Saturday’s casualties (flat-track only):
Norm the Giant, Belmont, “vanned off after the finish”
Ms. J’s Pie, Belterra, “went wrong early, vanned off”
Hi Ho Heels, Delaware, “vanned off afterwards”
Jess a Lil Lacey, Grants Pass, “vanned”
Do the Roar, Gulfstream, “vanned off after the race”
Carsonsnewyorkgal, Louisiana, “vanned off after the race”
Deliver, Mountaineer, “took a bad step, vanned off”
Maxwell’s Hammer, Parx, “broke down in his right front”
Louie’s Gift, Parx, “returned bleeding from both nostrils”
Doc Galore, Prairie, “was pulled up early after injuring herself, vanned off”
Sets Angel, Ruidoso, “vanned off”
This is horseracing.
(source: Equibase)
Grants Pass, the absolute bottom of the barrel racing!! We know many of the trainers/ owners as well as the practicing track vets too. We became disgusted with Oregon racing over 10 years ago after being threatened about training/ riding our own horses our way without whips or spurs and without abuse. We have personally had the experience of having the same sires, same broodmares offspring race here in Oregon and not accomplish a thing! Once we sent them to California they began to win at tracks such as Del Mar and place at Hollywood Park as well as win at other SW area tracks in Colorado / New Mexico.We haven`t actively marketed our horses for racing for quite sometime despite having many win pictures posted. We hate the abuse we have seen and are sure is still present as many of the same trainers/ owners are still participating here in Oregon.We now market our horses as family riding horses which we have found is better able to maintain our property tax farm deferral on our farm without such a tremendous expense. We have found many new family friends because of the happy buyers of our good tempered young horses we provide. Presently this entire racing enterprise is being kept going by Lottery funds as well as monies generated through a hub tax given to breeders to register their foals for FREE. Some lottery monies we believe also go to fund purse supplements and “economic development” We wish we had not made the mistake of voting in the Oregon Lottery over 30 years ago! The lottery has turned out to be a GIANT bureaucratic government operated money making/ spending machine for appointed officials.If you notice most times the generated on track handles at Oregon`s VERY bush league tracks don`t even support the meager purses paid out. These tracks only exist for the entertainment of the elite, rich families that have to show off against each other and as a social function. We know most of these people, they don`t really care about the horses with very few exceptions, only themselves. They are also inveterate gamblers as well. We feel sorry for all the young thoroughbred horses we taught to ride as we worked our way through Oregon State University as most then went on to race at Oregon`s main leaky roof circuit DUMP of a track, Portland Meadows, or on the lousy, crummy fair circuit tracks.We remember those horses names and are determined to survive as a thoroughbred farm WITHOUT having any of our horses racing in the NW. We are glad to see the number of followers of this site slowly but surely increasing too.
And this is the ‘normal’ for the racing industry. Every one of these horses will be excused away. And all the while the social media of happy, shiny racing people, will be claiming the greatness of racing. This sport has been unregulated for so long, that there is no accountability. The continuous repeat of drug/doping offenders is mind boggling. Many of these same cheaters/dopers are held with great esteem, some run in the most prestigious races. Russia just got kicked out of the Olympics…doping/cheating trainers should be held with the same accountability. The horses are the ones to pay the price, sometimes with their life.
Thanks so much for your comments both Joan/Fred and 20+ Insider.
I grew up in this industry in the 60’s and not much has changed.
The end result is still the same: racehorses are dying in the dirt for $2 bets.
As for the cheating Trainers?
Let’s look at some current examples from yesterday as a matter of fact.
Mike Maker, the Trainer who won the Queens Plate at Woodbine yesterday has a rap sheet of drug violations.
I’m talking serious doping folks!
He does really good moving from state to state, getting slaps on the wrists, and always evading the commissions via his attorneys.
By the time it’s finally heard the violations are so reduced it amounts to nothing!
There he is winning the Queen’s Plate, his share was $60,000 yesterday.
No wonder he can afford attorneys while doping horses all over the country it seems.
One of his owners is Maggi Moss.
Then there’s Brian Lynch.
He was caught with a doping positive on himself!
He tested positive for marijuana in New York state and was suspended.
This is such a joke it should be on a comedy show.
Prior to this, Brian Lynch got into a fist fight with jockey Sunny Singh in the Woodbine parking lot because, according to Singh, he refused to hold a horse back for Brian who had a huge bet on the longshot or something like that.
Brian Lynch is from Australia where he was, allegedly caught in a huge race fixing scheme.
Where does he go?
Well, he comes to North America and begins plying his trade again.
Despite the fact he’s been suspended countless times the suspension almost always never sticks.
It’s either greatly reduced, and he just pays a fine.
Evidently, he’s still suspended in New York, but continues to train in Ontario at Woodbine.
If this information is true then it’s totally illegal because Woodbine is supposed to uphold any suspensions in any other racing jurisdiction.
Oh, I forgot this is the old boys club in action and Brian Lynch can do no harm.
I will never forget when he was training for Stronach -a buddy of his.
I was in the stable beside him and he did the most unusual, and cruel thing that I’ve ever seen.
He ties all the horses to the back of the stall on a very short lead rope so they can barely move.
He makes them stand there while they get the feed ready.
The horses are very hungry and can hear the feed bags rattling and the tubs getting filled so they get all excited, but they can’t turn their head around because they are tethered to the back wall.
He makes them stand there while the feed is dished out into their tubs into their stalls.
Now anybody reading this who knows anything about horses will interpret this practice as nothing more than cruel – I certainly did.
I saw many of the horses flip over or hurt themselves while trying to get to their feed.
I asked him “why do you do that?”
He said it teaches them.
I said teaches them what?
