Wanztbwicked, a 3-year-old colt who was last raced at Monmouth in June, broke down training at Saratoga Saturday and, according to the Gaming Commission, was euthanized on the track. He is the third dead racehorse at Saratoga this season.
Lakalas, May 28, “collapsed and died after breezing”
Queen B, July 6, “fractured leg while breezing…ambulanced to clinic – euthanized”
Wanztbwicked, July 22, “suffered an injury while breezing – euthanized on the track”
This is Saratoga. This is horseracing.
Enough torturing these poor animals! Let them live a happy life without human interference for monetary gain! It’s disgusting!!
So sad I would say someone not doing their job….. No reason for it? Are these horses not being vet checked? Raise them race them kill them…….. lovey…….
There are MANY holes in your journalistic fairy tale. Get your facts straight so you can give your readers quality information to then base an educated opinion.
Name one.
Little Kentucky Farm, “journalistic fairy tale?” You are either incredibly stupid or delusional. I challenge you to come on this blog and provide documentation that Patrick’s comments are a “journalistic fairy tale.” If you are unable to provide documentation, then it is best to keep your lips “zipped!”
“Little Kentucky Farm”? – your accusation is as insignificant as the one who makes it. “Little” is certainly an appropriate choice for the alias you’ve chosen to hide behind,
Hey, little Kentucky Farm, you screamed out MANY holes in Patrick’s factual posts. Please provide the details of at least one……. Awww cannot do, eh?
Don’t despair, just slide back down into your little hole. And I pity the horses on your farm, as you come across as a small time indiscriminate TB breeder who knows of no other way to earn a living but to exploit animals. Bet you have mares pregnant year in and year out. The truth about the dark ugly side of racing is being exposed like never before and it’s not going down well with the likes of you.
We need to expose the evils the cruelty and Lock up the animal abusers and throw away the key. Make the rules tough and safe or stop the money guzzlers. Ihate all a
slaughter house pig abuse and all of it. I pray daily. You better start praying and acting like a red siren tell people the real truth. It’s sick. Proverbs 31;8&9
Yup. There sure are a lot of liberal content writers adding comments in this thread and only a couple with something non-agenda to say. Good job not being as soft-headed as these
TraceDickey, I will abbreviate your name to Dick just for logistic reasons of course.
This has NOTHING to do with politics, and blaming “liberals.”
Many people who support this blog are conservative Christian republicans so your comment is ridiculous.
This has to do with horses DYING for bets – end of story.
We’re just asking what holes they’re referring to. We liberals like to deal in those pesky things called facts, that SOME conservatives don’t seem to worry about, such as you and Little Kentucky Farm. And this is not bashing the other side just because we don’t agree. I’m pointing out that LKF really didn’t provide any examples. Nor do I expect any.
So educate us! What’s the real story!
Read Patrick’s posts and then you’ll be educated about the real story.
They DIED, what holes?
Exactly.
More kids are injured or killed every day than horses… so do we stop sports? I am an owner and breeder I groom my own. I can honestly say my horses are treated way better than most human kids! shit happens!
This is such a terrible analogy. Look at the death rates. Over 1 horse dies per 1000 starts. If there were comparable rates to kids and sports, then yes, sports would be stopped.
chet, I just want to address your comment because the 1 horse death per 1000 starts (or just over 1) is the percentage the industry boasts…and the industry deceives the public by using STARTS instead of HORSES. Just for the sake of explanation, let’s say there are 100,000 starts a year – well those 100,000 starts were not run by 100,000 horses…because each horse races more than once a year. Number of starts per year does not equal the number of horses running those races. So it follows that one dead horse out of 1000 STARTS is not one dead horse out of 1000 HORSES.
We can safely say that the typical racehorse – the horses that make up the majority in the industry…the claimers – run once a month. Therefore, in a year, 1 horse has 12 starts. Further, if it takes only 1 horse to “give” the industry 12 starts, only 84 horses are needed to “give” the industry 1000 starts.
Taking the industry’s own stats and comparing apples to apples? – 1 racehorse death to 1000 starts…those 1000 starts required only 84 horses…1 racehorse death per 84 horses.
There isn’t a sport that kills that many of its athletes. But then, horse racing is not a sport and the horses are not consenting athletes.
Excellent, Joy.
What horse owner is stupid enough to race or run a horse in 90+ heat???? Stupid is that Stupid does.
You do realize, human kids run as well for hours at a time at that temp or higher depending on the sport and gear needed to perform in. Two minutes at 90 plus F* please let me know where the outrage is there. It’s called sports. Less than two minutes is fine. Once you actually get into sports instead of hive-minding things you might actually discover how well these athletes are treated. In fact racehorses are treated better than Highschool, Olympic, professional human athletes.
