The 8th today at Santa Anita, as relayed by the Equibase chartwriter: “Emtech broke slowly, stalked a bit off the rail, was between horses in upper stretch, took a bad step and suffered a catastrophic injury in front and fell nearing the eighth pole and was vanned off.” In fact, I have confirmed (CHRB), Emtech is dead. He was three years old.
There are no more excuses. If you were there today, if you continue to support this vile industry, you are complicit in this and every death going forward. Full stop.
Santa Anita’s 37 dead racehorses thus far this year:
Tank Team, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 4, 2019
Unusual Angel, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 4, 2019
Secret Street, killed training at Santa Anita Jan 8, 2019
Derby Treasure, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 11, 2019
Henry, dead at Santa Anita January 14, 2019
Noise Mandate, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 18, 2019
Amboseli, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 20, 2019
Like Really Smart, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 21, 2019
Last Promise Kept, killed racing at Santa Anita Jan 21, 2019
Ponchito, dead at Santa Anita January 22, 2019
Dancing Harbor, killed training at Santa Anita Jan 23, 2019
Spitfire, killed training at Santa Anita Jan 25, 2019
Mongolian Hunter, dead at Santa Anita January 28, 2019
Kid Cantina, killed racing at Santa Anita Feb 2, 2019
Comegowithme, killed racing at Santa Anita Feb 3, 2019
Jager Time, killed training at Santa Anita Feb 17, 2019
Unusual Rider, killed training at Santa Anita Feb 18, 2019
Hot American, killed racing at Santa Anita Feb 22, 2019
Battle of Midway, killed training at Santa Anita Feb 23, 2019
Just Forget It, killed training at Santa Anita Feb 23, 2019
Charmer John, killed training at Santa Anita Feb 24, 2019
Eskenforadrink, killed racing at Santa Anita Mar 2, 2019
Cooney, dead at Santa Anita March 4, 2019
Lets Light the Way, killed training at Santa Anita Mar 5, 2019
Princess Lili B, killed training at Santa Anita Mar 14, 2019
Arms Runner, killed racing at Santa Anita Mar 31, 2019
Rolling Shadow, dead at Santa Anita April 4, 2019
Commander Coil, killed training at Santa Anita May 17, 2019
Spectacular Music, killed racing at Santa Anita May 19, 2019
Kochees, killed racing at Santa Anita May 25, 2019
Current Times, dead at Santa Anita May 27, 2019
Derby River, killed training at Santa Anita June 5, 2019
Formal Dude, killed racing at Santa Anita June 8, 2019
Truffalino, killed racing at Santa Anita June 9, 2019
American Currency, killed training at Santa Anita June 22, 2019
Zeke, killed training at Santa Anita September 16, 2019
Emtech, killed racing at Santa Anita September 28, 2019
The legs of Boom Boom Bango, who was killed at Santa Anita in March 2018
This has hit the news already and they are not mincing the numbers killed so far at that venue NOR the details of the poor horses. Injury
.
Another horse dead – when will it stop? Every death should spell the end of horse racing but it just keeps going, destroying horses without remorse or excuse. Even with the media coverage and increased public scrutiny this vile death machine survives to kill another day, and those disgusting bastards defend the carnage. I want PETA and HSUS and the rest of the sackless animal welfare groups to watch this horse’s death and tell me why racing isn’t abuse and why these horses aren’t deserving of protection and liberation.
I still don’t understand PETA. They are vehemently opposed to using animals for virtually every other kind of supposed entertainment but insist racing can be safe. Crazy.
I hate to be cynical, but you find most answers when you follow the money. I hope I’m wrong in this case!
It IS crazy. They’re are crazy! I’ve written PETA twice on this very subject. Their reply was a mass produced form letter with boilerplate language that DID NOT address my question, so I wrote again. Rec’vd the EXACT same form letter as before. Clearly no one had actually read either letter I’d written. When it comes to Horseracing, PETA is hypocritical, and that day, I gave up trying to find out why or how. The fact is they’re complicit! Sad, but true.
Rebecca. This is not news in the best interest for that venue. After the screen went up people were leaving and men holding their wives shoulders as in comfort because of it. The news waves already are giving the numbers and Specific details about the poor horse. It will not be taken lightly and you remember earlier this year when there was major coverage about the number of fatalities
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Apparently fractured both front legs. That’s just not a thing that happens to horses. Except, of course, in racing. I’m sure it will be an unfortunate but inevitable accident.
