“Broken Back in Spill”
“Collapsed and Died [at] Finish Line”
“Pastern Shattered”
“Broken Neck”
“Flipped in Paddock, Fractured Skull – DOA”
“Sudden Death During Race”
“Carpus Shattered”
“Found Dead in Stall”
Through a FOIA request to the West Virginia Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following deaths on that state’s tracks in 2015:
4-year-old Master’s Champion, January 14, Charles Town, training (euthanized Jan 15)
7-year-old Shop Smart, January 16, Charles Town, training
2-year-old Jazz Track, January 16, Charles Town 1
“fell in race, possible neck fracture”
2-year-old Warrior Forever, January 21, Charles Town 4
3-year-old Trail’satwosteppin, January 23, Charles Town 7
5-year-old Fronkonsteen, January 28, Charles Town 2 (euthanized January 29)
4-year-old Cobalto, February 5, Charles Town, training
3-year-old Fuzz, February 25, Charles Town 4
2-year-old Lovin It, February 26, Charles Town 4
5-year-old Mr Weaver, March 7, Mountaineer 9 (euthanized March 8)
7-year-old Shes Got to Run, March 13, Mountaineer, training
2-year-old Big Bad Max, March 17, Charles Town, training
5-year-old Elena’s Dreamboy, March 18, Mountaineer 9
2-year-old Afleet Monster, March 20, Charles Town 9 (euthanized March 21)
3-year-old Homeward Calling, March 26, Charles Town 9 (euthanized March 28)
3-year-old Holy Quill, April 8, Charles Town 8
5-year-old Snub, April 17, Charles Town 7 (euthanized April 29)
9-year-old Project Mayhem, May 1, Charles Town 8
2-year-old Maratik, May 2, Mountaineer 6
3-year-old Southern Rogue, May 11, Mountaineer 4
8-year-old Kid Galahad, May 12, Mountaineer 7 (euthanized May 18)
5-year-old Ally Hawk, May 16, Mountaineer 9 (euthanized June 12)
7-year-old Starlits Touch, May 19, Mountaineer 7
3-year-old Dash of Class, May 23, Charles Town, training (coming off first race)
8-year-old Winning Touch, May 23, Mountaineer, training
7-year-old I Cee’s a Tiger, May 26, Mountaineer 2
4-year-old Sharp Razor, May 30, Charles Town 2 (euthanized June 15)
4-year-old Thunder Bonnet, May 30, Mountaineer 3 (pre-race)
“flipped in paddock”
3-year-old Sweeping Tale, June 1, Mountaineer, training
7-year-old Tiedandtrue, June 3, Charles Town 2
3-year-old Veva Lightning, June 9, Charles Town, training
5-year-old I Got a Headache, June 10, Charles Town 4 (pre-race)
“sudden death prior to race”
5-year-old Irish Villian, June 12, Mountaineer, training
6-year-old Pepe’s Valentine, June 17, Mountaineer 5
4-year-old Spasella, June 18, Charles Town 2 (euthanized June 25)
4-year-old My Sweet Tooth, June 19, Charles Town 1 (euthanized June 20)
5-year-old Oh So Proud, June 27, Charles Town 3
6-year-old Awesome Life, July 8, Charles Town 3
5-year-old Dos Oro, July 8, Charles Town 7
5-year-old Thaaats Right, July 11, Mountaineer 5
6-year-old Slot Machine, July 14, Mountaineer 6
5-year-old Parrain, July 15, Mountaineer 5 (euthanized July 16)
5-year-old Our Day in Court, July 22, Mountaineer, training
10-year-old Out Drinkin’, July 22, Mountaineer 4 (euthanized July 23)
3-year-old Wizards Clip, July 25, Charles Town 1
“broken back in spill”
6-year-old Mojo Workin, July 28, Mountaineer 1
4-year-old To Erin Again, July 30, Charles Town 2
5-year-old Token of Dreams, August 1, Mountaineer, training
6-year-old Flashy Finish, August 3, Mountaineer 5
4-year-old Dead Ringer, August 8, Charles Town 5
5-year-old Bow Street Runner, August 11, Mountaineer 9
6-year-old Song Ahead, August 15, Mountaineer 1 (euthanized August 18)
3-year-old Conference, August 16, Mountaineer 2
“collapsed and died [at] finish line – vascular accident”
3-year-old Helton, August 19, Charles Town 6
“pastern shattered”
4-year-old Last Kid, August 19, Charles Town 8 (euthanized August 26)
4-year-old Added Reward, August 20, Charles Town 8
3-year-old Get the Sensation, August 22, Charles Town 7
6-year-old Knock Rock, August 25, Mountaineer 4
6-year-old Acceptance Letter, August 28, Charles Town 4
“broken neck”
5-year-old Kathy’s Limit, September 16, Charles Town 6
3-year-old Silver Or Gold, September 18, Charles Town 5
“pastern shattered”
4-year-old Boccaccio, September 18, Charles Town 8
4-year-old Flashy Brass, September 22, Mountaineer 7
4-year-old Windsor’s Graduate, September 25, Charles Town 4 (euthanized Sep 26)
4-year-old Mr. Reattatude, September 26, Mountaineer 9 (pre-race)
“flipped in paddock, fractured skull – DOA”
3-year-old Charitable Star, October 1, Charles Town 4
4-year-old Fleur de Savill, October 3, Mountaineer 5 (euthanized October 6)
3-year-old O’ Jackie, October 6, Mountaineer, training
5-year-old Wildly Beautiful, October 10, Charles Town, training (euthanized Oct 13)
4-year-old Holistic Remedy, October 13, Mountaineer 1
4-year-old Rebellious Dreamer, October 13, Mountaineer 7
4-year-old Capitano Storm, October 21, Charles Town 6
2-year-old Resident Nurse, October 22, Charles Town 1 (euthanized October 31)
3-year-old Beil Beil, November 5, Charles Town 8
4-year-old Fiddlers Elbow, November 19, Charles Town 7
“sudden death during race” (chart said “eased, vanned off”)
8-year-old Explosive War, November 20, Charles Town 5 (euthanized November 21)
7-year-old Awesome Arceno, November 25, Charles Town 7
6-year-old Oursecretsparadise, December 2, Charles Town 8
“carpus shattered”
3-year-old Silver Sundara, December 3, Charles Town 6
9-year-old Diamond Dozen, December 4, Charles Town 3
3-year-old Forged in Gold, December 4, Charles Town 8
4-year-old Zippin On By, December 10, Charles Town, training
4-year-old Supersizer, December 10, Charles Town 3
6-year-old Pigeon Chris, December 10, Charles Town 8
3-year-old Souper Social, December 19, Charles Town 5
In addition, the following still-active racehorses died on track grounds from what the industry calls “non-racing” causes. Technically true, perhaps, but on a moral level, these horses are no less casualties of this vile business than the ones above.
