The NYS Gaming Commission has disclosed the deaths of 4-year-old Indiana Stones and 7-year-old Sgt. Major Ross at Finger Lakes Saturday. The horses were killed in back-to-back races. Also, 3-year-old Bet With Charlie, a “went wrong, vanned off” on the chart Sunday at Churchill Downs, has been confirmed dead (DRF). In addition, over the past two days, three other horses were reported (by Equibase) as “broke down,” which, of course, almost always means dead:
3-year-old Blue Cres in the 1st at Zia Sunday
3-year-old Three’s a Trump in the 2nd at Thistledown yesterday afternoon
7-year-old Dreaming of Bella in the 8th at Mountaineer last night
This is horseracing.
Thank you, Patrick, for continuing to expose the deaths that would otherwise go unnoticed and certainly unreported – just the way the horse racing industry likes it.
DITTO from me – thanks Patrick for your unwavering dedication to the dying racehorses.
My heart and thoughts go out to the racehorses who died in the dirt for this despicable industry in the past week.
Please people help us educate, and shut down these cruelty circuses, and death camps.
This is legitimized animal abuse, and cruelty.
If this was going on in any other setting in the U.S it would be shut down due to public outcry.
This industry is the same as dog fighting where many are maimed, and die.
The ones who survive are, for the most part, disposable because nobody wants them.
Both fighting dogs and racehorses have multiple physical and/or mental issues that takes a Santa Claus person to commit, and Santa Claus just doesn’t exist.
There are few homes, and very few people willing to take on the extensive commitment, and cost of both fighting dogs, and racehorses.
Yet, the industry that exploits them does little or nothing, and continues to breed them.
People who continue to support this are either abusers and/or enablers of abuse who financially profit from these slaves.
This should not be happening in the 21st century.
I think you people need to stop having horse races. You cripple or end up killing horses because of unnecessary bull shit. You ruin perfectly good horses for greed of money. This is not a sport, it is a way for you to kill off horses that can’t make make you any money other then when they get dead. You can bet you have big insurance policies on these animals and collect on them before the animal is cold. I have no respect for you greedy people and have never been nor do I intend to ever go to watch horses race.
Animal cruelty in horseracing – take a look at this article dated 9.19.16 – the Paulick Report titled ‘Vitali License Reinstated, Despite Record That Includes Complaint Of Cruelty’ – a truly sickening read.
http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/vitali-license-reinstated-despite-record-includes-complaint-cruelty/
One commenter posted:
“THIS is why there were protesters at Del Mar. THIS is why horse racing has such a black eye. THIS is why blogs like Horseracing Wrongs exist. Everyone who protests racing should be thrilled – now they have even MORE ammunition. Can someone tell me WHY the sport is committing suicide?”
Gina, the Stronach Group gets a serve in the comments section.
The Stronach Group just released a statement saying that they will deny all entries from Vitali.
It seems that this is a response to people who are outraged, not initiated by concern over the racehorses under his care.
Yes, I saw this too, Carolyn…all, please read these paragraphs from this article…
“On March 27, 2013, Jay Stone, racing manager for owner Frank Calabrese, instructed trainer Luis Ramirez to claim the filly Tiz Mariand off Vitali for Calabrese in a $15,000 claiming race. Tiz Mariand finished sixth as the heavy favorite, more than three dozen lengths behind the winner. According to documents Stone filed with the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering, Vitali told Stone after the race that Tiz Mariand had a slab fracture in her knee, and later provided Stone with X-rays taken a few weeks earlier by veterinarian Dr. George Burch, showing a third carpal bone sagittal fracture.
Knowingly running a horse with a broken leg might not constitute a violation of Florida’s rules concerning horse racing, but the state processed Stone’s complaint as a possible case of animal cruelty.
‘There is no rule on when or when not to run an injured horse’, Stone’s complaint stated. ‘I believe there is just a human rule that we don’t put the lives of riders and horses at risk. There is also the fact that we are deceiving the betting public by running a horse in a race as the heavy favorite that should not have been in the entries.'”
There is no rule on when or when not to RUN AN INJURED HORSE?!?!….no RULE?!? And this barbaric industry still exists?