I’ve seen comments on sites that’ are now saying there was a training death yesterday at Santa Anita also. May these deaths not be in vain and huge progress will be made!
The usual, creepy response to their latest disaster from the Death Track Crisis Management Team:
“We take horse safety very seri…blah, blah, blah. Condolences to (*insert random, soulless racing asshole here*) blah, blah…Thorough necropsy and investigation as to how this POSSIBLY COULD HAVE HAPPENED?! (even though it literally happened recently MORE THAN THIRTY OTHER TIMES at this very ‘*GREAT RACE!*” place)…blah, blah, blah.”
Shut up and go away with your pathetic corporate-speak, Santa Anita. You’re DONE.
I’ll tell you what these people in this shady business are Shit for Brains. The killing is never going to stop.
You’re right Bonnie, the killing won’t stop, but the vile death industry (so-called “sport”) of Horseracing will–LETS KEEP AT IT!
Oh my gosh when will the killing stop. Is anyone who has the influence to end it reading or listening? Shameful senseless deaths.
I have now read that this poor horse, at one point, had a voided claim because he was deemed unsound. He subsequently failed a workout to be taken off the vets list. A few races later, and here we are. But yet pro racing people are ranting about the damn track surface. Here is proof. They were running a known sore, crippled horse. The definition of insanity…
“subsequently failed a workout to be taken of the Vets list…” I don’t understand–how does that work? Thank you Peggy.
The horse is not allowed to race because he’s been placed on the vet list due to unsoundness. He has to prove, in a workout, that he is sound in order to be removed from the list and be allowed to race. Apparently, the vet did not deem him sound in the workout.
Thank you.
This one example alone clearly proves that there are no changes (employing 7 vets to mitigate/prevent deaths) that will stop the killing and that’s why it needs to shut down now.
EMTECH was started as a baby – 2 years old long before his muscoskeletal system was developed.
Yet another common practice repeated by this business over and over again that is obviously a contributing factor to their deaths.
Something happened to Emtech that required a 9 month lay-off from 10/6/2018 to 7/6/2019, but we will never know because the doping/vet records are kept secret.
It had to be rather serious for him to rest this long.
So here’s the 7 vets who are supposed to be looking at these PP’s to flag potential issues, but permitted this racehorse to continue racing with this factor on his record.
So it seems to me, like everything else in horse racing, that these 7 vets were employed by Ms. Belinda Stronach as yet another ruse, public wallpaper to placate those who get upset when a racehorse snaps its legs-off and dies.
Most all changes in horse racing, rules and regulations are there to protect the billions in wagering profits NOT the racehorses and this example clearly confirms this.
This business REQUIRES abusive business practices to force these sore racehorses to run (doping, beating/whipping, intense confinement etc.), to fill races, and subsequently the wagering coffers.
What ever happened to Bill SB 469?
Buried in the manure piles with the board of CHRB apologists – that’s where.
Just another piece of public wallpaper that empowered the CHRB instead of empowering their voiceless victims.
How many more deaths? How many more people?
True. Spot on Gina.
“As is protocol at Santa Anita, we will open an immediate review into what factors could have contributed to Emtech’s injury,” Stronach Group Chief Veterinarian Dr. Dionne Benson said. “Santa Anita will work closely with the California Horse Racing Board and will continue to brief our stakeholders and all of our constituents, including the public, as more facts come in.”
Kind of late for that don’t you think Dr. Dionne Benson?
Your pay checks will keep coming in won’t they?
Oh yes, don’t forget to work with all the apologists on the CHRB who wan’t nothing more than to keep this freak show going so that their own investments will stay alive.
A 9 month lay-off and this wasn’t a red flag??
Are you fucking kidding me?
Release the doping/vet records of EMTECH you racehorse abusers – every single one of you, but what does it matter because this example alone puts this vile business and the vile people in it on display yet again.
It’s long overdue to put this horrific business away in the manure pile where it belongs,
I watched this race on NBCsports station yesterday as this horrific fall of ‘EMTECH’ happened in slow motion, the horror, pain and blood shed for this beautiful animal made me sit there and cry for the loss of another majestic horse to the greedy scumbags who sit back and enjoy this vile business! Let us keep up the pressure to close these tracks down as EMTECH’s tragic death puts another nail in their coming demise.
A report regarding the statement from Dr. Dana Stead; “Emtech had two broken front legs and [Stead] made the decision to euthanize the colt on the track.”
