In general, Santa Anita does not identify its dead on the weekly Stewards’ reports – preferring, instead, the sanitized “number of deceased.” Similarly, the California Horse Racing Board, citing confidentiality, has refused my FOIA request (for names of dead) two years running. So – if 3-year-old Found Money had been just another racehorse, we likely would never had learned of his training death at SA Monday. But he wasn’t; in fact, he was a multiple stakes-winning, almost $300,000-earning “star.” And the deaths of stars, you see, merit coverage in the morally-bankrupt Racing press.
Incidentally, along with that coverage typically comes a comment or two from the aggrieved “connection.” Trainer Doug O’Neill re-quoted in Blood-Horse: “[Found Money] was a barn favorite with a big personality, and he will be missed by all.”
I feel nothing but disdain for this industry and the people who populate it.
Oh, yes, the infamous Mr. Drug O’Neill (oops…meant to say Doug O’Neill) who is certainly missing his revenue producing barn favorite but only for a brief period since Found Money’s stall will quickly be filled with another exploited animal that will be loved just like a family member. Yeah, right! Anyone who believes that will also believe that the earth is flat. I, too, feel nothing but disdain for this disgusting, and repulsive, industry.
Hmm…the CHRB refuses to release names of horses killed, claiming breach of confidentiality in doing so. But that “reason” does not apply to Found Money and his connections? Racing industry members, your ludicrous “rules”?…we see right through them. It’s incredibly difficult to keep secret the deaths of your “stars”, isn’t it….so just hide those not on a national stage. And cite some cockamamie “rule” for doing so.
Ridiculous. And you know it.
just an FYI, you can access the CHRB on their website, read the steward’s minutes. Often times they will notate a horse that was humanely euthanized that had raced. They don’t notate horses that must be euthanized from morning workouts.
Just looked at Found Money’s PP…was the writing on the wall? In his last race he finished 10th of eleven – over 42 lengths behind.
Doug O’Neill-again
DITTO to all comments.
Frank Stronach AKA Magna Entertainment AKA Adena Springs is the biggest independent racetrack owner in the U.S. Santa Anita is one of his tracks. He is ultimately the decider of many policies that occur at Santa Anita although the chain of command is long leading to his door.
Let’s not forget that the horrific breakdown and subsequent spill at Gulfstream Park was deliberately eliminated from video. Probably another one of his orders although there are plenty dishing out the policies to cushion him from any fall out it seems. Standard corporation modus operandi.
The ongoing breakdowns of racehorses on his tracks are usually forced onto the van, taken to the stable area where they are many times humanely euthanized. Out of sight – out of mind. Probably another policy implemented by him since he ultimately decides being the racetrack owner.
Yet, he claims to be one of the “good” folks of horse racing. I will never forget when he purchased these tracks. He stated that he would change things for the better. So far, I’ve seen things change for the better for any policy surrounding wagering in order to increase profits, but little or nothing for the racehorses.
Oh, but he really “cares” about the racehorses. Sound familiar?
Whoever partakes in this deplorable industry is in a state of perpetual denial, and it goes right to the top. We have provided countless examples of racehorses who are dumped by the top and most richest owners of this cruelty circus. For example, Storming, and he’s just one of thousands.
So don’t think for a moment that it’s just the lower ranks with the less influential owners that partake in the exploitation and dumping of racehorses. It happens at every level from top to bottom.
Multiple drug violating Trainers like Doug O’Neill are protected by the industry as they continue to train, and maim, while racehorses die in their care. This industry is so putrid that it actually revers these Trainers who leave a trail of dead racehorses. Even the racing commissions, CHRB, are protecting these death stables.
There’s no doubt in my mind if anybody filed a formal complaint against the CHRB they would be ordered to release the names since this is public information and falls under the domain of the criminal code. Perhaps one day this will happen.
In the meantime, it shows just how low this industry has become. They are now protecting the names of racehorses who die on their tracks essentially protecting the people directly or indirectly responsible for their deaths.
Here’s another one for you if this isn’t enough. WELL DRESSED a stake winning mare with one of the most richest and influential owners in this business died while giving birth at 19 years old! This is the life of a “successful” racehorse who made money on the track. They are turned into breeding machines. I would almost begin to accept it if they impregnated them for maybe 5 years while they make their millions selling the foals at Keeneland, and then gave them that decent retirement where they are no longer being exploited for profit. Maybe just maybe I would, but this mare was a breeding machine for 16 years. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine being forcibly bred for 16 years in a row!??
