In the 5th at Keeneland this afternoon, 3-year-old Triggerman “went wrong,” says the chartwriter. “Went wrong,” as regular readers of this site can attest, is Kentucky Racing’s favorite euphemism for dead, and dead is what Triggerman is – suffering what Keeneland calls a “catastrophic injury to [his] left front limb.” Triggerman is the third kill in the first week of the Keeneland meet. But, the apologists declare, at least they’re being “transparent” about it. Vile.
This horse’s trainer, Joe Sharp, has one hell of a trail of broken and dead horses behind him, for having a relatively young career. I believe he has at least one other on the killed list this year. He has hurt some jockeys in the process, also, which in his case, you might think he would be extra cautious about, seeings how his wife, Rosie Napravnik, is one of the most famous female jockeys in history. But no.
I saw one of his young horses snap her leg a few years ago, another horse fell over her, and another horse hit her. It was the last racing accident I saw in person, and it’s another that is seared in my brain forever.
Did anyone see the story on Fox news about the illegal horse racing going on outside of Fort Worth? They were using Quarter horses, some being raced more than once a day, which supposedly is illegal in Texas. Police confiscated syringes, some empty, some filled with drugs, plus shocking devices and other “tools of the trade”. To make matters more disgusting, the owners of the horses were allowed to take them home – even after being involved in blatant horse abuse. I wonder how many racing apologists would defend this?
I saw that story on Paulick’s site. Sickening. Unfortunately there’s not much difference with that versus the legal racing. Some trainers enter their horses a day apart, and tracks are ok with it, and at these low level tracks, if security really wanted to, they would find syringes and buzzers. And at the end of the day they get to keep their horses.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
TRIGGERMAN so sorry for you.
Your killer Joe Sharp and your name has been put on my list of suspicious deaths.
The pattern is always the same with the same metrics as follows:
Racehorse purchased for 6 figures, in this case $160,000 and $350,000 respectively.
In the least, Triggerman was, most likely, insured for the sales price of $350,000 probably expected to return that investment and/or compete at high levels.
Only Triggerman let them down.
For whatever reason, Triggerman was not performing and/or we have no clue as to any pre-existing medical conditions since the vet/doping records are kept secret.
It’s very possible that they knew they had a bad horse on their hands and the only way to get their $350,000 back is to kill him.
Okay, you can call me crazy I’m used to it, but if their killing racehorses for a lot less money, by sending them out into a $5000 claimer knowing that every step is a wing and a prayer than it seems possible in this case.
Moreover, this trainer has made my suspicious death list several times before.
West Bloodstock another common metric because many of these deaths have bloodstock agencies on the record.
Who int the hell is West Bloodstock I wonder? and what better place to kill a racehorse than Kentucky who defends their industry like Ft. Knox including protecting excessive beating/whippings of a racehorse literally into the ground with no whipping rules in place and zippo repercussions for these racehorse abusers.
Kentucky who recently passed a law to classify racehorses as “livestock,” which has a multitude of negative repercussions for racehorses in a court of law.
They pretty much cemented the massive suffering and carnage of racehorses, but they always have.
These are not people who “care” about their “family members.”
These people send their disposable commodities off the cliff every single time.
Incidentally, Kentucky refuses to disclose whether a racehorse was insured at the time of their death.
Another common metric (on my suspicious death list) is that they mostly die during training hours when the scrutiny is much less and when the public is not there to see.
Many tracks don’t or won’t report training deaths especially on private training farms.
One thing is certain: the killed in action lists stated here are minimum at best if you can imagine that!
Alan, thanks for your amazing posts.
Gina. Besides training hours the horses found pased away in their stalls in the early hour morning from cardiac issues or colic when noone is available.
Hi Gina
Just reading through all these comments/post and sounds like you are a true and caring horse lover!!! That’s what I am, just a girl that loves the smell, the sound and the majestic look of Gods most beautiful beast…the horse! Whether a thourobred, saddle, quarter, mustang….
I’m just curious, are you against horse racing all together or is it just the treatment? Trying to figure out this myself but am not learned in this area to make a call what’s right or wrong?
Thanks for your time
Why are you referring to this man as a “killer”? He did not run out on the track and shoot the horse. This is the same word twisting that the chart callers do. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Please remove your emotions and you will be taken more seriously.
Mr. Jones – please get some emotions, some compassion because you are obviously devoid of them and anybody who supports this massive suffering and carnage of living beings has a piece of their brain and heart missing.
