3-year-old Kandoo is dead from a collision at Gulfstream Saturday evening. The kill, of course, was only reported (by multiple outlets) because this was a stakes race (the $75,000 “Melody of Colors”) and the young filly was a high earner ($13,000 a start). The “Gulfstream Park Replay Show,” by the way, completely edited-out the nastiness.
This is horseracing.
I’m not a legal eagle, but it seems to me that the deliberate editing out of a horse race is a violation of the First Amendment.
Civil action should be brought against Gulfstream, and they should be sued.
This is not their information to edit, this race belongs to the public. It’s public information. They have no legal basis to edit it.
Even worse, this could set a precedent.
Isn’t it ironic how the horse racing industry takes all these financial handouts form the public, but they don’t want to answer to anybody?
So it’s okay to take public funds, but it’s not okay to be transparent about their operations?
This is outrageous. I can’t think of any other business in America that gets so much financial handouts and answers to nobody.
A very disturbing post this morning from a pro-horse racing insider who states:
“ADW and out-of-state generated simulcast handle is NOT REPORTED by the Florid Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering,”
In other words, the horse racing industry has an entire underground financial windfall that’s not being reported to the government! That’s why the Interstate Horse Racing Act needs to be cancelled!
An investigative report into offshore gambling exposed the BILLIONS of dollars wagered on racehorses in the Caribbean that is NOT REPORTED and NO TAXES are paid on this money.
So they get handouts from taxpayers, casinos while they are making BILLIONS of unreported untaxes undocumented money!
This SCAM has got to end. So sad that the racehorses pay with their lives.
It seems obvious that politicians are being paid to turn their head. We need some tough politicians to stand up to this industry and immediately discontinue all financial handouts. Then shut it down.
Agree with you 100% Gina! I have no doubt that the deliberate editing of this race is in breach of a law. They really know how to shoot themselves in the foot though, don’t they …. they cut out the death of a horse in a race and yet members of the public saw it live on TV and some physically present at the meeting, would’ve witnessed this death. Trying to hide the ugly truth of horseracing. In a way their devious action is an admission that what they’re doing to these horses is wrong. Any business that does not embrace transparency and disclosure as policy, FAILS! Even Governments are declaring that “we must be transparent”. For many years now, I’ve said time and again that the public sustains the horseracing industry, these horses are put on public display and their well-being, welfare, health and safety is open to public scrutiny.
Where I am, about 20 years ago, there was a Government Inquiry into horseracing. The very senior Attorney who was appointed by the Government left a well paid high position in a Govt. department just as I landed a job there. Would’ve loved to have met him but I was later able to get a hard copy of his final official Review which were hard to come by, I keep it on my desk. In his investigation he stated words to the effect that the public sustains the racing industry and the community has a standard of expectations from such industry. Although my late father (a racing man) never revealed this to me, he apparently made a submission to this Inquiry in relation to the welfare of the racehorse, in particular the whipping. The Attorney was astute enough and had the integrity to mention at the end of his final Review that although he did not have the power to address the welfare of the racehorse (because it did not come under the Terms of Reference for his investigation), he referred to a video made in Britain which stated “excessive use of the whip inhibits performance”. Then he said “There’s no point in flogging a horse when it’s beaten, as certainly sometimes happens now. On the other hand, stewards properly demand that jockeys ride out their mounts, and some jockeys might think that waving the whip around demonstrates they are fulfilling their obligation. The matter is one that requires careful handling. With the passage of time it is inevitable that whips will be used less than they now are, but there is no firm recommendation the Review can usefully make.”
His hands were tied.
The Terms of Reference included the reporting of findings and conclusions together with recommendations for changes considered necessary to the general law of the State to –
prevent unfair competition in the conduct of thoroughbred racing
prevent fraud and corruption in thoroughbred racing and associated betting activities; and
maintain public trust and confidence in the conduct of thoroughbred racing.
Matters that were investigated were mainly about the gambling, jockeys placing bets, race fixing, the criminals involved in racing, the drugging of the horses, the standard of drug testing, accountability, veterinarians, money laundering, etc.
Of the 68 Recommendations which included –
the Stewards to stamp out illicit practices including the use of batteries
post race follow up of incidents
retrospective inquiries
surveillance of betting activities
stable inspections and attendance at trackwork
owners be provided with better information as to the standard of trainers and their stables
a standard treatment diary for the recording of all veterinary treatment of a horse, whether carried out by trainers or veterinarians
policy to be made public
only several were implemented.
