Yesterday morning at Finger Lakes, says the Gaming Commission, Tizz Hip broke while training and was subsequently euthanized. She was two and was being prepped for her first race. Later in the day, Love to Party “fell” in the 2nd at Charles Town “and had to be euthanized” (Equibase). She, too, was two.
Dead animals every day – this is horseracing.
The fact that people are still willing to put their horses in harms way at Charles town is an example of the desperate depravity of this industry. The track is known as a “bull ring”, because of the tight turns and has, in the past, had to be closed down because sink holes randomly opened up under the horses while on the track. A few years ago- there was such a horrible accident that only ONE horse finished the race with a rider. It was horrendous- horses were falling over each other, flipping and cartwheeling in the air, and the horse that initially broke her leg, had stepped in the same area on the track that only a few races prior had a broken a horse’s leg, requiring euthanization.
And yet, apologists try to tell us the horses are treated like family and loved. And yet, they send them out to race on this atrocious track, where deaths are so commonplace.
I just watched the replay of Love to Party’s race. This poor filly tried to crawl off the track after her leg broke. She couldn’t stand up anymore, so she CRAWLED.
You are absolutely right, Peggy. It’s disgusting, infuriating and criminal what these owners and trainers do to these magnificent horses. Pure greed and pure evil to put these horses at risk, not to mention the jockeys. If they treat their horses “like family” I’d hate to be part of their family. Horse racing needs to end.
Omg. Just babies. May all the demons who were envolved step into speeding traffic and die. Everyone is guilty.
How cruel, how uncaring can one be? Two year old babies! Why don’t they feel guilt? I suppose that they have “hardened ” themselves with callous rationalizations such as “some losses are inevitable in this great sport”. (This is not a sport.) Well, guess what? Many people could never justify injuries and deaths. Not everyone is the same!
I was once an apologist constantly rationalizing until I could not rationalize anymore.
Let me tell you a little more about Charlestown who gets billions in casino profits.
I shipped in from Kentucky to run there around 2004.
The facilities there were horrific, disgusting, and completely unsafe for both horse and rider.
Now I’m not trying to justify my idiocy as a former apologist, but I’m just trying to demonstrate the complete abomination of these racetrack CEO’s, HBPA and other pro-horse racing entities that receive lots of money, and do little to nothing in return for the horses there or for the people who fill races for them unless they are training for them, in which case, those trainers get special treatment.
I was directed into a back field which had 10 x 10 concrete block stalls, leaky roofs with low ceilings and NO LIGHTS at night, which is when I arrived for night racing.
Try unloading a racehorse in the middle of a dark field with no lights, and getting to the stall that was assigned to you only to find a horse already in there knee deep in manure, ribs protruding from probably lack of feed and/or ulcers that were not treated only because he was disposable, being shipped out the next morning to a kill auction I was told, and he wasn’t the only one, so perhaps the lack of light was somewhat comforting.
After a long trip, and with a horse on the end of my lead shank ready to rock n roll I couldn’t even see where I was stepping let alone my horse and this was before iphones.
Walking back after the race there were NO LIGHTS lighting up the walking path or hot/warm water to shower a horse full of dirt in their face because the track didn’t want to spend the money I was told, but the trainers training for the CEO’s or the HBPA had it all in their barns so I walked over to one of their barns, picked up the hose and started watering down my horse.
A male trainer came out threatening to “punch me out,” and I had “no business” using his hose.
I told him in no uncertain terms was I leaving until my horse got hosed-off and if he touched me I would call the cops to which he replied “we own the cops.”
He stood there with his hands on his hips watching every move I made, but of course my bucket, sponge and Absorbine was back at the stall in the middle of the field so it didn’t take long to wash down my horse.
He said he would “report me,” and ensure that I was never allowed back.
So when I hear some apologists come on here and say that they “take care of their horse,” it’s so laughable because I directly witnessed what exactly goes on in the barn areas on tracks all over America and it’s horrific.
Driving back, I couldn’t help but think about that poor horse in the stall and some others being shipped out to supposedly kill auctions the next day, and I started to question why in the hell I was supporting this horror show?
These tracks receiving millions in casino profits has not translated to a better situation for the horses, in fact, it’s much worse as the greed shines through.
Now I don’t know if the facilities have been upgraded since then, but where in the hell is the government in this scenario?
It’s like they stand down because any other workplace in America that conducted themselves this way would be fined for unsafe working conditions and/or cruelty to animals, but not horse racing.