I don’t give a damn what other people think.
If you don’t like my pleas to end this public butcher show than don’t read them.
Ms. Powell,
Did you not used to participate in this suffering and carnage of beings as a racehorse trainer? Obviously you do give a damn what others think if you seek out graphic stories of horse deaths and make vivid, embellished comments on each one. People see through that and cast you off as a whack-job, which is essentially what you are.
I merely report on what is before me and the only whack job going on is the incessant beating and whipping of racehorses, the snapping off of their legs, and the bleeding out on slaughterhouse floors.
Indeed a whack-job that you apologists are very successful at.
What about your previous participation in the “carnage” that you witness and report on?
People change, evolve, progress, improve – at least that should be the goal. Not a one of us has an unblemished past; all that matters is what we do today and moving forward, and on this issue, Gina is one of the strongest advocates for racehorses alive.
Elijah, he is a KILLER. And YOU should get in touch with your emotions. You obviously don’t care about animals at all.
Grateful to you Patrick – the words accurately speak for themselves.
After spending years in this business risking my entire financial future (I was retired at 40 years old) it took me years to restructure and to re-start another “career” where I could make a living.
I was mangled just like the racehorses, but had to take responsibility for choices that I made under the false pretense that this business was on the up and up – it isn’t.
They use, abuse and exploit people and racehorses to fill races for them.
Only I had a choice, the racehorses didn’t, don’t and never will.
I have my autonomy to pick up the pieces, find a home, and move on – the racehorses don’t.
The racehorses are left broken, dumped, and without homes after generating billions in wagering profits.
I often think about those days, how delusional I was to keep going watching all the suffering and dying going on all around me and I would spew the usual lines.
My favorite was “…..but I take care of my horses I’m a good apple.”
That doesn’t matter because you are supporting everything else going on around you plus I dumped horses which this business requires in order to stay in it.
I watched them decline into claiming misery, did what I could to save them, and wasn’t always successful at that.
Yes, I was a full-fledged apologist and supporter of this business – not anymore.
You can’t change the past, but you can change the present which shapes your future.
I still have my horse, Get Down Wolfie, whose been enjoying his retirement in a beautiful pasture with his buddy. Wolfie is now 21 years old. The last time I rode Wolfie on the trails (yes, I do ride) was about 5 years ago and he was the champ that he always was.
He hasn’t been ridden since and won’t be ridden again – it’s his time now.
Mr. Jones I respectfully (because I didn’t have to) responded to your question:
“What about your previous participation in the carnage that you defend?
So now it’s your turn.
After all, you’ve come on this site conducting yourself in a classless manner, but that’s okay I’m used to delusional racetrack people.
So what is your previous, and/or current participation in this carnage?
What’s your job in the industry and/or any capacity in any form of horse racing including public relations?
i await your response.
Gina…I know you don’t need a voice of support for all you do as I also know receiving “strokes” is not the reason you’ve chosen this cause. It would be a much less stressful life to choose apathy – to be one who recognizes suffering of voiceless sentient beings but since the exploitation and abuse takes place in a “legal” activity or industry, to simply turn away and exclaim “I will not push my beliefs onto someone else.”
It follows that these apathetic individuals would not speak out against the slaughter of the racing industry’s horses, either – it’s legal to ship America’s crippled and discarded racehorses to be butchered in slaughterhouses across our borders – so simply turn away.
And that’s what we’ve already witnessed. The Jockey Club has not gotten behind the SAFE Act and the organization We Support Horse Racing actually aligns with the PRO-slaughter group Protect the Harvest. Tens of thousands of American TB’s are slaughtered every year – and the racing industry supports it in word and in deed.
That being said, I just want to thank you. You know, one odd thing I’ve noticed about apologists – you’re called a “whack job” when you’ve had first-hand experience in the racing industry then choose to be the horses’ voice…and you’re called a clueless moron if you’ve not been an eye witness to the all of the suffering yet speak for the horses. Either way, apologists and racing insiders will attack the messenger which proves they can not argue the truths of the message we provide.
Thank you. Don’t stop. Keep the faith and stay the course. The horses need you so very much…and I know they would thank you if they could.
I also want to quickly add, I am grateful to EACH AND EVERYONE of you who comments here and/or is in support of the horses used by the horseracing industry – thank you those who acknowledge this industry is antiquated and unnecessary…has no business existing in a civilized society…has always killed horses and always will. I will not try to name all of you as I don’t want to inadvertently miss someone – just know, I read all of your comments and quietly say “THANK YOU”.
