And yet another. The Gaming Commission has disclosed the death of 3-year-old Overlord at Rood and Riddle Hospital, by way of Saratoga Race Course, yesterday: “developed post-op GI complications (colonic rupture)…subsequently euthanized.” He is the sixth casualty of the young Saratoga meet. For those who might object to that characterization, I give you a historical parallel.
It is fairly well known that roughly 620,000 soldiers died during the Civil War. But what most don’t realize is that roughly two-thirds of those soldiers died of disease. With that knowledge, when have you ever heard someone try to make the case that those deaths were in any way less significant, or more to the point, could somehow be disassociated from the war itself? Doesn’t happen – nor, obviously, should it. Clearly, then, time, place, circumstances, and context matter.
Similarly, every death in the horseracing industry is by the horseracing industry – every one, whether it comes via snapped leg, ruptured ligament, cardiac collapse, pulmonary hemorrhage, or “colonic rupture.” And that’s that.
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”
Overlord, Jul 15, Saratoga – “colonic rupture – euthanized”
Yet another victim of racehorse killer “trainer” Gary Contessa.
Almost all trainers who have a racehorse drop in the dirt and die all have a record of racehorses dying under their care, custody, and control over the years.
These low life human parasites go out and do it all over again.
Parasites have more compassion than these people because for a person to watch a racehorse drop in the dirt and not walk away, even continue to participate in this blood bath – you would have to be emotionally void, retarded, and demented.
I think that a full explanation should be given, most particularly about Golden Julia. “Acute blood loss”? How is that even possible? Was she purposely cut? I mean, I suppose if these people are sick enough to shove ping pong balls into their horses’ nostrils to suffocate them (and then come back when the horse has dropped dead and remove them) then they are sick enough to slice a horse open and let them bleed to death. Where are the animal groups demanding an explanation? Oh, I forgot……horse racing isn’t abuse.
Yes, Rebecca I wondered about the death of Golden Julia from “acute blood Loss”. That is a lot of bleeding.
What caused this huge blood loss and where did it occour?
As usual, there is no accountability in this brutal sick business because no one demands it.
She breezed at Saratoga on 5/25/2019, 2 months following her 2nd birthday, the same day she bled to death!! But since she never raced, no owner or trainer is listed. She was not sold at auction according to the record.
What really happened to this very well bred filly ??
I was particularly stricken and heartbroken over GOLDEN JULIA.
There should be a full investigation into what happened and the NYRA commission should publish it on site.
Nevertheless, there are multiple sources and justified rational that GJ belonged to Ms. Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farms since it was bred by her.
Furthermore, GJ’s broodmare was raced, is owned, and is bred by Ms. Banke.
Sources also are saying that the horse was sent to infamous trainer Todd Pletcher who had another horse snap BOTH legs-off ROCK FALL at Keeelend breezing for the B.C. a couple of years back.
Rock Fall was also owned by Ms. Banke.
Since Ms. Banke is a very influential owner/breeder, millions behind her, sits on the Keeneland Board you can bet, with almost 100% certainty, that there will be no investigation or one that will lead to nowhere.
Even the Bloodhorse was silent about this high profile filly, but it’s also all the apologists who are so vocal and put so much energy into defending these deaths – ALL go SILENT when their racehorses drop dead.
Ms. Banke’s Twitter feed did announce the death of ROCK FALL very briefly only because it was all over pro-horse racing sites, but this death isn’t and there’s no comment for yet another racehorse who died.
This lady is smart, she’s an attorney, but how smart is somebody who continues to support an industry that kills her racehorses??
Whatever is behind this it stinks and it’s very hard to comprehend, after all my years in this business, a filly dropping dead from acute blood loss?
Equine insurance policy most likely in place.
I’m appealing to anybody who can please come forward and confirm or correct anything I’ve stated here.
This did not occur in a vacuum. More than one person knows what really happened to Golden Julia. But as usual, the code of silence and intimidation works well in this business at every level.
Rose – so true – the code of silence.
When a racehorse dies the focus is usually the trainer, as it should be, but the owner is an equal partner.
Most owners, like their trainers whom they choose to send their horse to, have a “win at any cost” approach.
Let’s be clear most all owners know damn well that their racehorse is being turned into a pin cushion to win.
Whether it’s continuous doping and/or shock wave therapy they are all enablers of this abuse and they even PAY FOR IT because owners pay the doping/vet bill so to claim ignorance is bullshit.
I would bet my bottom dollar that the doping/vet records would show a filly who was a walking drug store upon her death and the fact that she died from “acute blood loss” is so horrific that I can’t imagine what happened to her because I’ve never heard of such a thing.
I would even go so far to say that she was a doping “experiment” a “guinea pig” that they were using a new untried dope to see if it would increase competitive gain – we will never know unless they release the doping records.
Furthermore, their “investigation” should include all dope leading up to this poor fillies death so that other racehorses aren’t exposed to it and die.
This business just doesn’t give a damn and they show this time and time again as in this case.
Ms. Banke already had ROCK FALL die under Todd Pletcher so to turn around and, supposedly send GOLDEN JULIA to him is insanity.
First of all, most people would get out of a business that kills their racehorse, but for a die-hard apologist like Ms. Banke they turn around and send yet another horse to him – supposedly G.J!
What’s the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.
These poor racehorses, rich or poor, high stakes or claiming level, are being maimed and killed every day.
This is a horror show and it needs to stop.
I will continue to be a voice for all racehorses, like Golden Julia and Rock Fall, who was bred into servitude only to become a public butcher show and blood bath.
Golden Julia – I’m so sorry for you.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Sorry Patrick, ye gads, I was posting to another site. But I need to say, you are creating an army. So honored to know you and watch your message be carried. When I share HRW facts, it never fails, someone or more respond, “Can this really go on?” So every post, every share, every fact helps. See you at a protest.
Thank you, Val.
This is horrible, something needs to be done
to prevent this.
I hope their not running this weekend with the
Temperatures up in the 90’s, this is certain death for these horses, animal cruelty.
With all the horses on Lasix and God knows what else, there will be deaths from heat stroke. This is abuse – no healthy horse should die from heat stroke, whether they are being worked or not (my Arab doesn’t even break a sweat at 95 degrees) but then again I’m not force feeding him drugs or denying him water just so he will run fast enough to add a few more dollars to my pocket.
This “happens” because you have a bunch of crooked, ignorant, no conscience thugs, training,
abusing, feeding and medicating these horses. The only “education” these hacks have is “on the job”——one seedy trainer to another. The only way
an insurance company pays, is if the horse is dead.
NYRA is as guilty of the murders as the trainers and owners; they are complicit in these murders. We are
not a civilized society. End horse racing!
How many more have to die ~ For greed? #justiceforthehundred stands with HRW, we will bring as many warriors as possible for Sunday’s protest at Saratoga …
Thank you so much, Marianne.