So what OTHER decision could have been made, Dr. Stead? – the three-year-old dark bay baby couldn’t even get himself UPRIGHT much less walk!!
Unbelievable….
(I have a photo of Emtech on my FB post about his horrific death. As they all are – to us, at least – he was a beautiful baby. RIP, Emtech – your tragic existence and brutal treatment are over…you mattered to us.)
Emtech was UNSOUND after his FIRST race as a two-year-old…then he failed a work-out and was unable to be taken off the vet’s list. YET! – the new “safety measures” in place at Santa Anita allowed him to race and he breaks both front legs?!? – racing industry, you CANNOT STOP THE KILLING.
Joy, Dear God we cannot let these Angels deaths be in vain.These evil monsters just want to keep drawing a paycheck and lining their pockets.I’ve said this so many times over and I’ll keep saying it ….Get your Lazy Ass a real job,and quit using animals as props and “entertainment “ these people just don’t want to work a real job…like dealing with people. This CARNAGE Must Stop…period,end of story.
And what do the racing apologists have to say about what happened? There should be an INDEPENDENT investigation into EVERY horse currently in training or actively racing and the results should be publicly released. Then that multi billion dollar industry should have to pay for the re-homing and rehabilitation, including any and every surgery required to repair the damage they’ve caused from “loving these horses like family”.
And to those people who witnessed the utter destruction of that beautiful colt, I hope you got your money’s worth. Were you shocked? Horrified? Sickened? Well, HE’S DEAD!!!! And you were every bit as responsible as the heartless pieces of shit that sent him out there knowing exactly what would happen.
Easy. They’ll wring their hands over the unfortunate accident but it happens to all horses. 3 year olds romping in a paddock always fracture both fronts legs so it’s not because of racing.
Several years ago I spoke to an official at Gulfstream about the overworking of a filly, Jill’s Reflection. The filly had already started 46 times when she had barely turned 3. His answer was that while it was a lot of starts it was NOT UNUSUAL. He added, racing leaves these decisions up to the trainers/owners. I was stunned at his matter of fact attitude and his obvious lack of concern.
NOTHING has changed and nothing will change when it comes to preventing horse abuse. The most basic rules to prevent horse abuse would have the potential to impact the profits in this business. So, running sore horses, unsound horses, overworking horses, drugging horses and more, will continue as long as racing continues. It is part of the business model geared to helping profits. The fact that it facilitates abuse and kills horses is incidental.
The ONLY way to prevent horse abuse and horse deaths in racing is to shut it down. PERIOD.
Correction: Should read by the time she turned 4.
Rose,your experience struck a cord with me,I had MANY of the same experiences.That’s why I’ve been trying to tell people…These Abusers do not care.You call them with your concerns and their callousness comes through on the phone. These people do not care,I know this as Fact,through experience.They don’t want to be bothered.It’s just all about lining their pockets. At least I can look myself in the mirror and Know I Tried.
Yes, we need to shut down horse racing, meanwhile I will continue to forward your postings to Facebook, in hopes that people, someday, will stop gambling. These sob’s are in it for money, only, and they don’t care how many of these beautiful, intelligent animals they kill. They are evil……
Disgusting. They first need to stop racing them so young the greedy owners, and until they really know what’s wrong, stop racing.
What is wrong is horse racing.
Folks, PLEASE phone or email the District Attorney Jackie Lacey and request that the investigation into the multiple deaths at Santa Anita be released.
http://da.co.la.ca.us/
There’s an email form and at least it’s doing something.
It’s circulating around social media that the investigation is complete, but it’s so damning on the horse racing industry they are delaying releasing it.
Evidently, they are deliberately delaying the release prior to the Breeders Cup because the evidence will probably show just how doped up and abused these racehorses are leading up to their deaths.
That said, this taxpayer funded investigation belongs to the people not to the horse racing business.
Another thing that has gone completely silent is the investigation into Bob Baffert’s racehorse Justify.
BILLIONS was wagered across state lines on a false pretense, and a subsequent 60 million dollar sale for stud and NOTHING has come out of this – at least not for now.
What in the hell is going on?
Incidentally, one of the owners of Justify WinStar Farm are the same owners of BATTLE OF MIDWAY who was a multiple stakes winner of over 1.5 million, sent to stud, and then returned to horse racing when he wasn’t successfully impregnating at a rate to pay his way.
