A closer look at some of the horses killed by the U.S. Racing industry in 2018.
Prime Number broke both sesamoids and tore his suspensories at Presque Isle May 14. He was ten years old the day he was killed, and this was his 62nd time under the whip. In his final eight races – all cheap claiming, meaning he was “For Sale” each time out – he never once finished above 5th and averaged almost 14 lengths back.
Glitter n’ Jazz’s final three races, all cheap claiming: three dead-lasts, a combined 44 lengths back. Ten days after his last, he was dead from an infected tendon sheath.
Royal Pass “collapsed and died” at Laurel June 24. He was two years old. What’s more, in his only other race, the previous month at Pimlico, he was a “pulled up/DNF.”
Archie’s Revenge was killed – snapped ankle – at Laurel July 22. The three races immediately preceding that one: “DNF”; last, 13 lengths back; last, 24 lengths back.
Passel died training at Monmouth July 24 – “severe displaced fracture.” In five total “career” races, she never once finished above 7th and averaged 33 lengths back.
Star Quest was “pulled up right out of the gate” at Arlington July 22. She was then “vanned” to the barn. Next note: “found dead in [her] stall” the following morning. The Racing Board’s best guess: “pelvic fractures [plural] and hemorrhage.” Imagine this poor animal’s pain and suffering – and the terror of dying all alone.
Half Ready “broke down breezing” at Arlington August 4. The Racing Board says that his “suspensory apparatus failed” at the spot of a “previous surgery [that included] screws.” Half Ready was three years old and coming off a nine-month layoff, presumably because of the aforementioned screws.
Heartbreaking – so sorry for all of the above aforementioned racehorses and all the others who die for this vile business.
As stated, their PP’s clearly showed a racehorse who was barely making it through their race, and sometimes not even finishing the race – AKA DNF, but this doesn’t matter to these morally bankrupt people who continue to send them out there for another round of abuse, with some subsequently dying.
STAR QUEST was locked into her stall, with probably no medical care, and left there to die, but she would have suffered greatly with the injuries described.
They sentenced her to death – these people are lower than an amoeba.
The horse racing industry likes people to think that every racehorse death can be attributed to the “bad step” theory, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Of course the “bad step” places the blame on the racehorses and detracts attention away from what really causes most of the breakdowns such as continually doping chronic issues to keep sending them out there.
Then, they hide the medical records and don’t even provide them for the sake of the horse.
This is no different than handing a drunk driver the keys to kill some more, just as they hand these racehorses killers a “trainers” license to kill every single year and even permit the continued implementation of the procedures that are known to lead to their death.
Not only is this egregious, but the fact that they protect these racehorse killers, even revere them, clearly proves that this industry facilitates the massive pain, suffering and dying of racehorses.
It can’t shut down soon enough for the horses.