Saratoga and Del Mar continued their ignominious summers of killing yesterday:
At Saratoga, 3-year-old Prince Corredor “suffered a cardiovascular collapse and died after breezing” (Gaming Commission). “Cardiovascular collapse” at the human equivalent (in physical maturity) of a grade-schooler. But rest assured – “investigation to follow.” Prince was being prepped for his first race.
At Del Mar, another 3-year-old, Alicanto, whose only race was a last-of-10, 27-lengths-back over a year ago, broke down – “badly,” says the Daily Racing Form – and, relays the LA Times, was “humanely destroyed.” Dr. Rick Arthur, adviser to the California Horse Racing Board, had this to say (LA Times): “We always monitor things very carefully. There’s no trend we can identify. We will continue to look at this well past the end of the meet. We’re obviously concerned whenever there’s a fatality. We’re aware of what’s going on.” You may be aware, but you can’t stop it.
Combined, Saratoga and Del Mar, some of Racing’s most hallowed real estate, have accounted for at least 28 dead “athletes” this summer. Is this, America, what is to pass for entertainment in the 21st Century? For shame.
The names we know:
Saratoga
Hadeed Fi Hadeed, May 30, training
Squire Creek, July 16, training
Zamjara, July 23, race 1
Rootformejustin, July 23, race 5
Indian Nobility, July 27, race 3
Domestic Warrior, August 1, race 4
Lebowski, August 2, “found dead outside stall”
Jonrah, August 3, training
Midnight Visitor, August 4, prior to race 4
Prince Corredor, August 20, training
Del Mar
Presidential Air, July 15, race 6
Dynamite Charge, July 17, training
Pacific Swell, July 21, race 5
Whisky and Wine, July 23, training
Big Book, July 23, training
Dutchessa, July 23, race 2
Fasnacloich, July 24, race 2
Summer Scorcher, August 11, race 6
Hadfunlastnight, August 12, race 3
Unusualy, August 15, training
Alicanto, August 20, training
Regarding Alicanto – I just happened to see a racing apologist’s FB post about this poor filly. In the comments, Sharla Sanders (cohort of Doug O’Neill) states “took forever for the ambulances to get there”. Makes me physically ill. And THIS, at an “elite” (“Cool as ever!”) track?!?!?
“TOOK FOREVER FOR THE AMBULANCES TO GET THERE.”
RIP Alicanto and Prince Corredor. WE care. WE are trying.
Joy, and others. I can’t contain myself. I must say this.
When I was as Associate Steward at Del Mar they were having major mechanical issues with the ambulance there, and nobody did anything!
I was in the Commission office all the time pleading with necessary changes to be made for the safety of the racehorses.
They came to hate me, and I even got threatened which is why I left abruptly.
I can’t say whether things have changed since then or if anything was done, but I’m sure the maintenance records will not be made accessible, but they should be.
There should be an in-depth NEUTRAL investigation conducted by the State Police authorities into the death behind this racehorse including the ambulance, and drivers.
The vets often complained to me about the ambulances, and the facilities where euthanasia takes place.
I was absolutely appalled at the euthanasia area.
It was actually an old maintenance shed that was not designed to unload racehorses with BROKEN bones in excruciating pain.
They were literally dumped on the ground where the final needle was plunged into them.
Then an old oil slick tarp was thrown over them where they remained.
Like I said, it probably has changed since then. Any racetrack should be legally mandated to have proper vet facilities in the stable area including a vet hospital. Most don’t.
It took a lot of complaining to get an air-cast equipped on the ambulance for vets to apply to broken bones to make a smoother loading and unloading transition for euthanization.
I could go on and on.
I often complained to Dr. Arthur about it, and all he said is that they are well aware of their “needs,” and he was working on it.
What I found at Del Mar is that because they LEASE the property from the taxpayer-funded government they had little interest in spending money to make things better for the racehorses. That was my impression.
Their sole focus, it seemed, was herding in the unsuspecting, ignorant public to generate obscene profits from wagering, and hope that blogs like this or protesters like Ellen kept their secret a mystery.
Sad truth is it’s not just Del Mar – this protocol is “business as usual” on most racetracks.
I can’t understand WHY this race meet has not been SHUT DOWN by now.
How can people of the animal-loving state of California permit this to continue?
I’m surprised their not banging down the doors of the committee who approves the Del Mar race meet.
I wrote a letter to them 6 deaths ago demanding that they no longer hold this venue.
They have recently said that they could fill their venue on the property WITHOUT holding the race meet there.
Well, it’s about time they did that.
What I didn’t say in my previous post was that, due to inadequate facilities at the time, I often witnessed racehorses incurring additional multiple compound fractures/broken bones while being loaded or unloaded into the euthanasia shed.
