Through a FOIA request to the New Mexico Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills on that state’s tracks in 2017. Unless otherwise noted, immediate cause of death was a limb fracture of one kind or another; underlying cause – Racing itself.
Genuine Swaty Child (sic), January 4, Sunland, racing
Lilly Lips, January 6, Sunland, race 1
Winter Storm, January 10, Sunland, race 5
Denis Queen (sic), January 11, Sunland, training
Fateel, January 24, Sunland, training
Definitely Dylan, January 26, Sunland, training
Viola’s Victory, January 26, Sunland, training
Bonnies Sparky, January 28, Sunland, race 6
Music in the Storm, January 31, Sunland, race 3
Elusive Fleet, February 2, Sunland, training
Peppermintonice, February 4, Sunland, race 2
Locket Alley, February 5, Sunland, race 5
Clovers Meltdown, February 11, Sunland, training
Abbys Shooting Star, February 17, Sunland, race 1
Glorias Girl, February 21, Sunland, race 7
Denis Girl (sic), February 24, Sunland, training
Sc Dustychampion, March 10, Sunland, race 3
“fractured ankle…went airborne and landed on the entire left side – including head”
Sweet Sunday, March 14, Sunland, race 1
Exciting Valentine, March 18, Sunland, training
Star of the Storm, March 26, Sunland, training
Proud Ruben, March 28, Sunland, training
Jacky James (sic), March 31, Sunland, training
Skyfall, March 31, Sunland, race 5
Young Moon, April 8, Sunland, prior to race 7
“flipped and traumatized hind”
File and Rank, April 11, Sunland, training
Naci Knothead, April 11, Sunland, race 6
Flair Weather, April 15, Sunland, race 5
Dominant Diversion, May 27, Ruidoso, race 4
“died on track – hemorrhage via nostrils”
Iba Favorite, May 28, Ruidoso, race 12
Quality Boy, July 2, Albuquerque, race 9
Unbridled Critic, July 8, Albuquerque, race 1
Talking to Charlie, July 8, Albuquerque, race 9
Abridged, July 14, Albuquerque, race 7
Mr Flash the Cash, July 15, Ruidoso, race 12
Beduino Smooth Zevi, July 29, Albuquerque, race 8
“sudden death” (nine years old, first race in over three years)
Patty Del Rey, July 29, Ruidoso, race 10
“suspected lumbosacral [spine] fracture”
Olivias Little Bro, August 6, Albuquerque, race 2
First Bank of Papa, August 9, Albuquerque, race 1
Grc Graceful Azoom, August 12, Albuquerque, race 7
Mooch, August 17, Ruidoso, training
Z Rock, August 25, Ruidoso, training
“severed flexor tendon”
DE Last Shot, August 26, Albuquerque, race 3
Boots N Pants, August 27, Albuquerque, race 7
Prayer for Da Bric, August 27, Ruidoso, race 1
Mist Ter Noble, August 27, Ruidoso, race 7
Heal Do It, September 1, Albuquerque, training
Eye for an Eye, September 1, Albuquerque, race 3
(nine years old, 76th race)
Jess a Leap, September 1, Albuquerque, race 9
Fisher Stel Corona, September 2, Ruidoso, race 3
Zoomin Effortlessly, September 3, Ruidoso, race 8
“cardiovascular collapse”
Jm First Down, September 6, Albuquerque, race 3
“possible suspensory ligament rupture”
Riot Act, September 8, Albuquerque, race 3
“horse in severe pain [broken shoulder] in trailer – drew blood prior to animal being euthanized”
Jess Rockn, September 9, Zia, race 7
“both knees injected” two weeks prior
Tera Inferno, September 11, Zia, race 1
“horse flipped and hit head after race due to heat stroke”
Rusty Road, September 11, Zia, race 4
Yet Another Wain, September 17, Zia, race 1
Altanero, September 30, Zia, race 4
Jess a Tres, September 30, Zia, race 6
Rolling Star, October 3, Zia, race 2
Bar Bandit, October 3, Zia, prior to race 8
“flipped – head trauma”
Bodacious Giggles, October 7, Zia, race 4
Paid the Chick, October 7, Zia, race 4
(chart said “tripped over fallen foe” – see above)
Songof Inspiration, October 10, Zia, race 1
Carson City Guy, October 15, Zia, race 4
Shez Smokin, October 15, Zia, prior to race 10
“hit head in paddock – died”
Cooper Canyon, October 17, Zia, race 9
Rockndinamite, October 22, Zia, race 5
Hopeful Moves, October 22, Zia, race 10
Cecie Go Home, October 31, Zia, training
Altona Cat, October 31, Zia, race 5
Crimson Music, October 31, Zia, race 6
Dashin Foose, November 11, Zia, race 2
Jess Sisters, November 11, Zia, race 3
Blue Over You, November 12, Zia, training
