Total Fidelity, a 2-year-old being prepped for her first race, was killed at Saratoga yesterday morning. Officially (Gaming Commission): “suffered fracture to LF sesamoids during training. Euthanized.”
As I’ve previously written, NYRA’s “safer racing” is a lie. Let’s just look at sacrosanct Saratoga, the crown jewel of NY racing and one of the most celebrated tracks in the world: From 2009-2012, 51 horses died at Saratoga, 12.75 per summer. From 2013 – when the “Task Force’s” reforms and safety measures were implemented – through 2018, 87 dead, or 14.5 per. That’s an almost 15% increase. And here we are, not even a full week into the 2019 season, at five dead horses. At some point, the people walking through those turnstiles (and past our protesters handing out fact-laden leaflets) must come to a moral reckoning – no patrons/bettors, no races; no races, no kills.
Golden Julia, May 25, Saratoga T (died May 30) – “horse died from acute blood loss”
Investment Analyst, Jun 7, Saratoga T – “sustained leg injury necessitating euthanasia”
Gattino Marrone, Jul 3, Saratoga T – “fractured sesamoids – euthanized”
Fight Night, Jul 12, Saratoga R – “suffered a catastrophic fracture”
Total Fidelity, Jul 14, Saratoga T – “suffered fracture to sesamoids – euthanized”
The barbaric steeplechase is run there every year also bringing more casualties.
Another set of facts and clear evidence that their public release statements claiming “safer tracks,” are all lies.
They all matter, but it was particularly heartbreaking for me when I read the most recent statement about GOLDEN JULIA – “horse died from acute blood loss.”
This statement could mean a whole lot of things, but no details are given and of course we will never know.
That said, Golden Julia was bred in opulence, Barbara Bank’e multi-million dollar Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, KY. It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter.
Her broodmare, DREAMING OF JULIA, was trained by multi-dope violator “trainer” Todd Pletcher who has previous racehorses owned by Ms. Banke drop in the dirt (ROCK HARD broke BOTH front legs), and was euthanized on the spot. It’s kind of hard for a racehorse to walk on stubs – knee joints while both lower legs are dangling.
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/breeders-cup/g1-winner-rock-fall-suffers-fatal-injury-in-keeneland-work/
Anyways, it seems reasonable to assume, especially given the fact that her trainer was Todd Pletcher, that she was given a steady cocktail of “medication” and/or shock wave therapy on the way to making $874,500.
Of course we will never know because they keep their medical/doping records secret.
I’ve commented on previous posts that it’s very possible that the regular doping of fillies/mares during racing and/or breeding is negatively affecting foal crops although no studies have been conducted.
A small owner that I used to talk to in Kentucky told me that he sent 2 racehorses to Todd Pletcher and he was shocked by the amount of dope that he used.
He said both of his horses were regularly given Lasix and tranquilizers during training or something almost every single day.
He categorized Todd Pletcher as a pharmaceutical sales person not a “trainer,” and pulled both of his horses from him when one broke down.
Now if you don’t believe this than just look at the doping record of Coronado Heights.
So if somebody truly cared about their horse than they wouldn’t send it into this business or to a trainer who is regularly doping them with an extensive record of racehorses dropping dead under their legal care, custody, and control.
Shame on Ms. Banke and I don’t care how good her wine is because I will NEVER drink it knowing that it supports the ongoing cruelty, maiming, and dying of racehorses in some capacity.
Fake news
I let this one go to illustrate the idiocy we’re up against.
Thank you, Patrick, for allowing this fool’s comment to stand. The idiocy of the pro-racing folks never ceases to amaze me!
Over 4 decades I took about 100 horses home from the track. Most were damaged. I loved helping them and finding a better place in this world for them. Many were so injured emotionally that no matter how much time and effort I put in, it was beyond my capability to make things better for them.
Thank you Patrick for all that you are doing.
Thank you for sharing, Lois.
This needs to stop. These beautiful sweetheart horses didnot ask to be born to these nasty greedy heartless bastards! Who care nothing about these horses. That are too young for all this hard work breaking their legs down. Filling them full of dope and running them anyway. Still poor sweet horses with broken legs it doesn’t end here. Dope them up enough to keep suffering to haul them with broken limbs and to the slaughter house where they are suffering further being hit over the head with a lead pipe slitting their throat and there air bubbles in their blood. Cause they are still breathing! These horses have done nothing to deserve this treatment. The meat is TAINTED.! All of this is unnecessary brutal treatment!
Barbaric and cruel
RIP, poor filly. You were born as a disposable gambling object and died as such. How many months were you able to eat grass in a pasture and frolic as the baby you were?
Now this disgusting fact: Racing will continue to proclaim that 2-year-old racing is great for horses like you because it builds strong bone. They brag that more horses die of catastrophic injuries at older ages than as 2-year-olds — interesting that THEY mention the deaths so nonchalantly — but you, my sweet filly, will NOT BE COUNTED BY RACING AS A DEAD 2-year-old because you never officially raced at 2. That’s how you manipulate statistics. Uncounted remains every baby 18 months to 2 that was in training to race but suffered injury and their “career” as a potential gambling object was over due to injury or death. The horrific attrition of these youngsters remains hidden except for us at Horseracing Wrongs.
Where are the other major animal welfare organizations? Oh, they are not commenting or counting because they are trying to get legislation passed that will eventually permit racing to police itself! For shame!!