This is after he made 1.5 million and they didn’t want him sitting in the stall costing him money it seems so they risked his life (with probably pre-existing conditions) and sent him to the track to die.
An employee at WinStar (who wants to remain anonymous) has claimed on social media that a huge equine insurance payout was imminent after he died on the track.
He was trained by multiple racehorse killer Jerry Hollendorfer who is repeatedly protected by this business like all the others.
The horse racing business continues to get away with murder and business practices that would cause any other business in this country to be immediately sued and/or shut down.
In the midst of all of this chaos is their voiceless victims, the racehorses, and that’s who I will continue to be a voice for in any capacity I can.
I emailed a request, hopefully if enough of us draw attention to this we can get some sort of results, not just the usual “investigation, blah blah, track conditions, blah blah” from the racing industry’s lap dogs.
Exactly, Rebecca! Here’s my statement:
To LA County D.A.’s Office investigators:
I understand the long-overdue investigation/necropsies of many of the poor, dead horses at SADT (Santa Anita Death Track) is complete. Is there a reason that the results of said investigation are not being made public?
Look, we all know those involved in this sleazy business can and will commit every conceivable crime against their horses in the hope of getting an edge, and thus procuring more blood money. We also realize that SADT’s fatality numbers weren’t even particularly high when your investigation was launched in April, 2019. All tracks pile up dead thoroughbreds each and every year. But, thanks to SADT’s (typical) latest, carnage-fueled season, it’s finally becoming clear to the horrified public that these deaths are ABSOLUTELY the result of animal ABUSE. There’s been many suggestions on both sides of the pro- and anti- horse racing argument that your office is withholding release of the results of this investigation for political reasons. I hope this is not true, as WHEN (not if) the next SADT fatal breakdown occurs, it would be downright shameful toward your office’s team that preventative action wasn’t taken sooner. Thank you for your time and efforts in this matter.
Done! Thanks again, Gina:)
Thank-you Kelly and Rebecca and to anybody else who writes in.
I wrote an email to them almost 2 days now and I haven’t got a response, but will post the response when I get one as I hope others will do the same.
They said that the results will be released to the public and the horse racing business the same time that the horse racing business will not get this first.
Yet, Dr. Arthur head of the CHRB made a blanket statement saying that there are no patterns or pre-existing conditions or something like that.
So how in the hell is he privy to this information when it hasn’t even been released yet?
So whose lying?
The convoluted corrupt mess of this vile business continues while racehorses are snapping their legs-off.
This atrocity has been going on for years and years, it’s commonplace at Santa Anita. It’s just the public is becoming aware of it. Disgusting blood sport. I am a horse lover and rider. I rescued a horse from Santa Anita 26 years ago. He’s 28 and thriving!! I’m sure he would’ve already been dead had he continued his racing.
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. TOO MUCH MONIES INVOLVED. OWNERS OF RACE HORSES COULD CARE LESS. SAD, SAD, SITUATION.
Santa Anita is a virtual horse holocaust! Time to put an end to the selfishness & cruelty.
All so selfish humans can make money betting!!! Despicable!!!
Money is the culprit here. Pure and simple. The horses are
ridden into a death trap.Track conditions suck. Heat is blistering.
Length of races way toooo long. Horses have spindly legs and
running full speed to get away from being whipped and whipped
well, he has no choice. Run till you drop and no one will care.
Another horse will take your place. God rest all of their souls,
the horses that is
Only the sick , perverse and sinister participate in this horror. Try reading Gullivers Travels if any of can Even read and find out how incredibly intelligent and magnificent horses are and how depraved you must be to sanction this display of barbaric animal abuse.
Can’t respect a bunch of barbarians catering to a vile audience of even lesser moral compass.
Tick tock before there are serious ramifications.
Sign the Petition to close Santa Anita race track before The Breeders Cup Nov. 1-2, 2019
Please provide a link to the petition.
I can’t find it.
Would like to sign the petition please….
Bloody horse racing. It is for the poor horses. The greedy owners are only in it for money. The stupid little jockey gets to hit something bigger than themselves. Little man syndrome like Hitler.
The misery in their lives is absolutely MONSTROUS!!
Insane – the dying continues! We need to adopt the worldwide standards in this country. Something is very wrong at Santa Anita!
They again need to suspend (emphasis on the e-n-d) .
What is wrong at Santa Anita is that they conduct horse racing.
Horrific & shameful!
This ridiculous cruelty has to end. Surely humans can find a better way to entertain themselves.