Through a FOIA request to the Florida DBPR, I have confirmed the following kills on that state’s tracks in the second half of 2018 (first half report here).
Fadelza, July 12, Gulfstream T
Midnight Salsa, July 13, Palm Meadows T
Mud in Yer Eye, July 17, Palm Meadows T
Fire Warrior, August 17, Palm Meadows T
Nice for What, August 18, Palm Meadows T
Banco Negro, August 20, Gulfstream T
Seven Oh Three, August 25, Palm Meadows T
Dana’s Ride, September 5, Gulfstream T
Alcuin, September 14, Gulfstream R
Menehune, September 15, Gulfstream T
Dudacity, September 16, Gulfstream R
Cosmic Outlaw, September 27, Gulfstream T
Fueledbydrama, September 29, Gulfstream T
Outback Bob, September 29, Gulfstream T
Two Step Blues, September 29, Gulfstream T
R Secret Life, October 2, Gulfstream T
Geaux Beaux, October 6, Palm Meadows T
Fusil de Chasse, October 9, Gulfstream T
Queen of Credit, October 12, Gulfstream W R
Prospectively, October 14, Gulfstream W R
Sing For Me George, October 29, Pompano T
Super Duper Girl, November 8, Gulfstream W R
Forty Hits, November 12, Gulfstream T
Horner Man, November 17, Gulfstream T
Dreaming of Aca, November 20, Gulfstream T
Real Wicked, November 23, Gulfstream T
Iron Flash, December 2, Gulfstream R (euthanized December 6)
More to Adore, December 8, Tampa Bay R
Burning Wild, December 9, Gulfstream R
Tractable, December 15, Gulfstream T
Sambucca Steve, December 20, Gulfstream R
Uglich, December 26, Gulfstream R (chart said “vanned off”; actually dead on track)
Battle Joined, December 27, Gulfstream R
Celebrity Warrior, December 28, Tampa Bay R
Killer Kitten, December 30, Gulfstream R
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.
Yates, July 3, Gulfstream
Sahara Storm, September 10, Gulfstream – “colitis, pneumonia”
Coracrevi Team, October 8, Gulfstream W – “colic”
Golden Diamond, November 20, Tampa Bay – “colitis, endotoxemia”
I’m heartbroken, outraged, and disgusted by all of these racehorse deaths as any person should be.
From west to east coast, on all track surfaces, racehorses are dying and that’s a fact.
Another recently released fact: the Maryland taxpayers will pay $120 MILLION dollars to restore Laurel Park not The Stronach Group (TSG) as regularly claimed.
Now Senator Nancy King, among other politicians, are suing TSG to block them from using this money for Laurel Park and want to take back control of Pimlico to keep the Preakness there.
If the government takes back control of Pimlico then the taxpayers of Maryland will be on the hook for $420 million for a facility that is empty for most of the year – do these politicians have a piece of their brain missing?
They often justify this by referring to the “tradition” of the Preakness and the “attachment” of the community to horse racing while people in the surrounding areas are living in neighborhoods equivalent to the slums of Calcutta.
What they should do is tear the track down and use the $420 million to build safe, affordable housing for Maryland residents and put up some playgrounds for the children or how about some daycare facilities?
When are the taxpayers and racehorses voices going to be heard over these politicians hell-bent on continuing with a dying business?
The time to END all financial subsidies, in whatever form, has come for this non-sustainable business even if you accept the immoral aspect of it: lots of racehorses being maimed, dumped, and killed for $2 bets it no longer makes economical sense to continue financially supporting it.
People we can do much better than this.
There are at least 2 horses missing on this list. Graham’s Way was euthanized on November 11th and Steelman Run on December 30th.
I already had Steelman on my 2018 Kill List (confirmed when it happened) but, tellingly, the FOIA document from Florida did not have him included – which just goes to show how slipshod some of these Commissions are.