2-year-old Louie Cat, January 2, Charles Town
“died [in other words, without euthanasia] – head injury” (yet to be raced)
3-year-old One Eyed Clyde, January 9, Charles Town
“euthanized – colic” (last raced December 27)
2-year-old Crafty Lil Devil, February 27, Charles Town
“died [in other words, without euthanasia] – neck abscess, colic” (last raced Jan 22)
7-year-old Our Hae, March 11, Charles Town
“died [in other words, without euthanasia] – colic” (last raced Feb 25; 61 races in all)
3-year-old Ruby Creek, March 11, Mountaineer
“humanely destroyed – colic” (yet to be raced)
6-year-old Kevins Gold, May 12, Charles Town
“euthanized – hock injury/infection” (last raced December 27)
3-year-old High Thighs, May 14, Charles Town
“euthanized – laminitis” (last raced March 20)
3-year-old Princess Birdie, August 22, Charles Town
“euthanized – founder” (last raced August 5)
3-year-old Cork Street, September 2, Charles Town
“died [in other words, without euthanasia] – acute enteritis” (yet to be raced)
6-year-old Montana Dream, September 6, Mountaineer
“humanely destroyed – colic” (last raced August 10)
3-year-old Catana, October 5, Mountaineer
“found dead in stall” (last raced September 27)
3-year-old Temple of Doom, October 5, Mountaineer
“found dead in stall” (last raced September 30)
4-year-old Too Many Pockets, October 12, Mountaineer
“humanely destroyed – colic” (last raced September 7)
5-year-old Dakota Sun, October 23, Mountaineer
“died [in other words, without euthanasia] – colic” (last raced September 7)
4-year-old Riding That Train, October 30, Charles Town
“euthanized – wobbler” (last raced August 28)
Can there possibly be a legitimate argument that horseracing is anything but an inexcusably cruel sport? None other results in the deaths of thousands of athletes every year. None other results in the accumulation of lifelong crippling injuries in surviving juveniles.
Horseracing cannot be reformed. Paltry efforts to address pre-race drug abuse, unsafe track surfaces and independent veterinary exams may save but a few hundreds of animals from preventable injuries and deaths in their early careers, but the imperative to squeeze every possible race out of each horse will inevitably result in the same death toll.
The only way to prevent the people in racing from killing horses is for good people outside of racing to kill horseracing.
I agree. As is often said, the only way for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing/.
Racing is nothing short of evil. What else can it be when it kills and maims the vast majority of it’s athletes within a few years of their lives. Those that do not die at the tracks or are left to die in their stalls, die in the slaughterhouses of Mexico and Canada. Racehorses are doomed from the day they are foaled.
There is no way to reform this rotten business because it’s very foundation is horse abuse, period..
Marc and Rose. Agree, but must change some words that seem inappropriate from where I sit.
First off, they are not athletes. Rather, profit slaves. They certainly aren’t willingly confined to a small space for 23 hours per day nor do they willingly permit needles in and out of their veins, joints, and wherever else they put them. Your guess is as good as mine, but they can always count on the silence of a racehorse can’t they?
Second, it’s not a sport. Rather a cruelty circus, a death camp that results in kill lists not unlike the holocaust.
Finally, their paltry efforts as you refer to Marc are merely window dressing events to placate the public. Years of meetings, discussions, committees and nothing has changed. Indeed, it’s much worse than it ever has been.
This was my fav line coming from Marc:
“The only way to prevent the people in racing from killing horses is for good people outside of racing to kill horseracing.”
4 of the most important things to do is:
1. Cancel the Interstate Horse Racing Act
2. Support decoupling
3. Don’t watch or bet on any racehorses.
4. Educate the public on what really goes on in the stable area. The PETA undercover video of Steve Asmussen’s barn was, thankfully, a huge step in the right direction. It exposed the business as usual antics of horse racing stables.