First, another horse has died – 6-year-old Zoomin Effortlessly after the 8th at Ruidoso Sunday. Apparently, he suffered a heart attack back in the barn (though something must have been amiss as he was a “vanned off” on the chart). While I would have eventually learned of this with my year-end FOIA request, it has become public now because, and only because, Zoomin was a wildly successful racehorse – that is, he made a lot of money for his people – and this was a Grade 1 (the highest kind) race. The article disclosing his death was at once revealing and abhorrent.
After an introductory sentence announcing the death, the website StallioneSearch followed with three paragraphs on Zoomin’s numbers – earnings (“banked $875,575 in five seasons at the track”), stakes wins, and such. Or, how the racing folks truly measure the life and value of a horse. Shortly thereafter, this from jockey Santos Carrizales: “My family in my life comes first. But this horse had become a part of our family. I thank God that he gave us this horse that has meant so much to us. We are just devastated with his death.” Vile, Mr. Carrizales. Vile.
Hey, Santos Carrizales, you allege that you’re devastated with Zoomin ‘s death?oh really? yet you didn’t have a problem with beating him with a whip inflicting both physical and psychological pain on this horse, pushing him beyond his physiological limitations. Zoomin, unlike yourself, didn’t have a mean bone in his body.
This horse, you declare, meant so much to you and your family…..oh please, just who are you trying to kid? What a selfish callous little creep you are. You are disgusting.
Thanks Carolyn for your comments.
I try so hard to remain civil when addressing this horrific animal abuse, but sometimes I just can’t take it anymore.
I’m sickened, disgusted, and repulsed by every single person that is involved with this cruelty in any capacity.
They are a pathetic bunch of delusional idiots that either abuse and/or are enablers of this abuse.
I’m so saddened by these racehorses giving it their all only to die in the dirt or be dumped into neglectful situations where they continue to suffer, or subsequently end up on the slaughterhouse floor.
There is NOT ONE positive thing that comes out of this degeneracy!
I’m equally sickened by the government who continues to financially support this corruption pit with taxpayers money, corporate welfare and/or casino profits – this industry should get NOTHING – no money whatsoever!!
There are millions of businesses who struggle to open their doors every day with not ONE handout from anybody either than their hard work, and they employ more people collectively than this industry ever has!!
Then I’m sickened by the lack of neutral oversight, nobody looking into their billions in profit while they continue to go to the public coffer water trough!!
In their recent meeting they had the audacity to suggest that, yet again, taxpayers money should be contributed to racehorse aftercare!!
It’s time to SHUT this blood bath, carnage, mayhem, and corruption DOWN immediately.
It’s nothing, but a scam while the racehorses pay with their lives.
It has got to go, it will go – it’s just a matter of time.
By the way, I don’t see the “loving” and “caring” owners evacuating their racehorses from Gulfstream Park that may be hit by this hurricane.
I don’t give a damn if the track itself blows away because that will translate to less racehorses dying.
Gina, you’ve probably heard by now – Exercise rider, Darren Fortune was killed this morning at Woodbine when 2 horses “collided” around 7am. Todays card has been cancelled due to the Ontario Ministry Of Labour investigating.
I was going to ask, how many jockeys and exercise riders are injured or killed in racing. You’d think that this would be enough to create new safety standards at least, but I guess a jockey’s life isn’t worth any more than the horse’s he or she rides.
Jockeys choose this line of work. Horses don’t.
Exactly. What They’ll Miss Is the Money.
Thanks Jo-Anne.
The pain, suffering, and disregard that Woodbine has had for horses, and people over the years that I’ve seen is so VILE it makes me sick just thinking about it.
I’ve witnessed the dying with my own eyes since the 60’s, and anybody who has stabled there has probably experienced the deep ingrained corruption going on there with the racehorses, and people paying with their lives.
They use, abuse people, and spit them out just like the racehorses.
It’s laughable that they release a statement that they are so sorry or something like that.
They are probably only thinking about their lost wagering revenue today!
If they truly cared about racehorses then they wouldn’t be exploiting, crippling, maiming, dumping, dying, and sending them to slaughter to begin with.
They are a despicable bunch there, and they have caused much pain to many people.
It’s outrageous that our government supports this carnage, and blood bath.