So while the industry remains in turmoil with in-fighting and without the ability to make even ONE simple decision to ban ONE race-day drug or to keep it, we will just watch it continue to implode – and continue to speak for the horses.
Thank you all….
I agree. Kentucky Lightning.. ;) maybe I read too much Dick Francis.. But.. Shady..
What a good thing for you to be so aware of. It makes sense. Your not crazy…your smart!! Go with your gut and maybe inform insurance people about this. Thank you for being there for these horses! God bless you.
Some day soon in our life times horse racing will end. No matter which racetrack they are killed at they are all the same. It is universal animal abuse. Our education must continue to the mass majority who never give horse racing a second thought. Once they know the polling numbers will increase and then we can start legislation to end this horrific abuse.
Ellen…It looks like Triggerman’s leg is partially shaved…could that mean anything?
The picture is not of the injured horse in question. It’s just a graphic image meant to sensationalized the story.
Only one comment….Every horse that a vet visits to look at, evenif they are not treated are rercorded and turned into the State Veterinarian at that track. Even if a horse only gets a vitamin shot it hasto be reported…..this occurs daily and must be turned into the State Vets office prior to the start of racing every day as well as on dark days
Jane, whatever your last name is, just what track(s) are you referring to?
The majority of tracks don’t require a disclosure of any private doping/vet records to any state vet.
That’s kept separate which predisposes racehorses to breakdowns.
Even when they die the commissions usually don’t request the doping/vet records leading up to their deaths so their “investigations” that lead to nowhere are just another ruse.
The doping/vet records don’t follow them from track to track, claim after claim, trainer after trainer.
So even if one track, I assume your referring to Santa Anita, is starting to gain access to these records it doesn’t matter because it’s not a consistent system.
Furthermore, even with the disclosure of records at Santa Anita, and even with 7 vets they STILL had 3 racehorses drop dead that had glaring “red flags” and should have never run.
ZEKE, EMTECH, KY. COLONEL.
We tend to deal with facts on this site.
I agree, Gina, for sure didn’t happen at the tracks I was at.
What a horrible injury! These wonderful horses are such great athletes it is very sad to hear about so many of them suffering tragic accidents. Surely there must be something that could be done to make racing safer for the horses or do they just care about the money!!!!!!!!
Sharon, nothing can be done to make racing safer. Nothing. It must end.
That, quite simply, is not going to happen. Focusing on making racing safer is the far more rational option.
Yes, and Ringling was never going to end, and dogracing was never going to end…
You pin your hopes of ending horse racing on external circumstances, which means that you basically concede that you have no power over the outcome of the agenda that you push. I’m sorry, but I can’t support someone that makes such grand statements without having a rational, coherent plan as to how to achieve the end goal.
@Elijah Jones. Just what, precisely, would YOU suggest to, not just improve safety for the horses and jockeys, but to identify and clean up the corruption. Horse racing today is almost as corrupt as our government. As long as money is the Number One concern, horses will be collateral damage! I used to be a big racing fan. I watched great horses (and jockeys) run. Horses like Kelso and jockeys like Willie Shoemaker, Milo Valenzuela, etc. Like everything else in our society, decency, morals and just plain ordinary respect are rapidly disappearing from the landscape. There were always problems in racing. Injuries happened. Horses we destroyed. Jockey were severely injured. But the level of degeneration has reached a new low. There are far too many people involved with racing horses that lack compassion and basic decency in caring for a voiceless animal. Tell me, would there be any racing without the horse? He’s should be the Number One priority.
I’m so sorry, Triggerman. You were betrayed as so many others were. RIP, I am so sorry for the pain and fear you endured.
This is horrific, and must be banned.
This sport should be illegal
sad as this is I am sick of the people that want to end Racing. yes, more stringent rules have to be made and lets end 2 yo racing but these horses are bred to run. Lets just make it safer for them.
Read this site – thoroughly. And then come back and try to make a rational argument for the continuance of this vile (gambling) business.
Darla…they’re bred to run…probably enough said right there. More stringent rules? If they aren’t doing right by the horses now, don’t think that will change. Why do they need to be told? My nephew was a jockey for many years and finally left the profession because of all the negatives that went on behind the scenes…he had seen and heard enough…
MORE stringent rules!!
Darla there are NO rules to protect the horse.
This is a gambling business where owners want a return on their “investment” sooner rather than later – hence 2 yr olds will be raced. Period
.