It was absolutely horrific – blood spurting everywhere.
I would go home from my day at work, and sob all night long.
The unsuspecting owners didn’t seem to be told about this, and their Trainers didn’t seem to inform them of the additional injuries either.
I was cautioned by my superior to not disclose this information, and was later banned from the shed.
I was hoping that if an owner was made aware they would SUE the Del Mar Race Meet for inadequate ambulance/facilities, and things would change for the better.
Nothing like a lawsuit to lite the fire under their ass.
It never happened.
Some Owners did become aware of the situation, but told me “what does it matter – the horse is dead, it won’t change anything.”
One owner couple, new to the business, had their horse breakdown, transferred to the stall where it was suffering, and the vet informed them that it was a career-ending injury, that the surgery would be in the thousands, and that it could only be a companion horse.
They decided to euthanize the horse.
I will never forget them sobbing like babies, and they vowed to NEVER be involved with horse racing again.
All of the names of these racehorses were listed under Equibase, but because they are 10 years old, the records are no longer available.
My heart, and saddest thoughts go out to yet 2 more victims of this cruelty circus, and death camp.
On another post I made a point of reminding people that the death facts posted here are conservative at best.
Due to the inconsistency mandatory reporting laws, there is an entire underground of deaths, and maiming going on at private training centers all over the U.S. that nobody has a clue about.
Prince Corredor is a prime example of this although he didn’t die at the private training center (as if this makes it better) while being prepped for his death however unintentional it may have been.
Anyways, he RNA’s at the sale possibly due to some unclean medical reports or conformation defects.
Whatever the flaws, they are all a red flag because your starting with a racehorse who already has a “pre-existing” condition.
So the breaking, and training process of putting stress on a pre-existing condition greatly increases the chances of a career-ending and/or catastrophic breakdown.
It appears that these owners had a liability on their hands. They had a racehorse that wouldn’t sell, one with probably pre-existing condition(s), and they wanted to get some sort of pay check for their investment knowing full well that the possibility of a stake prospect was not an option.
Completely legal in the world of horse racing.
I can’t confirm why they decided to do the majority of training, and racing on their PRIVATE TRAINING TRACK & CENTER, but it would be so much easier to work with issues without anybody knowing about it.
Anything could have happened on that training center including a previous breakdown (not resulting in death) that they were able to smooth over or some sort of additional maiming onto the pre-existing condition.
Of course this is all speculation, but one will never know – that’s the point because whatever might go wrong on a private training center it doesn’t have to be reported – not even deaths.
Of course the vet records for Prince Corredor would probably show the issues going on, including the meds, that shows a distinct pattern throughout his training, and eventual collapse. They have that all covered too because vet records are “private” so they don’t have to disclose them on a private training center.
Here are the 2 first workouts on this training center so it does have “official work out status” with the NY Racing Commission which is why it was reported.
Goodwin Farms Training Center 7/23/2016 Dirt 4F 48.80 Breezing 2/7
Goodwin Farms Training Center 6/23/2016 Dirt 3F 36.40 Breezing 1/1
Includes workouts from the last 60 days
Another thing that’s very possible on these training centers is the level of cheating that can take place. Now I’m not suggesting that this was an inaccurate workout record, but nobody has any way of knowing.
99.9% of racehorses working out on private training centers NEVER have their tattoo checked so you have NO CLUE what horse is being worked.
The stable personnel or trainer just calls out the name to the clocker, and a way you go.
The clocker on private training centers are paid for by the private training center.
The potential for serious integrity issues are exponential, and these are works that the wagering public rely on to bet on.
It’s ILLEGAL for anybody to check the tattoo of a racehorse on a private training center because they are considered “private property.” If an owner catches you doing that, you will be ousted from the center, and not allowed back. You can also be charged.
In order to enter, and race a horse in NY one official work from the starting gate must be published.
So Prince Corridor had to be shipped into Saratoga for this required work in order to run.
I speculate that all of his pre-existing conditions caught up with him that day.
It looks like they were gambling with his life to pick-up a check and/or possible Claim money.
Perhaps a hefty life insurance policy was cashed in yesterday – who knows?
It seems that he was caught up in a game of Russian Roulette like so many others, and he lost.
There is no trainer on record because, like I previously mentioned, many racehorses on private training centers are not even being trained by Licensed Trainers. I saw it all the time. It was completely unregulated.
So how can they hold a Trainer accountable when there is no Trainer on record?
This is just a minor inconvenience for the industry it seems. Nothing will come of it more than likely.
ALICANTO a HORRIFIC catastrophic breakdown yesterday at Del Mar.
Purchased for $125,000 by his Owner, Peter Redekop, in the Florida 2 year-old-in-training Sale. Well, that says it all.
