At Saratoga Race Course yesterday: “Golden Julia found distressed in stall; referred to Rood & Riddle, whereafter horse died from acute blood loss.” While the Gaming Commission filed (dismissed) this as a “non-racing death,” the two-year-old filly was coming off her first “workout” at a public racetrack (she had two others at a private facility) just five days prior. Direct correlation? Possibly, likely. Either way, this goes down as the first official death for Saratoga ’19 – with surely plenty to follow.
The May 14-May 19 Stewards Minutes from Los Alamitos declare: “One equine death was reported this week due to racing injuries.” As usual, no name released.
Then this from the Santa Anita stewards: “Jockey RUBEN FUENTES appeared in the Stewards Office to review his ride in the seventh race on May 12. Jockey Fuentes was aboard QUEEN BEE TO YOU, who finished second in this race. Jockey Fuentes used his riding crop seven consecutive times in the final 150 yards. Jockey Fuentes apologized and was candid stating the $100,000 purse may have changed his riding style in this race with regards to aggressiveness. Jockey Fuentes was fined earlier this month for a ‘Use of Riding Crop’ violation.”
For whacking his horse seven straight times – over twice the allowed – and for being a repeat abuser (just this month), Fuentes is to pay a mere $750 and will serve no suspension. On the other hand, he “apologized” and there was, after all, a whole lot of cash at stake. The ruse of Santa Anita’s (The Stronach Group’s, California Racing’s) “commitment to equine welfare” laid bare for all to see. Yet again.
Jerry Hollendorfer is responsible for 3-4 of the race horse fatalities at Santa Anita this year alone! Why are they still giving him stabling and taking his entries? They are encouraging him to kill horses and horse racing while he pockets his profits. Come on SANTA ANITA AND CHRB! DUMP THE TRAINERS WHO ARE KNOWN SERIAL KILLERS! NOW!
I was in this business for years as an Exercise Rider.
I’ve recently left because I can’t stand it anymore.
I can’t stand watching racehorses getting beaten every morning on the track during training when nobody is watching with no fines imposed.
I can’t make any more excuses for the sore, limping racehorses that I must get on every day to make a living.
Well, I’m no longer doing this because this business needs to shut down.
With little education and experience my road to work will be tough, but now that my daughter is older I can leave now, but I wanted to go a long time ago and I will never go back.
I’m now in a position to tell people without fear of repercussions which they do to the whistleblowers on tracks.
All tracks are bad, but the racehorses who have earned their money only to get dumped and abused for years in the claiming ranks is particularly heartbreaking to see.
They literally drain and suck every last cent out of them.
These people are monsters.
These people only care when they are bringing in a check.
Thank you for your disclosing your experience–& naming horse-racing for what it is: An abomination.
Salute you, Sue B.
Every jockey, trainer, backstretch worker, owner, involved in this industry knows it iscruel, abusive and often deadly to horses.
They are all guilty.
I’d like to take all the whips and use them on the jockeys, trainers, and owners…and then throw them away, to never be seen again. There are many things wrong with horse racing, but the use/abuse of the damn whips are in the top three. The fact that they continue to use them, and pay very little fine if they exceed the allowed amount. A slap on the wrist is all, and no one seems to care.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
To Sue B – you are a obviously a very caring person with much baggage from your days involved in the horse racing. Hopefully people that matter and care will listen to your statements and do something about this horrible situation at all of the race tracks.
OMG I just can’t believe some of these stories that are told it is absolutely heartbreaking to know how much abuse is placed on these poor horses.
So here is a 2 year old filly that dies of acute blood loss – yeah I am sure that is a normal situation – for God sakes who are these people that are doing nothing about all of this bullshit and these god damn stupid excuses. No normal horse dies of blood loss from one training time on a track unless something horrendous happened to her and obviously something did. This is so abusive and unnecessary. Again she was only 2 years old why in the hell is she even under saddle at that age – more bullshit.
All for the sake of the god damn dollar and no caring about the animals.
For this asshole jockey Fuentes – he should have already been barred from horse racing – there is no excuse for that kind of whip session to any horse and you know what, the rest of us don’t give a shit about your prize purse we care about the horses – you obviously don’t give a shit and you should be off the track along with the trainers and owners you are working for as you are all just losers.
All of these tracks need to be closed there is far too much animal abuse and deaths going on with all of them and we need to be the voice for these poor horses. Stop the racing once and for all – just end it and send all of these bastards home and forget about this so called god damn sport – that it definitely is not!!!
The corruption is deep.
Many politicians, mostly Reps, seem to receive huge infusions of cash from this industry to turn a blind eye and to keep it going.
Almost everything about this business (not a sport) is nefarious.
Don’t believe their figures, their lies, their cover-ups, their delusions because it all leads to one fact: racehorses are dying and they are the biggest victims in this criminal enterprise.
There are no changes that will eliminate the massive suffering, maiming, dumping and dying.
It’s been going on for years.
Horse racing is ruining our communities and traumatizing our children.
It’s filling orders for the slaughterhouse floor.
It’s using precious water resources (about 10,000 gallons of water to water the track once) while restricting water use on California residents.
It’s a huge contributor to methane gas for an unnecessary venue.
Collectively, this business has never been held accountable for their unscrupulous environmental impact.
Our planet can’t afford horse racing and the poor racehorses are dying for these blood sucking human parasites.
This is not family “entertainment” nor is it a “sport” – it’s an antiquated public gladiator-style death ring.
It’s a public butcher show and it’s got to go.
.
Maybe if there were harsher punishments, some things would change!
Punish the cheaters the abusers and especially the ones who abandon an animal when it is no longer useful. Put those heinous humans in jail with the rapists and murderers and see how they like real abuse!!
This is absolutely appalling. I thought horse racing wastheSport of Kings. What a big lie. Cruel and heartless.