Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at Santa Anita in 2018. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)
unidentified 2-year-old, July 14, Santa Anita T
“Left front limb: Avulsion fracture, lateral proximal sesamoid bone. Rupture, inter sesamoidean ligament and fibrocartilage. Rupture, cruciate ligaments. Marked fraying and extensive hemorrhages, suspensory ligament. Marked fraying, straight distal sesamoidean ligament. Extensive hemorrhages, superficial and deep digital flexor tendons. Focal cartilage erosion, proximal articular surface of P1 (chronic). Cartilage erosion, distal articular surface of metacarpus III (chronic). Right front limb: Focal cartilage erosion, proximal articular surface of P1 (chronic). Biaxial linear cartilage erosion, distal articular surface of metacarpus III (chronic).” (again, two years old)
unidentified 2-year-old, September 25, Santa Anita T (euthanized September 29)
“Severe exertional rhabdomyolysis on 9/25; condition deteriorated over next 72 hrs. including dysphagia, third eyelid prolapse, nystagmus, and respiratory distress. On 9/29, developed low grade fever and became severely agitated (possibly due to respiratory distress) followed by agonal breathing and subsequent euthanasia. Stomach: Multiple mucosal ulcers.” (again, two years old)
unidentified 3-year-old, October 9, Santa Anita T
“Complete, diaphyseal, displaced, closed, comminuted, non-articular humeral fracture. Complete transverse rupture of brachialis muscle. Partial transverse rupture of biceps muscle. Massive hemorrhage affecting soft tissue extending from the shoulder to the proximal antebrachium. Mild/initial stage of degenerative joint disease [both front limbs].” (again, three years old)
Beau Square, October 18, Santa Anita R
“Complete fractures of proximal sesamoid bones. Complete condylar fracture of the third metatarsal. Complete, severely comminuted fracture of the proximal phalanx. [Multiple] ligament ruptures. Evidence of chronic osteoarthritis…was present in all four fetlocks. The horse likely suffered from chronic tendonitis [which] could alter the gait in a way that the [other] limb had to compensate and bear more load, consequently leading to degenerative changes that progressed rapidly, resulting in catastrophic breakdown.” (Beau Square was four years old)
unidentified 2-year-old, October 25, Santa Anita T
“Complete, closed, comminuted, displaced, slab fracture of the third carpal bone. Reason for the fracture may be related to extensive sclerosis and focal porosity on the fracture surface of the third carpal bones. This would cause an area of weakness in the bones, consequently making it prone to fracture.” (again, two years old)
Tariq, October 26, Santa Anita T
“Sudden death. The multiple hemorrhages and congestion observed in multiple organs are very acute and consistent with acute cardiac failure cases. On the aboral portion of the tongue, there were two 0.5 in diameter ulcers. Within the stomach…11 multifocal to coalescing well-demarcated ulcers.” (Tariq was two years old)
unidentified 4-year-old, October 29, Santa Anita
“Anaphylactic shock.”
unidentified 2-year-old, November 28, Santa Anita T
“Severely comminuted, complete, displaced, biarticular fracture of proximal phalanx – fracture is lacking an intact strut of bone between the proximal and distal articular surfaces. The diaphysis…is highly comminuted, constituting fragments are uncountable. Proximal articular surface is divided into 4 major fragments. There is also incomplete fracture affecting the lateral condyle. Severe, full thickness cartilage loss; extensive hemorrhage; severe scoring; severe hemorrhage.”
unidentified 3-year-old, December 3, Santa Anita T (euthanized December 7)
“Horse worked 12/3; evaluated 12/7 for non-weight bearing lameness. Presumptive diagnosis – Fx left ilium/pelvis. Owner…requested euthanasia as unable to re-home the filly – according to trainer. Ran one time – 8/12/17, no works recorded till October 2018. The acute onset of the lameness described in the history was the clinical manifestation of progression of chronic changes…”
so disgusting to see these photos..such suffering on innocent creatures! I wish No One would watch or go to the Kentucky Derby today!!
I doubt it will stop soon, if ever. Tradition and money is everything to these people. But we can make more people aware. I hope there are protests at these races.
Joyce, we at Horseracing Wrongs are sponsoring multiple protests across the country today to stand in solidarity and be a voice for the thousands of racehorses that suffer and die for entertainment and gambling. There is also a Tweet Storm. All events are posted on our FB page and our advocacy website http://www.endhorseracing.com.
There raceing these horses way to young and u know that. There bones aren’t even developed yet. They can’t do endurance till 5 yrs old and raceing should be the same way.
These pics show the truth behind the breakdowns.
There is a sentient being, the racehorse, behind every single one of these pics who endured unimaginable extreme pain and suffering.
There’s also a bunch of people deliberately excluding their names, masking a potential pattern, and protecting these racehorse killers at all costs.
On these 2018 kill lists are the top “trainers” the ones who are being revered today with no mention of all the racehorses who have died under their brutality.
Then there’s the charitable donations today, the $1500 to $2500 mint juleps whose proceeds go to the up and coming journalists currently in university, then there are the donations to woman’s breast cancer, then donations to just about every human charity – all good causes, but all made on the bones, backs, and lives of non-consenting racehorses, and where is the money for the racehorses when they are done maiming them?
Little to nothing is given to them, not a drink, not a dime while most are sent to slaughter.
What a pathetic bunch of delusional imbeciles.
It is Trainer is resposable for the care of all horses and if he or she does not have a Vet to go over them or treat them then they are at falt. Also if the Trainer does not do right towards the horse that is what happens. Now a days Trainers of all sorts just treat these horses as a factories and the horses are the machines. Even in Standerd Breeds Racing.
Looking at these pictures I can’t even imagine the agony these poor horses suffered as their bones broke and shattered. So many lives literally destroyed for nothing but filthy money.