Through a FOIA request to the Oregon Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 7 racing/training kills on Oregon tracks in 2015:
3-year-old Penny’s Maeham, June 12, Oregon Livestock 2
3-year-old Stormin Angel, November 17, Portland 5
3-year-old Tsunami Kidd, November 30, Portland 3
3-year-old Papa’s Angels, November 30, Portland 7
6-year-old Cu At Sunup, December 7, Portland 6
3-year-old Joanie’s Ticket, December 22, Portland 6
5-year-old Cowboy Clyde, December 29, Portland 3
In addition, these 5 still-active racehorses died on track grounds from what the industry refers to as “non-racing” causes. While technically true, morally they are most definitely casualties of Racing.
6-year-old Corporate Comet, September 9, Portland
4-year-old Hye Choose Hope, September 18, Portland
6-year-old I Got My Wings, September 27, Portland
7-year-old Alota Action, October 8, Portland
2-year-old Special Cafeina, October 8, Portland
Thank you Patrick for publishing these racehorse deaths. It appears that the Oregon Racing Commission thinks it irrelevant to disclose the causes of death of these innocent horses on racetracks in Oregon. This rotten industry accepts the maiming and killing of these horses as something that just “happens” in racing. Animal cruelty has become a major social issue worldwide and the thoroughbred racing industry, being a very public industry, is, in my view, the most publicly visible offender of animal cruelty with races being conducted every single day. These deaths are inexcusable.
I implore people not to bet on racehorses – just bet on ANYTHING other than horses. To place a bet or even attend/patronise a race meeting means you are condoning and supporting animal cruelty.
Actually, Carolyn, the Commission did disclose the injuries/causes, but it was the same old litany – fractures of one kind or another, infections, etc.
Well said Carolyn. Even though they provided the deaths via a FOIA, there are still many states that don’t participate or refuse to provide the information.
Nevertheless, it’s all horrific, and all done to exploit them for profit.
Today is a very big day in Florida. We are hoping the DECOUPLING passes in Florida today. Decoupling will cut-off major financing to both dog, and horse racing in Florida resulting in most greyhound tracks closing down, and hopefully most horse tracks as well.
I Got My Wings…this is odd that the 2009 bay gelding died at PM on September 27, 2015. He had raced only 4 times, the last being September 17 of 2011 at Emerald Downs where he was vanned off after the finish. B/O/T, Neil Knapp (last O/T of record that is). Four years from his last race to his death.
Papa’s Angels…the 3 y/o dark bay filly was leading and increasing her lead when she “fell suddenly” near the 16th pole. Several horses needed to avoid “their fallen rival”. Picture that horrific scene. Papa’s Angels’ racing career was a short 5 months and when she died, she was for sale for a lousy $3200. Breeder/owner, Donald Lawrence.
Tsunami Kidd…this 3 y/o brown QH had 5 races at the age of 2. He, too, fell in the race where he ultimately died. Dead at three years old. Not fully developed, not yet skeletally mature. Breeder/owner, Malon Cowgill.
And then, Corporate Comet…a 2009 bay mare, Corporate Comet last ran at Thistledown (Ohio) on July 6, 2015. She finished 7th of 8, 25 lengths behind. Her owner for that race – her final race – R & P Racing Stable and her trainer, Rodney Faulkner. She wasn’t claimed in that race and from what I could find, I don’t see that this owner (R & P Racing Stable) runs horses out in Oregon. Yet that is where she died. Last race in Ohio in July…dead in Oregon in September. She was very likely given away to some down-and-out owner/trainer after that last race of hers. Was transported thousands of miles. Dead two months later. Was Corporate Comet a “beloved family member” whose owner, trainer and groom wept over when she died? They barely knew her. But what’s gut-wrenching is…she barely knew them. Such is the life of the claimer.
RIP Penny’s Maeham, Stormin Angel, Tsunami Kidd, Papa’s Angels, Cu At Sunup, Joanie’s Ticket, Cowboy Clyde, Corporate Comet, Hye Choose Hope, I Got My Wings, Alota Action and Special Cafeina. Each one of you mattered to us. We will not stop.
Portland Meadows’ meet finished up yesterday (Feb 8). Being the cheap track that it is, one wonders where all of the horses will go. Some will be loaded up and sent to other tracks, of course, but certainly not all will continue racing elsewhere.
I was recently sent several comments by individuals posting on a pro-racing site – their words, verbatim:
“Round here the kb [kill buyer] picks up loads behind the barn. Everyone knows it happens and look the other way. They straight ship [to slaughter] because he doesn’t want the drama of people looking up tattoos and harrassing [sic] owners.”
“What track or area are you located near?”
“Oregon.”
Isn’t it horrific that Oregon’s Dead Racehorses, 2015, are lucky in comparison to some -many, I even dare say – whose names we will never know.
This is just so awful, Joy. Straight to slaughter with not even given the opportunity of possibly being bought by a rescue person/entity. It’s just criminal, it really is. Couldn’t agree with you more that the ones that died on the track were “lucky” in that they were spared the shocking road trip and the inhumane abhorrent death in the slaughterhouse.