The report card is in for Saratoga ’15, and all is rave. From the NYRA website:
“The 2015 season at Saratoga Race Course was truly fabulous and is one which we won’t soon forget. Our fans enjoyed 40 days of world-class thoroughbred racing, spectacular weather and a series of guest enhancements to this venerable sporting venue,” said NYRA CEO and President Chris Kay.
While the page-long how-great-it-was recap goes on (of course) to mention “American Pharoah’s visit to the Spa,” not a single word is uttered on AP’s dead comrades – the casualties from “this venerable sporting venue’s fabulous season”:
You Gotta Believe, May 1, training – “impaled R stifle on rail, euthanized”
Jay Bird, May 5, training – “collapsed and died (pulmonary hemorrhage) on the training track”
Zzaj, May 21, training – “tibial fx while breezing, euthanized on track”
Defined, June 30, training – “fx RF sesamoids, euthanized”
Jackson N Leonard, August 1, training – “fractured LF sesamoids breezing, ambulanced off, euthanized”
Kathy’s Reward, August 1, training – “fractured LF cannon bone while breezing, euthanized on track”
Innovation Economy, August 1, racing – “fractured RF leg, euthanized”
On a Snowy Evening, August 14, racing – “fx LF sesamoid, sedated, splinted, ambulanced off, euthanized”
Big Looie, August 16, training – “fx both LF sesamoids, euthanized”
Darling Bridezilla, August 25, “non-racing” – “died due to cardiac incident – investigation continues”
Divine Fortune, August 27, racing – “fell over last jump, ambulanced off, fx L humerus, euthanized”
Country Muse, August 30, training – “fx both RF sesamoids on training track, euthanized”
Patrick, it just beggars belief that they can come out with this utterly disgraceful pretence!
It’s like they’re saying look up at the sky and saying what a beautiful blue it is with a brilliant yellow sun shining down when the truth is that the sky is as black as the ace of spades and a tornado is about to hit!
They’re grasping at straws, big time. They know the real situation, it is dire!
I want to look into the history of DIVINE FORTUNE, a jumps horse and YOU GOTTA BELIEVE, impaled on rail
(I investigated a similar death here and whipping caused the death, horse was so seriously fatigued, whipping was relentless, his legs went like jelly and he just crashed into the rail). It is my belief that whipping is a significant factor/cause for many horses breaking down.