He said it teaches them to be loyal to the hand that feeds them and makes them get out and run better.
I’m not kidding folks. I’m not exaggerating. I kid you not.
Right then and there I knew the guy was nothing more than an abusive idiot.
Reporting him to the office did nothing because of his connections, and because Trainers are giving so much latitude when it comes to their training practices even if cruel.
Like 20+ Insider stated in his comment: there is NO oversight, this industry is operating under virtual impunity with the racing commissions APPEARING to manage any cruelty.
It’s all a delusion.
Like I’ve always maintained in my comments: this industry is nothing more than a cruelty circus, and a death camp backed up by years of facts.
Gina, I know you’re not kidding us about this Brian Lynch. His cruelty towards the defenseless and innocent aren’t isolated incidents…not in the horse racing industry. And even insiders admit there is “scum” in this business – YET, they sell their beloved family members, knowing FULL WELL their horses could very easily find themselves in situations like you described, Gina…and worse.
Gina, You, like us have seen some VERY strange abnormal ways of handling horses at the track. We can`t tell about all of them because no one would believe us that it was possible! We once when passing a stall on the north side of our locally recognized track saw a half dozen horses all tied together!!! Heads to tails to tails to heads! Those poor abused horses could not move an INCH without disturbing moving all of the half dozen others! There was no one to ask or explain why this lunatic way of tieing horses was done.The time was around 12;00pm and most track grooms/ trainers had left until the late afternoon/ evening feeding.We also once commented how well behaved a pony horse was working the races and his owner laughed and said,” he will be good until about the 6th race when the ace wears off”. We were appalled that someone would take such a risk with other riders/ horses during a racing program.
Joan & Fred, I entered this industry totally supportive of it, totally unbiased, and like most others I just wanted a fair shot at winning.
I bought the delusion hook, line, and sinker.
After about 10 years of owning and training, and after what I directly experienced, I have concluded that this industry is nothing but a corruption cesspool, cruelty circus and death camp.
I was also under the delusion that the racing commissions were neutral. Boy was I wrong!
Most have become another management arm of the racetrack CEO’s/associations, wagering companies, and the connections of those wagering companies.
Racehorses are winning not solely based on their talent, but on whom is behind them, drugs that are used, and total monopolization of the industry.
This is not horse racing.
This seems to be organized crime with the racehorses paying with their lives for bets.
I was a recipient of the abuse when I was fortunate enough to have a horse that was talented enough to upset their little system.
I found out that they don’t like a Trainer they can’t buy and/or control because it upsets their bets.
The higher the stakes, the more money involved the higher and more organized it becomes it seems.
Of course the saddest part of this entire scenario is that the horses are just a disposable pawn in this cesspool of ongoing abuse, cruelty, and dying.
Many are dying in the dirt, and many are being dumped when no longer profitable while the industry collects billions in wagering income, and casino and/or taxpayers money.
This industry has basically legitimized, via powerful delusional public relations, the ongoing cruelty, and dying of countless racehorses. .
I highly recommend anybody to watch the movie called PHARLAP. That movie shows the real side of horse racing.
Thank you ALL!…Gina, 20 yr+ and Joan & Fred…keep sharing! I’m sure there’s much to rid your hearts and minds of! I’m so grateful for your compassion and inspired by your bravery. Keep battling!
Yes , Joy, There is much in our hearts! We remember most every horse we taught to ride and what kind of crummy lives they had racing in the Northwest, Five O Wonder, Mary Mame, Royal Paula, Crossman, Lucero Mundo, Lady Agness, Fighter Sweep and many, many more! We loved each one of those young horses and they KNEW it! The horrible uncaring owners/ trainers they encountered once they were claimed away from the original owners who we taught them to ride for. We surely wish we had been their race trainer as we would have guarded them carefully, but of course we would have never won a race as would not have used any medications! We taught those horses to ride at their farms where they were foaled for the most part and we quite literally lived in the 100 year old barn with them! Notice we say TAUGHT to ride , not BREAK! We have never used whips, spurs or stock saddles to teach a young horse to ride or gallop. Most of the time we climbed aboard and rode them bareback first. We also have never used a round pen either. The best way to teach a young horse to ride is through a good TRUSTING relationship with the help of a good horse person leading the young horse around with the rider up and after MUCH accustoming to pressure and new things slowly. Just this morning we climbed aboard one of our young colts as he was sleeping in his stall. He just continued snoring as he trusts us.
Gina, Fred, & Joan
Wow such powerful messages about the truths behind the racing industry. I’d the public only knew the truths about what really happens behind closed doors that ending racing would be the best thing.
I started watching races back when Charismatic ran. I was maybe 9-10. I always thought wow what a great horse. Now I totally understand why this sport needs shut down. Too many good horses even the ones who don’t want to race needs to be stopped.
I cringe Everytime I hear how many throwaways are sent to be murdered just for their flesh. That really sickens me. Unjustly how many end up dying for a $2 bet as well.
Tonya, I love your comments, but to categorize horse racing as a sport irks me.
Horse racing doesn’t qualify as a sport for so many reasons.
Where do I start?
Human athletes (HA) are consenting participants – racehorses are not.
HA’s don’t get beaten when they don’t run the football down the field fast enough. Racehorses get repeatedly beaten/whipped to perform.
HA’s don’t summon a vet to their dressing room 4 hours prior to competition to get a needle into their veins. Racehorses do called Lasix.
HA’s make very good salaries to ensure a life after football. Racehorses don’t get a salary nor do they get a safe retirement for the most part.
HA’s are not dumped and killed when they are no longer profitable.
Racehorses are often dumped and killed when no longer profitable.
The list goes on, but I think you get it Tonya.