You are delusional.
Hannah:
“…..hive-minding things.”
No Hannah it’s called FACTS on racehorses who are dying in the dirt for $2 bets.
“…..you might actually discover how well these athletes are treated.”
Let’s see: whipping/beating while most likely sore and/or tired to the point where they drop dead in the dirt like ANGELS SEVEN at Saratoga the other day.
2. Forcing doping cocktails into their veins, muscles, joints in order to mask chronic pain and/or increase performance beyond their natural ability that often results in racehorses dying like NEHRO who was doped up, and forced to run with half his hoof hanging-off, and no sole to his foot. All caught on camera thanks to PETA.
3. Forcing them to compete when it’s so blatantly obvious that they don’t want to be there, are non-competitive and/or so incredibly sore that their limbs can’t carry them any more to fill the wagering windows with $2 bets. Horses like SHAMROCK ROAD, HALOS AND ANGELS, and here’s an extensive list of the “walking dead:’
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vqVPGLmiQjskz8d9U1MN-ZdahiFv5MCHI48VSRYdwos/pubhtml
This list proves that egregious acts of inhumane treatment is being perpetrated on racehorses every day.
4. How about dumping racehorses that are multiple graded stakes winners into neglectful situations without even checking up on their well-being? Horses like Dr Drip and so many others that would require a separate Blog.
5. How about dumping racehorses, after their done maiming them without providing vet care, at the various kill auctions such as Sugarcreek, where most are subsequently sold to slaughter?
When was the last time you saw a human athlete beaten to run faster?
When was the last time you saw a human athlete snap their legs-off and die on the playing field?
Better still, when was the last time you saw a professional athlete shipped-off to a slaughterhouse when no longer financially viable?
Go stick your head in some manure where it must already be if you can’t see how abusive, cruel, inhumane, and vile this legitimized animal cruelty is.
Hannah, you are clueless as to what goes on with the racehorses. Like my colleagues who regularly comment on this blog, I have firsthand experience in the racing industry and am qualified to make the comments that I do.
You’re foolish if you think this only happens in horse racing. Nobody wants to see these animals get hurt but let me assure you, horses are hurt and put down in some other disciplines just as much as thoroughbred racing.
Somebody should do the same to the trainer. Beat them, drug them and then run the shit out of them til they die.
You cannot compare the life of the racehorse with that of a horse in an equestrian discipline.
Does one place $2 bets on a horse in a dressage event?
The incomparisions are endless…………..
They should check the water there. It could be a tainted well. I mean this is not normal. Horses who do race other places and do fine……dropping dead in a mere work out?? AGAIN this year, this is happening. Saratoga just opened…….and there’s THREE dead already. THAT were live and healthy before going there. CHECK THE FOOTING out on the track and take a freakin water sample and send it in. WTH are you all waiting for…number FOUR?? This is like last year already.
Bev, unfortunately this is “normal” for the horse racing business.
The dying has been going on for years, but they were able to hide it prior to social media, and FOIA requests.
So the exact figures were unknown until this Blog came around.
It could very well be that the numbers were much higher than this, and that this is considered a low number!?
As Patrick stated on another post (forget where it is) – DYING is inherent in horse racing, and he’s 100% right.
As a former owner/trainer I think it’s going to get much worse, and I’ll tell you why.
Most of the racehorses running on tracks now are the result of sires and/or broodmares who most likely ran on doping cocktails to win and/or be competitive.
It’s all coming to roost now.
It’s possible that there are a bunch of sires and/or broodmares producing built-in lameness and/or imuno-suppressed foals as a direct result of the residual effects of doping and joint injections.
It’s much more than “tainted” water or changing track surfaces.
very interesting… I have been wondering if we were seeing some long range interference with breeding.
LOL normal, are you kidding me? How dare you assume that this is normal. Are you really a former trainer/owner? You don’t sound like one. If you kept current, there had been a huge shift in racing in the last decade to keep up with the better practices of the rest of the world if I may say. No drugs, higher purses overseas but apparently going overseas is also a negative thing if people’s eyes and how? A+travel, private vet, grooms ect. I just can’t see how this is a negative.!
Horses are babies until they are 4 or 5 years old. Thier bones are still soft until then and should not be ridden or have those soft bones pounding on a hard track. But the “industry” doesn’t want to wait that long to get their money or pay the money to care for the horse that long. Add the drugs and poor care and neglect. …
This has to stop!These horses give it their all ,all the time!
All those who support this business are, at best, delusional, naive, suffering from tunnel vision or just plain lying .
There is no national governing body in this business and no unifom rules.. Rules to protect the horse are non-existent,, period .Even a basic rule to prevent over
working the horse does not exist. Rules concerning the whip are a joke because it is up to each state and even the individual tracks.