Trainers have to run horses, ready or not, because they need some money and they are in danger of losing stalls if they are not seen as conforming – so, patch them up and start them.
All officials depend on horses “filling race cards”- more bets, more money and pay checks.
If the horse was given any consideration at least half, and probably up to 100 percent of low level claimers would not be running! What would that do to the business!!!
So, you see, Darla, racing would go out of business if the welfare of the horse was a priority.
Further, there is no national governing body by design. Rules such as they are, are set by each racing juristriction. Enforcement is spotty, at best, with little if any accountability(I’m being generous!) Plus they can’t agree on much. A prime example is when there was an attempt to ban Lasix in 2yr olds! The infighting began and 2yr olds lost out!!
Ms. Flack, horses are bred for one reason the vast majority of the time….TO MAKE MONEY FOR THE BREEDER/OWNER. Breeding occurs so that, hopefully, down the road the animal will generate revenue. It really is all about the money. Always has been and always will be.
Stringent rules have to be made? Then gather up all the racing apologists and make those stringent rules. Racing has been a “dirty” industry for years and plays by its own rules so I doubt if you’ll have any success but give it your best shot.
End two year old racing? Good luck with that. A horse standing in a stall or grazing in a pasture isn’t producing revenue. Giving a horse time to grow and mature isn’t in racing’s best interest because, if a horse isn’t racing, he is costing the owner money, not generating money. Racing two year olds will NEVER stop just like the crippling, maiming, and killing will NEVER stop unless racing dies in the dirt just like so many of its horses do.
Oh, and by the way, I am sick of the people that are idiotic enough to think racing can be “cleaned up” with stringent rules.
It is a known fact upwards of 70 percent never make it to the track, bred to run?
Thank you!!
Darla Flack…
– you want to end two-year-old racing? – I’m assuming because you recognize the skeletal and mental immaturity of a two-year-old? That will never happen – not when you’ve got someone like Larry Bramlage (who benefits from the existence of horseracing) claiming racing two-year-olds is GOOD for them. The fragmented industry cannot even come to an agreement about the use of race-day Lasix! Santa Anita actually had races for two-year-olds in April – there were very likely babies racing who had not yet even reached their true second birthday! And the TC races? – they will NEVER change that age requirement (three) – so “points” must be made by the Derby hopefuls when they’re two. It won’t happen (that said, two-year-olds are just the youngest of the skeletally and mentally immature).
– let’s just make it safer? – where do you want to start and who will be making these changes? Do you not keep up with industry information? – WHOA, with all of their “elite”, cannot force change.
So where to start…
Track surfaces. Drugs that are routinely given that have been shown in human studies to increase fractures. Fine-boned, big-bodied horses. Breeding for sales and not for soundness. Yearling leg-straightening surgeries. Bisphosphonate use on horses not old enough to be receiving it. Racing wear and tear. Horses that run year-round with no time off. The claiming system – horses going from trainer to trainer, barn to barn without their medical records going with them. Use of shockwave therapy and the inability to test for its use. The purse structure in claiming races – horses get a check through last place so why not run an unsound horse. Corticosteroid joint injections that mask lameness. Illegal drugs that labs are unable to test for. No industry-funded homes for life for ALL racehorses once racing connections are finished making money off their tired backs and sore limbs. Tens of thousands of racehorses going to slaughter.
Where do you want to start? – which one can YOU get the industry to address? And I know I’ve not even scratched the surface of everything wrong that harms the horses or sets them up for bad endings.
SPEED KILLS – address every risk factor, every example of what needs to be changed and in the end, speed kills. Flight animals get hurt – and those of us who truly love our horses do everything possible to MINIMIZE risk of injury and death. Putting a horse in a race does just the opposite – it INCREASES his risk of injury and death – horses sent out to race are “putting their lives on the line”, in the words of racing apologist Jay Hovdey – and for entertainment, no less.
So, stop breeding them to run! They’re talented and versatile animals. They excel in other disciplines: dressage, jumping, carriage horses. It’s always amazed me that people actually believe that we’re denying horses their decision to run. Last time I watched my 33-year-old Arabian, he was perfectly happy just cruising around his pasture, enjoying his life.
This has GOT TO STOP!
I am just sick why all these horses are dying on the race tracks at Santa Anita in California, Keeneland in Kentucky, and somewhere I read has happened at BelmontRace Truck. Just seeing this dead horse on the track made me sick and angry. I am not sure I can watch any horse races anymore. If I went to a race and this happened while I was there, I would just lose it.
