Last night at Charles Town, a cheap claimer (“For Sale” at $5,000 prior to the race) by the name of Majestic Cat had this line (Equibase):
“MAJESTIC CAT became rather fractious in the starting gate, unseating his rider and ending up with legs splayed and his head in the mud under the front of the starting gate, vied two wide, stopped, returned with a gash on his left hock and limped off.”
“Fractious, legs splayed, head in the mud” – yet raced anyway. Entirely unsurprising: Charles Town is a racino track, meaning that slots cash (artificially) jacks up the purse booty and allows the track to pay first through last; MC’s “connections” made $100 simply by virtue of him finishing the race.
Incidentally, this 4-year-old “born-to-run, loves-to-compete” “athlete” had a similar note back in June (also at Charles Town): “fractious in the starting gate,” finished 9th of 10 ($100 again). His people for both races: Maryann and Daniel Iacone.
What the heck is wrong with people? In any decent track he would be barred from racing until he was okay in the gate. And clearly he does NOT want to race.
SICK, SICK, SICK – how much more repulsive can horseracing get?
MAJESTIC CAT screaming out with splayed legs and head in the mud under the gate and they WHAT?
They let him race?
Where was the Vet?
MC should’ve been immediately taken out of his gate, assisted off the track, taken out the back and treated by a vet. Stewards have the power to scratch a horse at the last minute with incidents like this – what in the hell were they doing? Stewards look at it through their high powered binoculars, they witnessed what happened here, they have radio contact with the official starter. This horse was fractious (upset and scared) his legs splayed, his head contacted the ground and that is a serious concern.
TRAUMATISED, TERRORISED and IN FEAR for his life, this horse was forced to race on, with absolutely no one giving a damn about him. The jockey could’ve spoken up for him but no it’s just another ride. Blatant animal cruelty and you’d have to be a sadist to have witnessed this and not intervene.
Oh this says it all you mongrel bastards!
Carolyn, I share your rage. What excuse can any apologist come up with for this horrific incident? Inexcusable. Absolutely inexcusable.
Joy and Mary, i really shouldn’t have used the words “mongrel bastards” but this really got to me and i would’ve thought this incident would disgust any decent fellow human being who has any regard for animals and in this instance it was the NOBLE horse and instead of appreciating these magnificent creatures we are doing such terrible things like this to them all in the name of gambling.
Yes Joy absolutely INEXCUSABLE!
Amen, Carolyn. yet we are called “lost causes” by the pro-racing folks. Unbelievable…
MAJESTIC CAT limped off and has no doubt suffered an injury.
He was fractious at the starting gates??!! He’s communicating, “I don’t want to do this!”
You are absolutely CORRECT Jacqueline Award.
I used to go to the races when I was young. Worked at the track too. You will NEVER see me there again.
Thank you, Lori.
I am a fan of racing and beginning to hate it more and more. There are no excuses for this situation. Did anyone find out what has happened to him?
There have been no disclosures that I’m aware of.
thanks.. praying for him
Thanks for caring Mary.
“RATHER fractious in the starting gate….returned with a gash on his left hock and limped off ” Charles Town is a sewer of a track. The stewards are a disgrace. The whole situation screams animal cruelty and should be investigated. The horse must have sustained the gash while in the starting gate and should have been scratched by the stewards. But instead, the injured animal was forced to run. The track is corrupt and there is no accountability.
I wonder what Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS thinks of this blatant animal abuse ? Now that the HSUS is teamed up with racing to improve the treatment of the horse this is an excellent place to start !
Agreed Rose – Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the HSUS needs to be informed of this incident.
There was nothing humane about the cruel treatment of MAJESTIC CAT!
Trapped in the confinement of a gate with no room to move – his legs must’ve been badly splayed for his head to have ended up on the ground in the mud. A gash (a long deep cut – stitches? and if he got any mud on that wound then that’s another worry for infection) and we don’t know if he sustained any other injuries. And then forcing him to race, he would’ve wanted to keep up in the safety of his herd and that would’ve kept him going, but at the same time the gash he suffered in the gates quite likely worsened with the stress of the race.
They’re such bastards……hope they get what they deserve, sooner rather than later.