Through a FOIA request to the Ohio State Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 36 kills on Ohio tracks in 2015. (Please note: These are racing and training only, as Ohio did not include “non-racing” deaths – colic, laminitis, etc. – in the FOIA documents. Surely, though, there were plenty of those too.)
7-year-old Boy’s Brother Bob, January 13, Mahoning 7
disarticulated ankle
First After Me, January 21, Northfield 14
fractured limb
Beach Speech, February 5, Miami 1
displaced comminuted fracture
2-year-old Hostile Nation, February 27, Mahoning, training
complete fracture of cannon
4-year-old Hecky Dorn, March 2, Mahoning 8
fractured knee
6-year-old Had to Happen, April 1, Mahoning 5
fractured sesamoids
4-year-old Toolatetotwostep, April 2, Mahoning, training
complete open fracture of metacarpal and rupture of stifle
Gogetembrady, April 20, Northfield 2
fractured ankle
4-year-old Lia’s Miracle, April 25, Mahoning 9
fractured sesamoids
7-year-old Third Wish, May 7, Belterra, training
fractured pastern
Osborne’s Yankee, May 11, Northfield 6
fracture
4-year-old Red October, May 13, Thistledown 1
fractured sesamoids
Wilco Willy, May 18, Scioto
comminuted fracture of pastern – multiple pieces
6-year-old Trenton Street, May 22, Belterra 2
fractured pelvis
6-year-old Whiskey Rebellion, May 30, Thistledown 4
fracture
3-year-old Leader of the Pack, June 21, Belterra 8
fractured sesamoids
3-year-old River Lute, July 4, Belterra 4
suspensory apparatus failed – open fracture
8-year-old Zhivago, July 13, Thistledown, training
broke down right front leg
6-year-old Isadella, July 19, Belterra 7
fractured sesamoids
2-year-old Hardly Sweet, July 20, Thistledown, training
comminuted fracture of the humerus
Little Prince, July 20, Northfield 12
fractured sesamoids – open, comminuted, displaced
4-year-old Little Scoot, August 19, Thistledown 9
broke ankle
6-year-old Gar, September 7, Belterra 6
fractured sesamoid
7-year-old Love Bunny, September 19, Thistledown 1
fractured sesamoids
7-year-old Leisurely Stroll, September 20, Belterra 7
multiple comminuted fractures of pastern
5-year-old Boardwalk Baron, September 21, Thistledown 7
slab fracture
5-year-old Shesalilbitcountry, September 25, Thistledown 6 (euthanized Sep 26)
slab fracture
6-year-old Doyouseemecoming, October 10, Thistledown 1
luxated and fractured ankle
2-year-old Cassie Lou, October 10, Thistledown 6
fractured ankle – disarticulated, open
2-year-old Man in Black, October 11, Belterra, training
fractured sesamoid
4-year-old Spring Song, October 16, Thistledown 3
fractured ankle
6-year-old Captain Buddy L, November 3, Mahoning 7
fractured and dislocated ankle
3-year-old Can’thandletheheat, December 12, Mahoning 9
fractured cannon bone mid-shaft
4-year-old Redneck Lazy, December 19, Mahoning 4
fractured sesamoids
Rocky Mountain Guy, December 19, Dayton 4
fractured cannon bone – compound, through the skin
4-year-old No Exclusion, December 23, Mahoning 8
fractured sesamoids
Thank you Patrick for exposing Ohio’s racehorse deaths for 2015.
36 have been officially disclosed and based on my research/observations over the years, at the very least, one can double that number to include those horses that have died in their stalls from colic, from injuries sustained in racing, laminitis and other adverse conditions brought about by the physiological and psychological stress of racing.
I found it very distressing reading this list. I pictured the physical and mental suffering these horses must’ve endured (replays of breakdowns evidence the reality of these horrific injuries).
I came across the following in a recent study on racehorses by Brandon D. Velie, BSc, MSc, PhD, a researcher in the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37011/is-sustainability-a-heritable-trait-in-thoroughbreds?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=welfare-industry&utm_campaign=01-21-2016
“Horses that succumb to the physical and emotional stress of racing are often very young, usually no more than 6 years old, and sometimes never fully recover, he said.”