The bottom line is the horse is a disposable commodity. Even the money makers are disposed of via claiming once they are in decline no matter how beautifully they were once cared for and “loved”for the short period they were winners. Not many are retired unless they have the potential to be money makers in the breeding shed.
The common thread for this gambling business built on the backs of horses is MONEY ! And that is what counts, not the horse regardless of what the supporters say..
Horse racing is as bad, if not worse, than greyhound racing! YOU BET…THEY DIE! Get a freaking job and let these animals live in peace!
In most of these cases the ,one size FITS all training is a big probabilty !!! training horses all the same way ,Sending horses to the track who are having problems not being addressed!! THIS IS not training !!! This is NOTHING more than assembly line slaughter that could possibly have been averted !!!!! Yess !! In most of these cases ,I lay blame at the feet of the trainer and groom ,for not paying ,attention to the wellbeing of the indivudual horses needs !! This seems to be a prevalent thing nowadays. Owners deserve far better than this !!! Without them ,we trainers would not have a stable of horses to train !!!: I strongly believe in checking out every horse in my care ,with its groom,each day ,and encourage the groom To alert me if there seems;to be a problem , To see if there is anything going on with that partucular horse !!! I admonish trainers to be vigil of each hose as an individual ,who has it’s own special needsYou, AND pecularitiesYou,before sending that horse to the track !! It’s much better that way !!!;FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED!!!
OWNER TRAINER TEDDY RAY PIRICE
Teddy, this entire business is one big problem, and that’s why it needs to go.
2 more racehorses just dropped dead at Saratoga – how many more Terry before delusional apologists like you finally get it??
How many more??
And, Mr Price, how do suggest changing a business that polices itself, has no national governing body. There are no rules to protect the horse from the unscrupulous in this corrupt gambling business.
I suggest you review the spread sheet that Gina Powell posted the link to and tell me what good flagging the abused horses does. The overworking of these animals and red flagging them as they are started in as little as 2 to 7 days can’t even be stopped. The flags of assorted colors do a fat lot of good without any rules to back them up.
This is how the business is run and this is how those in it want to run it.
Further, two of the owner/ trainers, Sexton and Rose, on the long list make a habit of outrageously overworking their horses. Rose started a filly, Jill’s reflection 52 times by the time she was 3 yrs. old and now he is abusing one on the current watch list. Jill’s reflection never made the watch list because most of the abuse flies under the radar and you must know that very well.
Sexton is now running a horse into the ground again after he started Shamrock Road weekly for months and months. Tell me, please, why these people are allowed to operate like this. And, I might add, there is no shortage of Sextons and Roses in racing.
I have a gelding that Ferrarp (also on the list, surprise!) ran with a stifle injury . I was lucky to get him before he died in the dirt or back at the barn. I could elaborate further but I’m so disgusted with what goes on that I need to stop.
This is totally cruel and inhumane. This shit should be shut down. There is no reason or amount of money that can justify treating an animal like this.
I love the tree huggin idiots that know all and don’t know shit about the biz maybe u should try getting n the biz b4 u start saying anything about
Brent-Many of us on here have been in the business – THAT’S why we are against it! I know TOO much about this corrupt biz – and the shit I saw I’ll never be able to erase from my memory!! So maybe you should keep your pointless comments to yourself – you pro-abuse idiot!!
Brent Perry, so should I “get in the biz” BEFORE I speak out against dog racing? What about puppy mills and dog fighting? According to your sick logic, one needs to “be in the biz” in order to speak out against animal exploitation. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. I know plenty about the racing industry and NONE of it is good.
I know absolutely nothing about horses and racing. I just want to know what “breezing” means
A training term – moderate-rate run.
Poor animals :( this is all for greed… Shame on their owners for putting the animals thru this. :(
Fucking horrible all for greedy people
This is why I stopped watching horse racing years ago. Horrible.
I think u should be killed u make money off them and kill them you can give them care and spend the money to fix it and give him a home or get out of it ass hole no has the right with kids or pets to kill
U feel this way get out of it im fighting u
Peolpe will take them in a heart beat loseryou want to make money work them but when the cost comes u take easy way out and kill if a kid broke a leg they dont put them to sleep its your job to do the right thing and u didnt not for the horse for u people like u need to be stoped
A 10 year old horse is not a “filly.” And there a reason as to why an aged MARE is STILL running. Its not the norm. An under trained horse with prior injuries is being made to run by an incompetent jockey and greedy, pieces of shit owners.
Some r treated good others r mean cruel low down people of I’ll haters of the innocent.
The ultimate of animal exploitation- this makes me ill. Beautiful animals abused and die for human entertainment. I would not spend a cent at Saratoga or any other death track.