4-year-old Showered is dead after falling in the 1st at Churchill Thursday evening. We know this not from the chart (just “vanned off”), and certainly not through Churchill Downs (its site merely said “Showered fell in the stretch”), but because the human participant – jockey Sophie Doyle – was banged up a bit and the Daily Racing Form felt obliged to pass along that, oh yeah, the horse “had to be euthanized.”
This is horseracing.
ugggghhhh
Another innocent noble horse killed by the horseracing industry. The bloody carnage continues. We are living in the 21st century not in gladiatorial times. All in the name of entertainment and gambling, what a disgrace! Just how more sickening can it get? The situation is already utterly unbearable……….!
I thought the same thing Carolyn. 1st time in all my years at the track. They come out through a tunnel at some tracks, just like the gladiators did. A big crowd screaming. Being paraded in front of the wealthy & the drunks. I was there for my barn when Affirmed won the Triple Crown BUT I was also there when Ruffian died. So many people, such silence.
Yes Carolyn it is unbearable. I can’t stand it.
First of all my heart goes out to SHOWERED. May you find peace away from this modern day slavery ring, cruelty circus, and death camp.
Then I want anybody reading my comment here to walk the path that SHOWERED endure.
Let’s just call it the trail of tears – the trail that many racehorses walk long before they die in the dirt.
Showered was sold as a yearling at the prestigious Keeneland sale for $75,000. A well-bred horse coming from one of the more reputable breeding farms in Kentucky – Castleton Lyons & Kilboy Estate.
The sire? Malibu Moon coming from one of the most prolific breeders in the industry – Spendthrift Farm. They stand multiple top stallions, and sell sperm for millions that contributes greatly to the eventual unwanted horse problem.
So, initially, Showered was a promising prospect. After all, he already made his first connections, the breeders, $75,000 minus expenses.
On he went. He shows up at the Fasig-Tipton mid-Atlantic 2 year-old and training sale in May 2014 where he subsequently sold for $60,000. Again, the personal ATM machine for his connections.
Just barely 2 years old folks, and trained hard to put in a good fast time for the sale so he could sell for the price he did.
So what does this tell us? It tells us that Showered was broke to saddle, and broke to train on the track at approximately 1.5 years old. Both his mental/physical being not even close to being fully developed.
Anybody who knows anything about a horse knows that these 2 year-old and training sales are cruelty freak shows that beats the living daylights of the 2 year olds, in most cases, in order to get the fastest time out of them. Of course the dope is an integral part to keep them together just for that quick breeze. After that many of them eventually break down – the stress on under developed musco-skeletal systems pushed to the limits.
I attended many of them (2000-2003), as a prospective buyer, when I was at the height of my delusion. There was not on, NOT ONE, 2 year-old in training sale that I attended where at least 1 horse didn’t die. In fact, on average, I would say at least 3 died, but I would guesstimate about 30 ended up very lame, and had to get rest or would endure career-ending injuries. It was a freak show.
Of course in the stable area there would be a bevy of vets handing out a steady drug cocktail to the consignors. Again, personal ATM machines for all involved.
One consignor stood out in my mind as one of the most abusive. Her name is Becky Thomas of Sequel Bloodstock. She was known for her 2 year olds, and made millions selling them in these sales down in Florida back in about 2000-2003.
Behind the shadows of her “successful” business was a vet. It was later discovered that substances were allegedly being given to her horses in order to perform. Since the sales go largely unregulated with little or no drug testing, these horses can be given everything, but the kitchen sink.
One sale in particular stands out in my mind in Florida. A filly she consigned was being beaten to a pulp in the stretch when she snapped both her legs during the breeze, and it sounded like a firecracker going off. The videographer, hired by OBS Sales, was immediately ordered to destroy the tape. I was sitting right there, and I heard every word of it.
Later I went out for dinner with one of her riding staff. He had enough. He was quitting her consignment. He said he had never seen such abuse in all his life, and he eventually anonymously contributed to the investigation into her operations. She was pretty much kicked out of the state of Florida, but that didn’t deter her.
Like multiple drug violating Trainers that go from state to state, Becky packed up and went to New York where she currently runs a Bloodstock agency in conjunction with her partner. Here’s just one article on them (there are many): http://www.paulickreport.com/news/bloodstock/thomas-a-tragedy-that-could-have-been-avoided/
I’m confident that Showered begun getting sore for preparation for the 2 year-old and training sale. I think that he probably had ongoing chronic issues by the time he was 3. Just look at his PP’s. Again, like other PP’s leading up to his death it’s almost a carbon copy.
They are non-performing non-competitors for many of their races, and then hit the board every once in a while. It’s so evident that racehorses like Showered are, more than likely, walking drug pharmacies by the time they are 3.
It’s the regular drug regime that masks chronic issues, and keeps them going until their body gives out. He was an accident waiting to happen not unlike Okeemeister who died the other day, and not unlike most who die in the dirt for this despicable industry.
Showered had a painful existence most likely, and was forced to train, and run in pain.
He suffered in silence like most of them, but the show must go on.
Another thing, I pointed out at the beginning of this post that Showered was bred on a beautiful multi-million dollar farm with lush green pastures, top of the line breeding, state-of-the art training facilities, and top sales auctions in Maryland, but in the end – he died in the dirt.
It doesn’t matter if there’s lots of money involved. It doesn’t make any racehorse immune to this cruelty circus, and death camp.
Just like a drug addict. It doesn’t matter if they come from an affluent family they are still drug addicts. It doesn’t make it any better, and neither does this.
We appreciate all your sharing of the experiences you have had Gina. We have always disliked these too fast breezing shows! Too fast ,too soon, with way too much whipping of way to young horses for all out speed. We also dislike the” breed by the numbers” type of breeders that are so prevalent into today`s horse industry. We just recently saw a You Tube video of a young horse breaking down at one of the Barrett`s horses in training sales. Absolutely terrible! We used to send horses to their horses of all ages sale in October or January. Were glad we never participated in these ridiculous speed freak sales. Unfortunately this business like so many others is driven by tax depreciation rules on horses bought for training which after their performance careers, if their lucky, the horses get to be written off again as breeding stock.These tax rules have been ACCELERATED within the last few years so as to encourage the purchase of horses to be trained or bred. The effect has been our experience people with high incomes who need a tax deduction against their incomes , go out and purchase new horses more frequently now that the depreciation schedules have been accelerated.The tax depreciation rules need to be changed back to longer depreciation schedules, much longer than now.
the only consolation is knowing they died as brave warriors , so sad & died so un-loved , heartbreaking , they are murdered as if they are nothing more then mechanical machines
The owners and trainers should be charged for murder.