The NYRA carnival has long since moved on to Belmont, but horses are still training at Saratoga – and dying. The Gaming Commission has just disclosed the death of Business Expense last Thursday: “fx cannon and P1 while breezing – euthanized.” Business Expense was five and was last raced August 22 at that same track.
Last summer, the media was all over Saratoga’s ignominious, record-breaking meet (21 kills). It was sensational and dramatic: horses were dying at a clip of roughly three a week at “the nation’s oldest sporting venue,” hallowed and consecrated Saratoga Race Course. This year, as numbers dipped into the single digits, there was (with a couple praiseworthy exceptions) a collective shrug. If anything, we were treated to a few “Saratoga is better protecting its athletes” stories. But as I said in practically every interview I gave last year, the real story is that Saratoga has averaged 14 dead a summer since the database went live in 2009. And now we learn that the 2018 toll has inched closer to that average, once again giving lie to “safety initiatives” and “track improvements.” Horseracing kills horses. Always has. Always will.
Presumptuous, July 7
Heartspoke, July 25
Macho Citizen, July 28
Frosty Gal, August 1
Master Manipulator, August 6
Biz Boss, August 17
Indifference, August 20
Bowie, August 26
Royal Blessing, September 4
Business Expense, September 13
I am wondering what “newscasts” to which you are referring…. up here in “ Saratoga Land” channel 10, parks their news team right at the track. For the whole season. The two talking heads, a man and a woman, regulars on TV 10, smile, do interviews, BUT never once do they mention the death of any horses. If it wasn’t for your website, no one would have any knowledge of horse deaths. Same goes for our local newspaper, The Post Star. Never any mention of what really goes on at the track. How can that be? Keeping the masses ignorant of the true facts. So if the majority of people aren’t getting truthful news, where is the hope to end Horseracing?
BJ — Good point. — this is my response : Tell everyone (repeatedly) — send letters to editors (repeatedly) — comments on as many forums as possible (repeatedly) — etc. — We CANNOT let up — we MUST be that proverbial thorn (big thorn) in their side — CONTINUE to spread the news on the depraved indifference, the barbarity to our magnificent, beautiful HORSES — we MUST protect these animals from the sadistic cruelty inflicted on them by MONSTERS whose only goal is to line their own pockets.
Please in the name of GOD. Stop this. 🙏🙏🙏
The “Sport of Kings”…..I think not. it is the sport of death.
CONTINUE to spread the news on the depraved indifference, the barbarity to our magnificent, beautiful HORSES — we MUST protect these animals from the sadistic cruelty inflicted on them by MONSTERS whose only goal is to line their own pockets