think we know the answer to that, he was in fear of the task ahead of him, he has no voice and his behaviour is the only way he can communicate. We do not know what was going on with him when he flipped but in my experience this usually happens about the time of saddling, leading into the enclosure or in the enclosure. “Injured himself” oh please!