We often talk about how the lemon is squeezed dry in the claiming ranks, but her entire reproductive system was “squeezed dry” just like the claimers. Most of these older broodmares have increasingly difficult pregnancies and labour as they get older and they usually get worse with age. Yet, these low life scums of the planet continue to breed them. It’s never enough for these people. There are no limits to the exploitation for this industry.
Now all of her foals will continue the slavery ring while they run on the cruelty circus oval.
These people sicken me, but this is the wonderful world of horse racing.
Excuse me while I go vomit.
Over at the website ‘horseracingnation.com’ Melann Johnston posted the following comment:
‘Our thoughts and prayers to Team O’Neil and Reddam Racing on the loss of this beautiful boy. Heaven’s herd has a new member: FOUND MONEY.’
How disgustingly, sickeningly disconsonant? To offer condolences to the very people responsible for this innocent creature’s enslavement, breakdown and pitiful demise?
Is this commenter for real?
Well said Sean. Sadly, there were many similar condolences such as the example you provided here.
The fact that pro-horse racing people offer their condolences to a multiple drug violating Trainer who dopes, maims, and has an extensive KIA list for horses in his care further shows just how delusional these people are, and of course heartless.
No these people are not for real. They are living in a delusional denial psychosis – a term that I have specifically made-up for people like this.
Another very disturbing factor is while they are offering this killer their condolences never once did I see them say anything about the horse that lost his life.
Just the other day MSW, Zenyatta, who made MILLIONS for her super rich Owners Jerry & Ann Moss has been turned into a virtual breeding machine. Anyways, her foal born this month died. The condolences were extensive for Jerry & Ann Moss, but really these people are supporting what amounts to greed.
Zenyatta made MILLIONS for them. She deserved a real retirement. Let’s be clear here, the industry calls it a retirement. It’s anything, but a retirement. This poor mare is being forcibly-bred with probes up her vagina on a regular basis to check her cycles and manipulate them so she can get into foal early (a desirable goal in this industry) so that she has an early foal which usually increases the value of the foal. Everything is carefully construed to maximize profit.
Yet, the Mosses are revered as outstanding, and compassionate people of the industry. “They really care about Zenyatta.”
Yea right. Sound familiar? I got into verbal fights on Twitter with their supporters. I was BLOCKED by many of them as well.
I asked them one question: Does a grassy paddock with no breeding ever occur to these “caring” Owners?
I never got an answer.
Of course they don’t answer you, Gina – a truthful response would just confirm what we already know…it’s all about the money.
Back on February 18 of last year, Patrick reported on the death of the 5 y/o mare Belonging. She, like Zenyatta, was a Moss horse – below is my comment about Belonging and her former owners, Jerry and Ann Moss;
“And this dead mare, Belonging, was bred and formerly owned by Jerry and Ann Moss. Mr. and Mrs. Moss – of Zenyatta fame – are practically ‘worshipped’ as owners who deeply care about their racehorses. I guess their ‘caring’ only applies to the horses that can produce significant earnings. That certainly wasn’t Belonging. She raced four times for the Moss’s then had nearly a year off. In her fifth start, she finished last of 8, ‘drifted 4 wide in the stretch and weakened’. She was up for sale in her very next race…Jerry and Ann Moss unloaded Belonging on February 27, 2014. And now, less than a year later, Belonging is dead. I wonder if Jerry and Ann Moss will think about her next week, on February 26…it would have been Belonging’s 6th birthday. I doubt it.”
Unfortunately Sean, folks like this Johnston are quite abundant in the pro-racing camp. Now I’d love to believe there’s an afterlife for animals – but I’m not planning on it…yet often I see comments such as that one when a well-known racehorse breaks down and dies (we don’t hear about the “cheap” horses except for on this site). I think it makes them feel better about the unnecessary death of a living, breathing animal that was just used for entertainment purposes. But one of the best comments (regarding a dead racehorse) by these folks is “he’s flying over all racehorses, protecting them from harm”. No joke…that was said about Barbaro again and again on a pro-racing forum. Gads.