His official work time was 10.2 that day at the ripe old age of 2 years old, but in order to put in a work he would have to be broke, and training at the ripe old age of about 18 months old – equivalent to making a human baby in diapers run the 100 meter dash sort of.
Then his BRUTAL Workout history for all to see – check Equibase. Absolutely deplorable.
He was being steadily worked almost every 6 days! This is cruelty to animals. Absolute low life scum bag to do this to a 2 year old baby that has hardly been rested since he was born pretty much.
A recipe for disaster.
The owner? Peter Redekop a multi-billionaire who obviously doesn’t need the money so this death we can strike up under EGO, and the never ending pursuit of a stake horse or Derby perspective or how about just sheer enjoyment – entertainment for watching your horse die?
Peter is often quoted as saying the proverbial “I love my horses,” “I care for my horses.”
Yea yea yea – a “family member,” – right Peter?
They all sicken me every one of them.
Anybody who supports and/or participates in this cruelty circus is an accessory to a killing; an enabler of the killing.
This is the horrific truth about horse racing.
I was thinking of Ellen yesterday protesting outside of Del Mar, pleading with people not to go into Del Mar. At the time, she was shouting out “17 deaths people.” “You will probably support another death today, please don’t do it.”
Sadly Ellen you were right.
Horses will continue to die at Del Mar. Just the fact that it has not been forced to shut down and investigate the causes, which people already know why is pure corruption. Eighteen dead horses that we know of, countless injuries and we still have many races left for the summer season. Joe Harper and his team are animal abusers who should be in jail. We will continue exposing the truths here at Del Mar.
Thank you Ellen.
You are a warrior.
Our planet needs more people like .
The Coastal Commission that is probably aware of the alleged environmental destruction of the water, and beach there due to racetrack emissions?
They even go silent. Wonder why?
So even if people don’t like our message, even if they are cold enough to turn their heads at these deaths, they should be concerned about their environment.
They should actually be grateful for people like you, this Blog, and others for exposing this industry instead of shouting back mean things as they are walking in to support this cruelty circus, and death camp.
They qualify as zombies, but their silence will come back to bite them in the ass.
It is all “follow the money.” In response to our demand weeks ago that the track be closed and the rash of deaths investigated, San Diego Animal Advocates received this nonsense from the California Horse Racing Board Executive Director, Rick Baedeker:
“..I can attest to the fact that racing is not just a business and not just legalized gambling….most of the people involved in racing were drawn to it by the beauty of the horse…..by and large the people who care for the horses pamper them…..we believe we are making continual progress towards a safer environment for our horses and riders….
Well, what you “believe” is apparently a myth, Mr. Baedeker, or we would not have 18 now dead at Del Mar,
would we.
Rick Arthur says he cannot identify “a trend” – but I see a pretty damn clear trend of corruption, greed, and abuse. That’s the trend he is unwilling to admit.
Excellent posts, Jane Cartmill! You are RIGHT ON! TY!
Thank you Jane.
“…drawn to the beauty of the horse.”
So Rick thinks that racehorses DYING in the dirt is beauty?
“…people who care for the horses pamper them.”
Really?
Pamper to the racing industry is basic care such as food, water, and grooming.
They don’t do anything different than any other horse owner who provides the same level of care as they do.
The only difference is that they don’t beat/whip, dope, dump, and die in the dirt.
So if this is what you call pampering, I suppose the DYING is a unique type of care that the industry is very good at huh?
The entire CHRB Board will say anything to protect their obscene profits at the expense of a racehorses’s life.
Furthermore, most CHRB members either own or are part of a syndicate that owns horses.
It’s really disgusting that advocates like you Jane have to approach these pro-horse racing people when somebody in government there should have SHUT DOWN this race meet a long time ago.
I suppose that’s where the corruption comes in because people have to be paid-off to be silent about blatant animal cruelty, abuse, and DYING!
If this were to happen in another setting in California there would be outrage.
Thanks for all you do.
Horse racing is wrong and should be banned for good !
These tracks and owners of these horses need to start facing some heavy fines. This is ridiculous!! People it’s been frigging hot!! You go run that track in this heat!! This is pure cruelty to animals! Shame on you!!
Thanks Debbie.
DITTO from this poster.
Please don’t call “athelets” or “game” to what is animal cruelty. Animals don’t choose to be there, they are forced till exhaustion and die. Stop this!! NO MORE ANIMAL CRUELTY.
Leboiwski found dead outside his stall? What did he do jump out of his stall? Sac so many young horses..gone🙀
Jomari, are you sure? How do you know about this?
Do you mean Lebowski?
This filly is only 2 years old and ran yesterday.
Is this who you mean?