Carolyn, Gina, Joy,
Thank you for sharing. Knowingly running a horse with a slab fracture in her knee IS animal cruelty. This industry knows this. There is NO way to spin this…Vitali knowingly ran ‘Tiz Mariand’ with a slab fracture in her knee. Why…to get her claimed. And not a care to the welfare of his horse, jockey, and every other entry in the race. And Vitali is definitely not the ‘Lone Ranger’ in this. It happens all the time.
Exactly, 20yr+ industry insider! It absolutely goes on all the time and TIZ MARIAND has exposed yet another abhorrent abuse of these innocent horses.
Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the USA where are YOU?
Rip to these lost souls who were put into situations they had
No control over.
Thank you Patrick for your hard work for helping expose the racing industry.
Read this comment in another PR article (link to article follows in my next post)…
“Exactly!! It’s being done Under SEVERAL different trainers!
When I Hot Walked for Marcus at CRC 2014.
I Seen him shoot straight DMSO from a syringe down the horses throat, to set their stomachs on FIRE to make them run like crazy from the pain! One nice big gray filly starting killing the walls and fractured her back leg. Her ankle was swollen like a baseball
He had us take her out and run the hose on it, I asked if he was going to have her x- rayed, he told me, he was the Trainer to mind my fukn business. Later, after X- ray. It was shattered. She never ran again!!
His record was great 2013- 2014. DMSO down the throat!! No bad tests cuz he’d just say, we wrapped them in leg paint with it!!!!!
Evil bastard got wat he DESERVED!! LIL Prick”
And now race day DMSO is legal! Corrupt to the core!
Makes me feel sick to the stomach!
As a former owner/trainer I can tell you that I observed, on a daily basis, Trainers who ran horses with previous broken knees that hadn’t healed properly, some completely deformed, some with ankles that looked just like Anita’s.
This was COMMON practice.
These horses were moved from barn to barn with totally different daily regimes, different dope, non-stop joint injections, Shock Wave Therapy with no vet records following them.
In some cases the horses didn’t get the vet care that they needed because the Trainers couldn’t afford it, and instead got a homegrown recipe compliments of the Trainer.
Yet, many of these Trainers are under the delusion that they are doing the horse a favor by delaying their ultimate fate at a kill auction or slaughterhouse in most cases.
When really it’s blatant animal cruelty.
By the way, there isn’t any rules in place(that I’m aware of) for Owners or Trainers to get vet care for a horse they own that so obviously needs it.
Many Trainers own outstanding vet bills on racetracks so the vet has a right to refuse vet care to a racehorse that really needs it, and this happens more frequently than you think.
In the normal outside world people who don’t give their horses needed vet care are rightfully charged with animal neglect in most states throughout the U.S, and in Canada.
If you speak out you are usually cut you off to all facilities, and they make your life a living hell so that you can’t conduct business knowing that you have lots of money invested.
If you don’t say anything, you are standing by watching Trainers get preferential treatment, get away with serious charges, get all the stalls, the races written for them, and dominate the purse money.
After all, intimidation is a hallmark of organized crime.
These Trainers are often protected from very serious charges or they maintain their status, and license when serious charges are levied.
So it’s in their best interest to pass rules (such as DMSO) to keep sore racehorses filling races.
They present it to the public like it’s good for the horse, but it has nothing to do with the horse, and everything to do with filling races, increase wagering income, and fatten their wallets it seems.
This industry is not only a cruelty circus, and death camp, but a corruption pit as well.
The racehorses are used as gambling pawns, and the Trainers involved with the scheme are willing participants knowing that they must stroke it in order to be successful, and make a living.
The outspoken honest Trainers who are not involved with the corruption scheme are openly harassed to show other Trainers this is what will happen to you if you don’t comply.
If your not harassed then you are cut-off to the system – just like that, and you can’t operate.
Most Trainers currently on tracks with stall allotments, and access to facilities appear to be part of the scheme.
Those Trainers probably know who really owns the racehorses, but enable the criminal activity by keeping their mouth shut while watching other Trainers go down.
If you stand up to the harassment they eventually get you out financially knowing that you can’t go on supporting racehorses with no money coming in.
The wagering public gets screwed as well, but so do the casinos, and the taxpayers who support it.
They are nothing more than personal ATM machines for the small group of people who control most of the purse money throughout the U.S., and Canada while dumping dozens of horses when no longer profitable.
This is a carefully contrived scheme, and legitimized animal cruelty with the racehorses paying every step of the way – literally, and DYING for it as well.