“sudden death – possible heart attack” (three years old)
Split Step, November 19, Zia, race 7
Awesome Time, November 20, Zia, race 3
Vmr Rebel, November 25, Zia, race 4
Wood Be a Bullet, November 25, Zia, race 7
“compound, open, displaced sesamoids; compound, open, displaced carpal; closed spine” – “DOA of track vet” (chart merely said “vanned off”)
Nanango, November 26, Zia, race 1
Putalidonit, November 26, Zia, race 8
Good At Goodbye, November 27, Zia, race 3
Two Dollar Pistol, November 27, Zia, race 5
Warbuck’s Curfew, December 5, Zia, race 3
Hollywood Icon, December 16, Sunland, race 3
“euthanized in ambulance”
Gran Misterio, December 16, Sunland, race 6
(58th race)
Flying Bob Ed, December 19, Sunland, race 8
“euthanized in ambulance”
Kimbell, December 24, Sunland, race 3
“euthanized in ambulance”
Party Beads, December 29, Sunland, training
Jess My Choice, December 29, Sunland, race 2
“euthanized in ambulance”
In addition, these still-very-much-active racehorses died on track grounds from what the industry craftily calls “non-racing” causes. Technically true, perhaps, but morally they are no less casualties of this vile business than the ones above.
My Precious Stolita, February 21, Sunland
“severe colic – horse was found dead in stall” (four years old, last raced February 10)
Ole Straw, March 29, Sunland
“colic” – no indication of euthanasia (two years old)
All a Beat Tentation (sic), April 4, Sunland
“colic” – no indication of euthanasia
Citizen Ofthe West, April 8, Sunland
“found dead – colic” (last raced February 18)
Big A’s Darlin, August 8, Ruidoso
“colic” (last raced August 2)
Heisman (sic), August 9, Ruidoso
“bilateral forelimb laminitis”
Silver Bullet Rf, August 15, Ruidoso
“found dead in stall – possible colic suspected; 360-degree torsion of colon” (two years old, last raced July 15)
Bronze Bomber, August 24, Ruidoso
“pleural pneumonia with four-feet laminitis” (two years old)
Nacimientos Clasic, September 4, Zia
“horse died during night – colic” (two years old)
Big Boy Baze, October 4, Zia
“colic; horse passed away early morning – [not] euthanized” (two years old, last raced September 4)
Hondos Celesticman, December 5, Zia
“colic” (two years old, last raced November 13)
Legasistic (sic), December 19, Sunland
“evisceration of abdomen”
All these horses dying for $2 bets, greed, big egos and entertainment, it just beggars belief.
New Mexico may well top Florida or Michigan when it comes to cruelty to animals.
This past week, a young (foaled 5-15-14) chestnut gelding, JC name Bradley, was found at the Kaufman Kill Pen – he had been raced only a few weeks prior (April 1) at Sunland Park. His racing owner/trainer – Paul. A. Smith.
On this list of killed racehorses, Paul A. Smith trained five. Those five…
Definitely Dylan (training) – Sunland Park
Bonnies Sparky (DNF) – Sunland Park
Peppermintonice (vanned off) – Sunland Park
Locket Alley (DNF) – Sunland Park
Tera Inferno (“fractious behind the gate” and “tired”…then “flipped and hit head after race due to heat stroke”) – Zia
I bought and currently own Bradley. I purchased him from Kaufman Kill Pen.
Thank you Kristi!
Paul A. Smith, a repeat offender.
Now another of his race geldings – 5-year-old Silver Fin – has been identified in the Kaufman Kill Pen (where his former gelding, Bradley, was discovered in April). Silver Fin last ran at Sunland on 4-17-18 for owner/trainer Paul Smith. In the kill pen a month later.
And a note of interest since many apologists like to boast about the “great care” the royally-bred and royally-owned racehorses receive…in the end? – they all still get booted out of their elite and “royal” connections’ barns. Silver Fin, bred by Adena Springs – sold to Calumet Farm at the Keeneland November 2013 Breeding Stock Sale for 105K – raced for Calumet and Steve Asmussen – discarded into Smith’s grasp – to a dirty Texas kill pen.
Then there were those horses on this list who were pushed to their very limits – horses, who in their last races of their lives, earned a check for their humans but then were vanned off and euthanized (vanned off per Equibase/euthanized per FOIA).
