Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at that state’s tracks in 2018. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)
Califo Cat, June 1, Golden Gate R
“Severe soft tissue damage, rupture of ligaments and tendons, right foreleg fetlock region, with eroded/ulcerated articular surfaces of bones. Both limbs and the right side more extensively, had degenerative changes with surface damage as well, which may have played a role in the formation of the observed breakdown.”
unidentified 5-year-old, June 2, San Luis Rey Downs T
“Horse went down while being walked after working on track. Became agonal quickly and died within minutes. Cause of death, hypovolemic chock with abundant frank blood and blood clots [in] abdominal cavity [and] extensive hemorrhage [in] abdominal wall. Chronic changes of the right forelimb: roughly triangular 1.5 cm long x 1 cm deep slab held in place by a screw; lipping and deep ulceration of articular cartilage and erosion of the articular surface. Chronic changes of the left forelimb: pitting and linear erosion of articular cartilage. Stomach: Chronic erosions/ulcers, multiple. Horse has been gone from racing since Sept 2016.” (again, five years old)
unidentified 3-year-old, June 3, Golden Gate T
“This horse sustained a complete fracture of the medial and lateral proximal sesamoid bones in the right front fetlock, which was accompanied with rupture of tendons and marked bruising and edema of the subcutaneous tissues.”
unidentified 8-year-old, June 3, Golden Gate T
“Condylar fracture multiple pieces; history of sheath sever[e] synovitis, was lanced and drained four weeks ago. An approximately .6 cm long displaced bone fragment was between the sagittal ridge fragment and medial condyle. There were small fragments of bone pieces scattered throughout. There was marked hemorrhage and edema of the subcutaneous and soft tissues. There was acute, complete rupture of the lateral branch of the suspensory ligament.”
unidentified 2-year-old, June 16, Golden Gate T
“Comminuted fractures of the diaphysis with approximately 10 major fragments. The skin is lacerated with bony fragments extending through.”
unidentified 2-year-old, June 16, Los Alamitos T
“Acute comminuted fracture of the neck. A (chronic) callus located at the distal end of the spine of the scapula was likely the predisposing lesion.” (again, two years old)
Phantom Flyer, June 27, Golden Gate T
“Complete, comminuted fracture of the metatarsal. Abundant soft tissue hemorrhage surrounds all portions of the fracture.”
unidentified 2-year-old, July 27, Los Alamitos T
“Complete, comminuted, displaced, open fracture of medial proximal sesamoid bone. Displaced fracture of lateral proximal sesamoid bone Hemorrhage and fraying of medial and lateral branches of suspensory ligament. Rupture of fetlock collateral ligaments. Rupture of collateral sesamoidean ligaments.”
Skidazzle, July 29, Golden Gate T
“Fetlock crush injury: Comminuted fracture of both proximal sesamoid bones. Bilateral, apical proximal sesamoid bone fractures into 2-3 fragments with ligament rupture. Severe hemorrhaging, lateral suspensory branch fraying and partial tear, lateral collateral ligament fraying. Focally extensive ulceration of the stomach.”
Unusual Kiddy, July 29, Los Alamitos R
“Fell leaving gate paralyzed: Comminuted fracture of the lumbar spine, with extensive hemorrhages in the adjacent musculature and connective tissue.”
PETA is ill informed when it comes to helping the young horses used for racing. They are plainly taking advantage of the 23 fatalities by piggy-backing onto the publicity in order to promote PETA. Hence, they are failing miserably at influencing changes which will be of any real help to the “survivors” of the race horse holocaust. Those valient young horses still in training at race tracks across America warrent informed, humane intervention NOW in May 2019-not next month in June or in 2020. CHRB’S multi-million dollar study/autopsies (See CHRB/UC DAVIS Post Mortem Study Reports 1990-2017) of over 6000 fatally injured race horses clearly establishes grounds for limiting the number of furlongs horses are allowed to work-out and race within any consecutive 8 week period. Horse’s lives are being wasted by media and the Public focusing on drug reform, vet reform and whips when Trainer Reform must become the most urgent and immediate issue. For the sake of the young horses still living inside CHRB controlled facilities as well as for the sake of the Horse Racing Industry I beg all of you who care about either the horses or the Sport – begin speaking with URGENCY to the issue of Trainer Reform regarding their standards and practices of horse management.
No reform, no compromise. Horseracing is wrong from the start.
Thank you for exposing this! OUTRAGEOUS! Obviously racing them too young and too hard, and I don’t think they should be raced at all anymore, the whole business is too corrupt, too much drugging of horses, it is CRIMINAL to race these horses with such injuries!
The secret doping/vet records would reveal exactly what these racehorses are going through.
There’s a reason why they fight hard to keep them secret.
This is the smoking gun and although Lasix is not the only cause it sure as hell contributes to their demise.
Everything they do to them, collectively, is a road to disaster.
Should they somehow survive these human blood sucking parasites then they usually end up on the slaughterhouse floor.
This is horse racing, and this is why we should only vote in the politicians who will commit to end financing it.
The Two need are responsible for the care and wellbeing of the horses as the Grooms. The Grooms are to let the Trai we know if there is a problem and the Trainer is to get a Vet to help out or stop with the horse. If I was an owner I would be very mad at the Trai we and find a better one that would take proper care of my horses. These Trai ers tho k that these horses are machines and they are more of an athlete. Coatches take care of their athlete’s Trainers need to take better care of the horses. Or lose them.