Thank you, Gina.
Regarding this comment from Gina…”In some cases the horses didn’t get the vet care that they needed because the Trainers couldn’t afford it” – she is absolutely, 100% correct – and that truth is what makes me laugh at the ridiculous comment we so often hear…you know, the one where apologists exclaim, “The horses are treated like kings and queens!”. LIE.
Gina… Thank you so much. I trained for decades and my horses did well, made money, supported me and we’re incredibly loyal. In return they got the best care and whenever I had control would end up in a loving home. I don’t train presently because of what you discussed. I have friends that train and they constantly tell me of the heavy handed behaviors you mentioned. Stall allotment is they key to control and must stop. I have heard of reports of trainers constantly threatened by Racing secretaries and managers. It has been reported to me that even a practicing veternarian is threatened when lodging a complaint. I always sign my post now as anonymous so management can’t deny me access. Still go to the track to find retired horses homes. I like to keep them guessing…Great post Gina…so true!
Thank you A.H.
Woodbine Racetrack is one of the most corrupt racetracks in North America – period!
Hell, they all are.
The racetrack management gets Trainers to train for them.
In return, those Trainers puts horses under their names or under hidden ownership knowing that the management controls the drug testing process from start to finish.
They control the security guards, and pay them.
There’s nothing neutral about the drug testing process contrary to popular belief.
Here’s how it works:
the Trainers who cover-up the organized money making scheme, at the expense of the racehorses, get the majority of the stall allotments. They get them year in and year out, they control the facilities, the races, and the purse money. They get their 10%, and in many cases they get their houses mortgaged by the racetrack management. This is more common than you think.
They give some stalls to people who are not part of the scheme for one reason: to fill races for them knowing that they don’t have a hope in hell of winning because they have it all organized.
The only way that this organized corruption can end is when the stalls are allocated by a NEUTRAL agency not by the racetrack management.
Another way it could end is if one of the Trainers disclose the corruption that they cover-up or was forced to under an investigation tribunal.
This won’t happen because they enjoy their life style at the expense of many other Trainers, and in the case of Woodbine, they have their own private taxpayer ATM machine to the tune of 100 million per year.
It’s a joke, and the ignorant government, and masses here financially support it!
They must do one thing well:
they must make people who speak out about it appear crazy.
They invoke a rigorous character assassination campaign against those who speak out about it.
I experienced this to the max, as did others.
So what does all this have to do with racehorses DYING – lots.
These Trainers, allegedly under the direction of racetrack management, enters sore horses knowingly to fill races, and placate their money maker.
In the situation of those who are not part of the organized gambling racetrack management scheme, they usually enter their sore horses knowingly because they are on the verge of financial collapse after being a recipient of the ongoing corruption.
The same Trainers at Woodbine get all the stalls year in and year out, and it has NOTHING to do with hard work as they claim.
It has everything to do with them carrying out the orders, and making a living at it while keeping their mouth shut.
I’ve seem MOST stake races at Woodbine this year have 4 horse fields! That’s for $150,000 plus!
Are you kidding me?
Talk about manipulation, monopolization, and corruption.
There – plain to see.
That would be like the the Ontario Lottery having a prize of $150,000, and selling only 4 tickets!
Come on people wake up!
The saddest part of this entire situation is that the racehorses are the ones paying the price, and that is what needs to stop.
The only way it will stop is by shutting it down.
The corruption, deceit, and cruelty know no bounds in this game and yet it is allowed to “police” itself.
If it were not for the suffering of the horses it would be laughable.
And I say laughable because people still plunk their money down mostly knowing the drugs and all the other sleeze that is racing. Difficult to understand.
Yes Rose – allowed to police itself.
Total lack of transparency, accountability, while collecting millions in either casino or taxpayers money.
When, tell me when, is the wagering public, our government, the taxpayers going to wake up and shut this con game, cruelty circus, and death camp down?
Soon I hope.
In the meantime, the poor, voiceless racehorses are nothing more than disposable gambling pawns who are dying in the dirt.
I would also like to thank you, again, Patrick…..Maybe one day, soon, enough people will find out about the inhumane treatment of these gorgeous creatures and there will be no deaths to report. Anyone involved in horse racing is responsible for the demise of these horses….from the person who bets on the races to the owners and everyone in between.