Last week on U.S. tracks (flats only; does not include training or harness casualties):
Git On Bob, Finger Lakes, “vanned off” – subsequently confirmed dead
Gyda Gdawn, Presque Isle, “bled”
Windchaser, Ruidoso, “vanned”
Wally Tamale, Ruidoso, “vanned”
Perceval, Finger Lakes, “bled”
Holy Highway, Gulfstream, “vanned off”
Miss Karlita, Gulfstream, “vanned off”
Golden Ride, Gulfstream, “vanned off”
More Zen Tea, Saratoga, “bad step, vanned off”
Good Luck Maria, Belterra, “vanned off”
She Ain’t Right, Charles Town, “returned bleeding from the nose”
Roderick Road, Charles Town, “came back bleeding from the nose”
Valueable Charmer, Delaware, “fell, DNF”
Peggy Joe, Evangeline, “vanned off”
Hez Royal William, Fair Grounds, “fell, DNF”
Conrad, Indiana, “vanned off”
Revival Plus, Penn, “pulled up lame, vanned off”
Topofthemountain, Remington, “fell after wire, vanned off”
Bob Le Beau, Saratoga, “broke down”
Ring of Truth, Saratoga, “went wrong, vanned off” – subsequently confirmed dead
Pop’s Nuisance, Albuquerque, “vanned off”
Warriors Roar, Belterra, “vanned off”
Dashing Lili, Albuquerque, “vanned off”
Eu Bandolero, Ellis, “went wrong, vanned off”
Tinys First Pepsi, Indiana, “bled”
Ringold, Monmouth, “vanned off”
Dontbetwithbruno, Monmouth, “vanned off”
Holey Molar, Mountaineer, “took a bad step, vanned off”
Flash a Smile, Mountaineer, “vanned off”
Little Louella, Penn, “pulled up lame, vanned off”
Star Hill, Saratoga, “vanned off”
Springintherockies, Albuquerque, “vanned off”
Examen, Belterra, “vanned off”
Havingnoequal, Canterbury, “fell to the track, vanned off the course”
Jungle Jumble, Gulfstream, “vanned off”
Gonna Hit the Bord, Ruidoso, “vanned”
glossary:
“broke down” – virtually without exception an industry euphemism for dead
“vanned off” – horse unable to walk off track under own power; good-chance dead
“bled”; “returned bleeding from nostrils” – as a rule, indicates pulmonary hemorrhage
(source: Equibase)
Bob Le Beau @ SAR was in a steeplechase race.
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Just look at AMERICAN PHAROAH’s eye in this pic that Patrick put up – the eyes say it all!
Look at AMERICAN PHAROAH’s mouth – this young colt was doing his best but VICTOR ESPINOZA mercilessly and viciously beats this horse with a whip when the horse was doing his best but AP’s reward for giving his all was to inflict both physical and psychological pain and suffering.
Look at this jockey’s mouth displaying a huge effort to impact cruel pain onto this horse’s body and, even worse, on the flank which is very sensitive (similar to a human’s rib cage area under the arm). It is also prohibited under international racing whip rules. This jockey is almost off the horse he’s put so much force into flogging this innocent young colt.
This is how the racing industry displays its “love” for its horses. In every race horses are cruelly beaten with whips.
SICK, SICK, SICK!
That was a stupid way to ride AP! Victor should have been riding WITH the horse and not hitting the daylights out of him. The horses eyes tell us that he is resigned to this whipping and no longer has any say about it. We have trained MANY thoroughbreds to ride/ gallop. We NEVER used a whip or spurs or even a stock saddle to train them to ride. We usually started climbing aboard them bareback and made much of them by scratching/ rubbing them where they enjoyed it. We have worked out horses in the mornings and have achieved the fastest workout of the day on a horse named Last Peak. We achieved that by working with the horse as team. We NEVER used or even carried a whip in all the times we galloped horses or worked them out. The trainers always were amazed when we accomplished those times.We explained that horses respond a whole lot better with positive reinforcement than negative. As we always told them LOVE and PASSION!
Why don’t cover other equine sports like Polo? When they run through multiple horses a match. At least horse racing is regulated by blood, urine, and multiple vet inspections by the state. and for using a whip is a tool and California has a very strict rule can only tap a horse 3 times and have to wait for a response on changing leads or demand or fine the jocks as I have read the fines in the CHRB Stewart minutes. Also if a horse even has a welt on them the next morning the jockey gets fined
Mark, where do I start?
Obviously, you are not familiar with this Blog, and the numerous other comments that have dismantled pro-horse racing points like yours.
First of all, just because we FOCUS on horse racing it doesn’t mean that we find other equine disciplines okay.
Nor does it mean we don’t find other gambling venues such as dog racing, or dog fighting as acceptable.
I don’t support any of it, but I FOCUS on horse racing, and so does this Blog.
So by attacking us for not focusing on other areas of abuse is not applicable here.
As a former owner/trainer/steward in horse racing, I can say with almost certainty that the drug testing process is tainted and/or corrupt.
I had a friend that worked in the drug testing barns in Florida, and Louisiana in 2005.
There are so many loopholes, and lack of transparency in the drug testing process that it would look like a piece of Swiss cheese.
If they have nothing to hide then be transparent instead of denying requests. That says it all.
Consequently, there are racehorses running on potent pain killers, outside the scope of regulation, that are a major contribution to catastrophic breakdowns.
Furthermore, anytime somebody is caught cheating with racehorses DYING in their care NOTHING is every done. That’s why there are multiple drug violating Trainers with many racehorses who have died under their care STILL TRAINING.
The maiming, and killing will never change because they must fill races, and increase wagering profits. The Trainers are either the abuser or the enabler of the abuse – or both.
The racehorses being the voiceless victims every time. They are the losers in this corrupt gambling scheme.
The whipping rules are a joke. Any jockey who beats the crap out of a racehorse gets such miniscule fines that it is no deterrence whatsoever.
Besides, if racehorses “loved” to run so much then why do they have to beat them to run?
There is no other “sport” in America whereby athletes are beaten to run or perform – NONE.
One reasonable person, with some compassion, could only conclude that horse racing is not a sport.
It is a cruelty ring, and death camp that has no place in the 21st century.