Skyfall – the 5 y/o gray QH gelding won over 11K for his connections when his 2nd place finish was moved up to 1st – the 1st place finisher, Rum Chata, was disqualified for a positive test. Skyfall – “game”, “vanned off”, dead.
Iba Favorite – this 3 y/o sorrel QH filly “stumbled [at the] start” but still came in 1st. She was vanned off and euthanized. Her people split the $2,400 her death race earned for them.
Beduino Smooth Zevi – as Patrick mentioned, this bay QH gelding was 9 years old and had not raced in over 3 years when owner Flavio Fernandez and trainer Anthony Chavez put his life on the line. The gelding came in 1st…was vanned off…euthanized. They traded his life for a portion of the $10,000 his win earned.
Altanero – a 3-year-old sorrel QH gelding, Altanero also finished 1st in his last race. Then he was vanned off and was euthanized. Owner Jorge Preciado Nunez pocketed a slice of the $5,700 check.
Rockndinamite – this sorrel QH filly was only 3 when she ran in her 5th and final race. Finishing 3rd, then vanned off and euthanized, owner/trainer Ebert Munoz took the lion’s share of the $1200 the young filly made for that show finish.
Hopeful Moves – this brown QH filly was only a 2 y/o when she became another racing statistic. In her 3rd start, she finished 4th for a $640 paycheck. Then she was vanned off and euthanized.
Vmr Rebel – 3 years old, this bay QH gelding lost his life in his 11th start. In that final race, he came in 1st place for owner/trainer Javier Montoya. Vmr Rebel, vanned off and euthanized. Montoya saw the better part of the winning $7,200 check.
Wood Be a Bullet – a 4 y/o sorrel QH gelding, his 4th place finish was moved up to 3rd when winner Kick Some Dash was disqualified due to a positive test. Wood Be a Bullet was vanned off after the race – euthanized. The $1575 he earned went to owner HWD Racing Stables/trainer Hemerio Hernandez…the same owners and trainer of Hopeful Moves.
Putalidonit – this 3-year-old chestnut TB gelding had an awkward start, “drifted six wide into the stretch” and was vanned off after the race. His 3rd place finish – $2,850 for owners Three Amigos and trainer Greg Green. Putalidonit – euthanized.
Two Dollar Pistol – a 3 y/o dark bay filly, her 4th race was also her last. Crossing the wire in 4th place, she required vanning off and was subsequently euthanized. $500 was paid to her connections.
Money for the industry members: death for their horses.
The plight of the Quarter Horse maybe even worse than that of the Thoroughbred in New Mexico – outrageous cruelty and corruption go hand in hand. God help the horses.
Most all racehorses are considered disposable commodities at some point.
Many become disposable just after 3 years when they are no longer a “Derby or stake” prospect.
Essentially, this business breeds and breeds a “product” that is disposable just after 3 years when this “product” has another 20 years, approximately, left to be taken care of.
Their mess of unwanted OTTB’s, for the most part, is left up to everybody else while this business rakes in the money even killing racehorses to make a buck!!
This business is well aware of trainers like Paul A. Smith, Rudy Rodriguez etc etc who show a pattern of maiming and dying racehorses under their “care.”
It’s no different than top trainers Bob Baffert, Todd Pletcher, Wayne Lukas etc etc who, not only have multiple doping violations, but also multiple racehorses who have died under their “care.”
This business continuously shows that they don’t give a damn if racehorses die as long as they fill races, and increase wagering profits along the way.
Next week the fancy hats, and mint juleps conducted under the “sport/entertainment” banner will be on full display.
Behind this 2 minute race is a trail of broken, dumped, and dead racehorses – a far cry from the “royal” treatment image that the apologists peddle.
It’s absolute insanity, and you would have to be morally and emotionally bankrupt to support such an antiquated Romanesque business model that results in widespread suffering, and dying of sentient beings.
VILE.
So sorry for all the victims of these morally bankrupt apologists.
The Paulick Report has an article re all the measures Churchill is putting in place related to safety of the horse.
It is a pretty transparent and meaningless attempt at PR right before the big race. What a deceitful nasty business top to bottom !!!!
My question to Churchill is how are these measures going to help the thousands of abused claimers and others in the industry and how do the measures help the thousands of Thoroughbreds that are slaughtered every year, Many of the slaughtered brobably once raced at Churchill like Ferdinand.did.
This is a sham – a feel good measure to hide behind. And it further illustrates the lack of a national commission that could make rules and enforce them for ALL tracks and racers.
The lack of such a commission is by design – just one more black eye for this cruel , corrupt and deceitful business !!