One of the few tracks that has decent facilities for the horses is Keeneland, and they don’t have casino profits, but huge sales profits, which seem to financially support their race meets.
However, that still doesn’t stop the end results of maiming and/or dying.
Where in the hell is all this money going?
It certainly isn’t going to upgrade community essential facilities or aftercare for the horses so it seems to be going into the pockets of politicians to keep this charade going while the horses are getting completely deprived.
It’s vile, and it’s completely unacceptable, and they need to immediately cease all casino profits to this business and shut it down.
So sorry for these babies and for any horse being subjected to the inhumane treatment perpetrated on them to fill races, and increase wagering profits.
I was not impressed by the horse facilities at Keeneland so I can only imagine what Charles Town and others must be like..
Gina – I hope you don’t mind if I post your comment on facebook along with this report. It hopefully will enlighten the ignorant to the abuse these horses suffer and the criminal behavior of those involved in this barbaric sport.
OMG — each time I read, I gasp — horrific — unbelievable — I can’t even fathom — what’s worse, this has been going on for decades — and no one knows — not enough KNOW — keep spreading the word …
To all readers, please feel free to post any comment that I’ve submitted here on any social media site.
I stand by my words, and if it means opening the eyes of people who think otherwise then please go ahead.
Rose, Keeneland is a “premier” facility compared to the other tracks so one can only imagine just how bad they are.
Furthermore, I went to these facilities with delusions of grandeur thinking that the stable area would be state-of-the-art, comfortable, safe, and thinking that the horses were being treated like “kings” because of the multibillion dollar casino profits that they had been collecting for years.
My ignorant bliss quickly dissipated once I was exposed to the real life that these poor racehorses endure, and in hindsight I was just a delusional apologist.
I suppose I can say “better late than never,” that I came to realize the truth behind the fancy hats and all the people living it up in the grandstand area while horses are being deprived, abused, and dumped like trash.
Another thing, the stable area is a busy place so many people, even vets, were walking by these stalls and could clearly see these lame, underfed, and neglected racehorses many of which were not even getting medical attention that they so obviously needed.
Nothing gets reported, and even when you do, nothing gets done.
It’s shameful and this is horse racing.
Gina – you aren’t kidding about the backsides of the track. My friend had never been on the backside- and I took her along with me to a local track. To read her face and expressions when we got there was telling. She stared in wide eyed amazement. She even told me after that she was shocked at the conditions, and said she felt like she had walked into the worst ghettos of our local city. The Shedrow we went to had a horse with an ankle the size of a grapefruit, and was having difficulty bearing weight. Everyone there knew about it, and that the horse had been there for a few days. I was told later this horse “disappeared”.
Disappeared, likely, to the horrors of the slaugherhouse.
I am truly disgusted at how the conditions of the backside, of the facilities and of the maimed or abused horses, have never made it to mainstream print (newspapers, magazines).
Thanks Peggy for sharing the real facts of this business.
My horse got hurt on the Charleston track that night, which required months of rest, but at least he came out alive.
I watched the replay and it looked like he tripped into a sink hole when the rider had him on the rail, and the rider did confirm that with me so the track is dangerous – end of story.
The living conditions for both horse, and stable personnel (which are mainly undocumented or documented Mexican workers) on most racetracks are appalling.
At Retama Park in Texas I saw active racehorses literally starving with no bedding, and no medical attention being put on walkers for hours with no water in the heat of the sun.
Most racetracks are not even fit for a rat, but at least the rats are not beaten and doped to perform.
At some of the racetracks you literally have to check to see what bite marks your horse endured during the night, and this is just 100 yards away from residential neighborhoods.
Reporting this is futile.
I will never forget when I was in New Orleans where the facilities there are so disgusting that it isn’t even fit for a rat, and that’s after the city there has given millions in tax breaks to this multibillion dollar industry for years in exchange for renovating the horrific conditions there.
To this day, I don’t think it’s been done so the city should demand every single last dime in taxes, which I’m sure New Orleans could use.
I watched racehorses being loaded-up for the kill auctions with their sweat from the race barely dry right out of the receiving barn in New Orleans.
I could go on and on, but these tracks should be shut down beginning with their financial welfare being stopped.
My journey to end my rationalizing, and stop supporting this horror show was a long journey – too long in retrospect, but anybody who supports this needs a mental health check beginning with our politicians.