You people are delusional to think that a trainer sends a horse out to die. Reading these comments makes me wonder how skeptical of the world you really are. Keeneland has one of, if not the lowest death rate in worldwide horse racing. These accidents happen and thats alexactly what they are. To thing that a trainer would send a jockey out on a horse traveling 45mph to die in hopes that the jockey survives is ludacris. This are inherent risks involved with this sport that cannot be avoided. Where were you people in the past when horses had catostrophic injuries? Only since the ultra liberals or california started protesting at santa anita has this become headlines. Any normal person understands that these accidents happen and hope for the best for both horse and human. To think anything less than that is to be uninformed, misinformed or ignorant and lacking common sense. As a horse industry worker, I hate to see a horse go down and also see the enormous efforts of all involved on the positive side of the sport to avoid such occurances. To be in favor of abolishing horse racing is turning a blind eye to the problem. Let encourage nationawide safety measures and universal laws in regard to meds and pre race screening. This will have a huge impact on the amount of unfortunate racehorse accidents and preserve a multi billion dollar industry that so many depend on
“As a horse industry worker” – says it all. You defend it because you get paid by it.
I am defending it because it pays my bills, but also because it is less corrupt than most other industries. This photo that you all are sobbing over is a file photo of another horse. This is not joe sharp’s tack and triggerman didnt have leg wraps. This photo was found and used to trigger weak minded people who will believe anything and are looking for someome to blame.
Read this, then defend: https://horseracingwrongs.org/how-they-die/
And you – Brandon- is EXACTLY what is wrong with most of the humans in the Racing industry. I, too, used to defend it, but I couldn’t anymore. There is no reason that horses should be snapping legs off for human entertainment. Too often, I encountered your exact attitude, the shrug of the shoulders, the “meh, horses will die, “accidents” will happen,” Blah blah blah.
And more often than not, I would hear trainers and owners say, “this fucking donkey needs to go,” “what a piece of shit that rat is, I don’t care what happens to him, “, “this pig’s going to getting entered again this week, he didn’t even get tired today! He didn’t even try!” THATS the “love” and “emotion” and “concern” I heard for the horses, and very, very rarely did I see a horse even get a pat in the winners circle by any of the connections! That’s “loving them like family huh?” Just because they have cute matchy matchy tack, and maybe a full haybag – and that’s a big maybe- because more often then not I would see horses standing bored in stalls with nothing in front of them, doesn’t mean they are loved and treated like royalty! So please take your whiney bullshit elsewhere- there are too many of us on this site that know better. And NO- accidents do NOT need to happen and kill horses on tracks so you can pay your bills!
And, Brandon, you’re right, that pic is a stock photo, but tell me, as a person who “has seen horses go down”, that you haven’t seen legs like that? THAT’S the reality of what many of the injuries look like – and clearly this pic is from the racing industry- as those wraps are the telltale way horses are wrapped for racing in your “less corrupt” industry. Which even that comment is laughable. The drugs, the shocker devices, the assistant starters holding horses, the jockeys purposely throwing races, make it one of the most corrupt forms of gambling ever. Even the triple crown races of the last few years have proven how corrupt this industry is!
You stupid idiot there are many other ways human beings can make money in billion dollar industries to feed their greed in life.
Weak minded people is an accurate description, which is the ilk that Mr. Batuello preys upon. If you disagree with him, your comment is removed.
Surely this is not the case, dont see your comments being removed. This aint the paulick report to where if you are overly critical of the industry, you are outright banned for disagreeing with their views, regardless if you are being completely 100 percent truthful and transparent, which the industry has been trying to avoid being called out for. Or is it simply because i post on here and he knows it?
From a former horse industry worker: you’re a liar.
Brandon,are you not capable of getting a real job? I don’t feel sorry for you at all,you are lazy. Get a life,and quit abusing and torturing innocent animals,because that’s what horse racing is…pure evil torture.
This is so sickening. Stop this. This is cruelty. These owners should be arrested. Horeses taken and put into a sanctuary
As someone who has been working with horses off and on for my whole life (not in the horse racing industry but in other venues. I can tell you that horse accidents do happen in any horse sport. We have had a horse at a show that broke his leg because he stepped wrong and fell. That’s all it takes. I would love to see more safety protocols in all horse sports not just racing as I have seen horses at endurance events that clearly shouldn’t be ridden anymore because they were done and yet the vets allow them to keep going because they are below the heartrate limit so deamed okay to continue. