Through a request to the New Jersey Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 24 racehorse deaths on New Jersey tracks in 2015. (Unless otherwise noted, fatal injuries were fractures of one kind or another.)
8-year-old Golden Fizz, March 3, Clendining Farms (NJ), training
12-year-old That’s Justice, March 21, Freehold 8
9-year-old GW Gizmo, April 21, Gales Way Farm (NJ), training
4-year-old Moonlight Blaze, May 2, Monmouth, training
3-year-old Exceedingly, May 24, Monmouth 6
4-year-old Wild Faith, May 26, Monmouth, training
6-year-old Ladywood, May 30, Monmouth 12 (euthanized May 31)
8-year-old [illegible name], May 31, Monmouth, training
5-year-old Wild Flash, May 31, Monmouth 11
7-year-old Umbraggio, June 19, Monmouth 5
3-year-old Havana Juile, June 28, Monmouth 1
5-year-old Face the Race, June 28, Monmouth 8
2-year-old Swinging Zealous, July 4, Monmouth, training
“possible cardiac insufficiency”
2-year-old Lady Krew, July 21, Monmouth, training
“cardiac insufficiency”
5-year-old Single Handed, July 24, Monmouth 2
4-year-old Have a Good Laugh, July 25, Monmouth 7
“heart attack or heat prostration”
3-year-old Birthday Girl, July 29, Monmouth, training
2-year-old [illegible name], August 4, Monmouth, training
4-year-old Fake Charm, August 6, Monmouth, training
3-year-old Action Tonight, September 5, Monmouth 2 (euthanized September 8)
7-year-old Lloyd’s Baby, September 12, Clendining Farms (NJ), training
4-year-old Steel N Pack, September 20, Monmouth, training
“cardiovascular collapse”
5-year-old Crafty Chick, October 9, Monmouth, training
3-year-old Runnin Renee, October 24, Meadowlands 1 (euthanized October 25)
In addition, these 7 still-active horses died from what the industry refers to as “non-racing” causes (Someday On Sunday excepted). While technically true, morally they are no less casualties of this vile business than the ones above.
4-year-old Sin City Dancer, May 7, Monmouth
“anaphylaxis”
5-year-old Joe Dream, May 9, Tullo Training Center (NJ)
“unknown”
6-year-old Someday On Sunday, May 9, Monmouth (from injury sustained May 8, Penn 9)
3-year-old Lady Lucilla, May 22, Monmouth
“shipped in with shipping fever, abscess, and fluid in lungs”; eventually euthanized
3-year-old Midas Queen, June 20, Monmouth
“euthanized due to non-responsive respiratory infection”
3-year-old Crossing Jordan, August 22, Monmouth
“accident”
2-year-old Good Bye, October 5, Monmouth
“anaphylactic reaction to vitamin E injection”
Reading this list of TWENTY-FOUR (24) horses suffering terribly and then DYING on New Jersey racetracks, turns my stomach. It would disturb any decent minded human being.
The racing industry just cannot JUSTIFY this and what are they doing about it?
BLOODY NOTHING!
HEAVENLY O – this 6 year old gelding began racing in July 2013 as a 3 year old when his breeders, Jeff and Jill Bonifas, were also his owners. In June 2014 his new owner and trainer is Ronda Hutchinson.
The reason I’m bringing up this horse is because he was involved in a horrific incident at Louisana Downs on Sept 18, 2015 when he, Valid Wolfe and Social Prize fell heavily and “walked off under their own power”.
Valid Wolfe has, to date, not reappeared.
HEAVENLY O reappeared on Nov 4 coming home 10th/10 last by 21 lengths. Chart says “had a steady fade”. He again starts on Jan 3, 2016 and Chart says “dropped back… under the… whip….and tired”.
On Sunday Jan. 24, he comes home 2nd last by 29 lengths. HO raced wide and at the rear. Chart says “showed little” bit of an understatement.
This is his 3rd start after his terrible fall in September last year. This trainer/owner has had this horse for over 18 months and on a quick look I cannot see where HO has raced so poorly as he has been since his bad fall. My view is that he hasn’t recovered and could be carrying an injury.
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, stated in his recent study on racehorses “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”.
And as for the horse Uncoachabe who came home almost 54 lengths last behind HO, Chart says
“came up empty… and stopped”. This horse “bumped” with another at the start – bet it was more than a “bump”. And the industry has the audacity to call horseracing a “sport”!
Thank you, Carolyn, for this disturbing information on Heavenly O. Can you imagine how many other racehorses are suffering this same existence? The industry DOES NOT CARE.
Please Patrick explain how a horse dying from anaphylaxis is in any racing related ?? You do know what that is right ? I have almost died twice from it I carry 2 epi pens at all times.. This is something that cannot be prevented because you don’t know they are allergic til it happens . I did not know I was allergic to wasps til I got stung and almost died 20 min later
Sin City Dancer’s death from anaphylaxis was listed in the “non-racing” section. Your desperation is palpable.
The point is Laura you don’t even know! Nor do you know if the connections had full knowledge that the horse was anaphylactic, and continued to run him. After all, this is horse racing. Moreover, you have no idea what drugs were being administered to this horse, what drug they may have been experimenting on that day. Let me guess? Perhaps a frog from South America or how about a snake from Africa? Who knows?
The fact is nobody knows Laura because as you noted on a previous post the vet records are “private” so nobody has the right to know evidently.
I tell you who needs to know. For one thing, the wagering public needs to know because they are being duped. Second, the racing commissions should know, but they are being duped often times. The Jockey Club should know since the jockeys risk their lives riding horses.
If you want things to remain private then go run them in your backyard.
Absolutely, Gina!…who knows what that horse received via a syringe that day! From an August 26, 2015 Paulick Report article (“Taking my Money Elsewhere”), here, a quote from CA equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur….”During the often-heated debate last week, Arthur told the CHRB that ‘drugs other than Lasix are being used on race day. We know that.'”
So, Laura, take up your arguments with Arthur.