The Equibase line for Luzinski in the 3rd at Belmont yesterday: “…was put to a stronger and stronger ride, lost its action taking bad steps…got quickly pulled up and was subsequently euthanized” – euthanized, that is, right there in the dirt. Luzinski is the 15th racehorse to die at Belmont Park this year – the 6th this month alone.
Luzinski, moments before his life would end…
Is it just me or are the jockeys getting bigger. That jockey has his legs down the rib cage. When did full size riders make the grade?
It appears to me that the rider is riding, what they refer to in this business, as “acey-ducey,” which means that one leg straps lower than the other intentionally. In this case, it seems that the left leg is riding lower than the other and he also appears unbalanced here although the acey-ducey technique is used to balance on an unbalanced horse.
It also hurts the horse more when the jockey kicks into the ribs or squeezes tighter – all designed to condition the horse to run faster anticipating the pain.
This appears to be the one of the many reasons in this circumstance and, collectively, it forced a probably sore/lame horse to save itself from the pain, but unable to save its own life.
Furthermore, a horse is usually unbalanced when it has sore or lameness issues which could have predicated the breakdown.
Luzinski appears to have been severely beaten before he dropped in the dirt – absolutely vile.
I don’t think that any size of jockey could have prevented this horrific killing.
I do think that the release of secret doping/vet records would have shown the extent of the doping and what areas of concern were chronic.
Of course we will never know that, and the industry doesn’t want anybody to see just how extensive these racehorses are doped to mask pain, and chronic issues which often result in catastrophic breakdown.
Furthermore, the regular use of dope is to keep the horse going, to fill races, to generate wagering profits and money for all the connections.
Everybody benefits, but the racehorses.
So sorry for Luzinski – another victim of this vile business, and the racehorse abusers who do this.
Yet they continue this death trap.
I hope we can protest there again soon. Even if it is just NYC and LI folks.