Through a FOIA request to the Maryland Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 37 kills on Maryland tracks in 2015 (unless otherwise noted, fatal injuries were leg fractures of one kind or another):
4-year-old Pop Pop Kiss, January 2, Laurel, training
“sudden death”
6-year-old Dual Exhauzt, January 9, Pimlico, training
3-year-old Princess Marcela, January 9, Pimlico, training
“died, 3/16 pole – neurologic”
4-year-old Ear D’Rhythm, January 9, Laurel 7 (died January 10)
chart said “lame, vanned off”; FOIA document says “died” – not euthanized
3-year-old Cattagirl, January 21, Laurel, training
4-year-old Wonderfella, February 14, Laurel 4
3-year-old Cosmic Gold, February 14, Laurel 7
7-year-old Mr. Flexible, March 13, Laurel 7
4-year-old Second Round, March 19, Laurel 9 (euthanized March 23)
6-year-old Eltham, March 21, Laurel 9 (euthanized March 26)
5-year-old Ellies Tattle Tale, April 4, Pimlico 1
7-year-old Cherokee Empire, April 6, Laurel, training
3-year-old My Sweet Ellierose, April 10, Pimlico 5
5-year-old Cyclone Warrior, April 11, Laurel, training
3-year-old Mytrack Marie, April 11, Laurel, training
2-year-old Ms Bricker, April 19, Pimlico, training
3-year-old Tiz B the One, April 23, Pimlico 1
2-year-old Muniz, April 24, Pimlico 3
6-year-old Who Dat Boy, April 25, Pimlico 5
5-year-old Kylie’s Cozy Kid, April 30, Pimlico 4
3-year-old Prayer Cloth, May 5, Laurel, training
4-year-old Yesterday Sings, May 25, Pimlico 1
4-year-old Evelyn’s Colors, July 4, Laurel, training
5-year-old Passionate Concern, August 4, Laurel, training (euthanized August 5)
6-year-old Minescape, August 8, Laurel 2 (euthanized August 11)
4-year-old Hertzalot, August 9, Laurel 8 (euthanized August 12)
5-year-old Sharp Richard, August 14, Laurel 5
3-year-old Storming Sixty, August 21, Laurel, training
5-year-old Lagi Lagi, August 29, Timonium 3
5-year-old Blue Deep, September 12, Laurel, training
5-year-old He’s Not Bluffin, September 13, Laurel 4
3-year-old Great Smile, October 6, Laurel, training
5-year-old Margaret High, October 12, Laurel, training
3-year-old Me Darlin Jackie, October 24, Laurel, training
3-year-old Tygra, November 9, Laurel, training
5-year-old Do It for Fun, November 27, Laurel 4
2-year-old Kind of Silver, December 29, Laurel, training
Also, 4-year-old Miss Woodburn was euthanized at Pimlico on August 4 for an injury sustained at Delaware Park July 21 (race 3).
In addition, 6 still-active horses died on track grounds from what the industry refers to as “non-racing” causes. Here at Horseracing Wrongs, though, they are no less casualties of this sordid business than the ones above.
4-year-old True Cruiser, March 26, Laurel
“chronic [blank]”
6-year-old Avarice, June 1, Laurel
laminitis
5-year-old Eli’s Gin, July 11, Laurel
laminitis
3-year-old My Prayer, July 19, Laurel
colic, “died” – not euthanized
6-year-old Dune Dancer, September 20, Laurel
laminitis
3-year-old Doc’s Hope, December 10, Pimlico
colic
Sickening. Just sickening. Makes my stomach turn. These racetracks are death camps. There is no other way to describe them. Absolute death camps. Dying in stalls, dying during training, dying when racing, and then most likely dying in slaughterhouse.
How can any compassionate civilized nations support this ongoing death registry?
This doesn’t account for racehorses dying on private training centers, and I’ve seen it.
The more these racetracks shut down the better I feel.
For every one that shuts down it’s less breeding, less unwanted horses, less deaths.
On that note, another racetrack is shutting down thank goodness:
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/hope-fading-for-racing-revival-at-rockingham/
Read the comments from the pro-horse racing people. Makes me realize how delusional they are. Some of them make me sick.
“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Just an update on JILL’S REFLECTION – she was scratched by the veterinarian at Laurel Park on Sunday 17 January. Race 5 in this link http://www.laurelpark.com/race-info/results
I find it puzzling that there appears to be no record of a horse being scratched (by the vet) in the equibase.com horse profile under Results. Perhaps it’s somewhere else on the site.
This 4 year old filly (from foaling date) began racing on May 2, 2013 as a 2 year old. Her breeder, Rose Family Stable was her owner and Barry Rose her trainer up until June 11, 2015 when she was claimed for $10,000 (her initial claim price was $50,000).
New trainer is Dario Vega and owner is World Wide Promotion Enterprises.
On Sept 4, new trainer is Sergio Vega. On Sept 20 she was claimed for $6,250.
New trainer is David Rakoff and new owner is Breakin Wind Farm.
She has again been disposed of and her new trainer is Wayne Potts and new owner is Mark Moshe.
To date she’s had 4 owners and 5 trainers.
This filly has been raced relentlessly without sufficient respite to repair her bones/body. She has to date had FIFTY-SIX (56) starts. She’s just being used up until there’s nothing left in her. Oh this poor mare – what a miserable life she’s living!
Needless to say JILL’S REFLECTION is just one example of the overracing, overusing and overworking of racehorses. SHAMEFUL.
The horse racing industry has lost its moral compass, but then again they never had one to get involved in this horrific industry to begin with.
They make me sick. It’s horrific what’s going on these days. It’s blatant animal cruelty.
They get away with this by projecting a fancy image of mint juleps, elitism, and fancy clothes.
Behind it all is a big pool of filled with the blood and bones of racehorses.