I have received confirmation that the three horses – Silver Sundara, Diamond Dozen, Forged in Gold – who “broke down” at Charles Town last week are indeed dead. Horrible enough, but I have also learned of a fourth fatality there: After last Wednesday’s 8th, Oursecretsparadise, a “collapsed in upper stretch” on Equibase, was euthanized on the track. That’s four dead athletes at one track in a three-day period.
Oursecrets, by the way, was a 6-year-old maiden claimer who only just made his “debut” last month; in that race, also at CT, he finished 7th of 9, 33+ lengths back.
“The Sport of Kings” is indefensible.
Dirty and indefensible. Illegal backroads racing is flourishing in sputhern mid-state CA, sheriffs refuse to act. Law enforcement is the weak link in all this.
Why do we pay law enforcement to armour plate themselves when they don’t ENFORCE laws. Fighting with criminals (after the crimes are committed) and driving souped up road racers and tanks does not protect anyone, especially the vulnerable and nonhuman beings.
Business to business corruption and NO law enforcement is a humid climate for this torture.