I remember a young apprentice jockey coming to our home and he was quite upset and turned to my father and said what do I do? if I don’t flog the horse the Stewards drag me over the coals for not whipping the horse and if I flog the horse to comply with the connections’ instructions, the Stewards punish me for flogging the horse too much. He was such a sweet young kid and in those days it wasn’t much fun for the apprentices. And I’m so glad he walked away from racing.
I recall accompanying my father to a city hotel to meet with a jockey who was riding one of the family’s horses the following day. Lots of phone calls this jockey had whilst we were there, names of horses flying about, names of other jockeys flying about, certain things being said. Next day in the Members Lounge as the winners were coming home my father and I just looked at one another and mmm…. oh yes….. 4 of the 7 races had been fixed. Our horse was not a winner but that didn’t matter to us.
I talked to someone who was at Gulfstream when this happened and according to him there were 4 horses involved. Kandoo was euthanized and, according to my friend, it was a horrific scene with horses jumping over fallen horses and one without a rider. In all 4 horses out of 8 starters did not finish because of the mayhem.
Carolyn, thanks for sharing this really interesting information with me. Wow! They even knew back then how corrupt horse racing is. It hasn’t changed one bit. It’s still a cesspool of corruption whose public funding needs to end.
Interesting that he addressed the whipping issue even though it was not part of the legal entity. I can only guess that he was so disturbed by the welfare of racehorses that he mentioned it.
So fast forward 20 years and the same thing is happening. In fact, it’s worse with the advent of casino money pouring in, raising the purse money, and raising the stakes. This has only made things much worse for the racehorses.
No matter what this industry does it’s the racehorse that pays the price because the fundamental basis of the business model is the exploitation of racehorses for profit. No matter what way they cut the cake, they can’t get away from this very fact.
Gina, Gulfstream should be sued by whom? Me? You? Again, racing is a 40 billion dollar industry which plays by its own rules. Editing is allowed in all areas of journalism. Is what Gulfstream did illegal? No, but it is unethical, in my opinion. However, I’m sure none of the racing officials give a damn. With that being said, I would never take on a multi-billion industry in terms of a lawsuit because I am smart enough to know that I would be financially crushed. If you feel differently, I want to wish you the best of luck.
PETA, Mercy For Animals. ALDF banned together and sued for the Ag Gag Law against more powerful forces than Stronach & Gulfstream, and they WON!
Maybe I just have too much faith in the constitution as I see this as a constitutional violation very similar to the Ag Gag law. In fact, it may fall under this, but like I said I’m no legal eagle, and it would take a constitutional attorney to review the matter to even see if there are grounds to do so.
The fact that they edited out the catastrophic breakdown just shows how cold and callous they are.
Any American can file a lawsuit. Yes, it takes money, but it still can be done.
I would just love to see him in a court of law being held accountable that’s all.
Just to mention that where I am, the racing authority in one instance put up “video not available”. I was told that complaints were made, pressure was placed on them to make video available revealing the horrific falling of horses (injured), jockeys (injured) and at least one horse died on the track. They soon realized (and I believe legal advice was sought) that they just couldn’t get away with this, so after about 24 hours the unedited video was put up, they were forced to do the right thing and to my knowledge, ever since, they always make the videos (unedited) available to the public.
As I said in my previous comment, people physically present at the track and people watching it live on tv saw what really happened to Kandoo and other horses/jockeys involved (Rose informed that there were 4 horses). The fact that they edited out the incident is of course unethical and deceitful, but, in my view, it also would be in breach of a law pertaining to legislation that provides for “misleading the public”. Another possible breach would be “misrepresentation” of a commercial product (which horseracing is) and a very public one at that.
I agree with you Mary with the exception of “editing is allowed in all areas of journalism”. The video of a race is not a journalist’s piece, it is a very long standing absolutely essential service provided by the horseracing industry, a public commercial industry. e.g. a gambler is following and betting on a certain horse, he’s not at the track because he’s at his workplace, he hears that there was an incident in the race that he’d bet on, he goes to the video but the incident is not there. The racetrack is in breach because it has failed to provide the full and proper service and that failure was deliberate and intentional.
Gulfstream and its racing officials responsible for this deceitful act, need to be taken to task, made accountable and rectify its failure of service and put up the unedited video of the race in question.
Just for clarification, Mercy For Animals would never get involved in a lawsuit against a track or the racing industry. MFA focuses exclusively on farm animals. I have met Nathan Runkle and his organization does wonderful work but their business model does not involve racing. I would love for PETA to take on racing, but we saw how they fared when they went after Blasi and ASSmussen in regards to the abuse of Nehro. PETA has deep pockets but they aren’t close to racing in regards to revenue generated.
Carolyn and Gina, can one of you provide documentation where editing the video from a race is a “breach of a law”? As far as taking financial handouts, of course they do. Racing is corrupt from top to bottom. No surprise there!
In answer to your question, Mary, no I cannot provide documentation, however, I still stand by my comment referring to “misleading the public” and “misrepresentation”.
Interesting that today a Paulick Report article stated
“One national organization’s top executive said polling of industry insiders concluded integrity is the sport’s biggest problem but that the general public is far more concerned about safety and welfare. ……… but the general public will not tolerate athletes dying in competition.”
Carolyn and Gina, as we all know, there are many atrocities in the racing industry including drugs, breakdowns, and slaughter, to name just a few. I have gone up against the racing industry and I can best describe it as a “David and Goliath” experience. I would love to see an individual, or group, with deep pockets sue the pants off the perpetrators, but I am smart enough to know that it would be financially devastating for me to do so and I am on sound financial footing. Therefore, I have chosen to put my efforts elsewhere. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t support the two of you if you decide to go the legal route. In fact, I would applaud your efforts! Hold Gulfstream accountable and force them to put up the video of the race in question.
Carolyn. you quoted Paulick, who is a paid mouthpiece for the racing industry, when you stated that “…the general public will not tolerate athletes dying in competition”. That statement is simply ludicrous. The public has tolerated our beloved horses snapping their legs off and dying in the dirt for years and years. Even the “big” names such as Ruffian, Eight Belles, Prairie Bayou, and Go for Wand didn’t turn the majority away from racing and I’m not sure why because those breakdowns were truly horrifying. I continue to believe that there is a disconnect between the reality of racing and the fantasy of how fans perceive racing to be. Also, racing is a marketing machine. The industry can take a breakdown and twist and spin it to make it look as if it wasn’t so bad. I remember seeing a video of Barbaro after he had been in rehab for months and months, and he was being walked outside of New Bolton. I watched him move and I was horrified. His walk was anything but natural but the reporters and camera crews were swarming around him as they babbled about how wonderful he looked. It was a lie and it simply broke my heart. Barbaro…only three years old and killed by an industry based on money and gambling but such is the reality of horseracing.
“
Any word on Brandy’s Girl?
Brand1y’s Girl appears to have escaped injury. Kandoo was the only horse to be euthanized, unfortunately.
There are horses dying every day for this despicable industry.
Meant to add the horses involved in this horrific incident –
KANDOO (died)
Brandy’s Girl
Hi Holiday
My Dear Venezuela
The following link confirms
http://www.equibase.com/premium/chartEmb.cfm?track=GP&raceDate=02/20/2016&cy=USA&rn=11
Mary, Carolyn provided an example of this in her response. I think it’s about time that it gets addressed in a court of law because it seems to be a grey area right now.
The other issue is that we can’t rely on the industry (who manages itself) to tell the truth in print or they deliberately eliminate information in print as we see this more and more.
Case in point, the FOIA’s that Patrick files are not always accurate or has information completely missing to cover up the breakdowns, and deaths.
It’s almost like the video is the most concrete way to hold this industry accountable.
PETA, to my knowledge, has been the only animal rights organization to actively investigate what exactly goes on behind fenced in areas called stable areas. Further, they got the video evidence to prove it. They negotiated with the parties involved and reached some agreements. Most notably, increased transparency on drug protocols for racehorses which are largely responsible for breakdowns, and deaths according to reputable equine vet studies. In the least, they exposed the industry for what it is.
However, it didn’t surprise me that the industry is now carrying on business as usual even touting Steve Ass has an amazing Trainer. They are acting as if nothing happened, as if the PETA video doesn’t exist. So typical of this industry.
That’s fine because the video did reach a lot of people that either thought this was going on or didn’t know it was going on. The video confirmed their worse fears so it had a huge impact.
As for MFA, they do amazing work. Horses are farm animals. At least they should be on a farm not running in circles breaking their bones, losing their lives for $2 bets.
Yes Mary, the horse racing industry is a multibillion dollar giant with very wealthy owners who will squash you like a fly. They did it to me. Their pursuit of me delves into my personal life. Trust me on that one.
Since I have started speaking out about this industry I’ve had identity theft via my computer which destroyed my credit, I still haven’t sorted that one out yet. I get all sorts of weird phone calls, weird mail, people following me, people harassing me. It’s not just one isolated incident. I have no proof that it’s key people in the industry, but to me it’s obvious.
When you play with the giants they hit back hard, and they have the finances to do it with. They have the money to hire people to make your life a living hell, and they think nothing of destroying it.
I know.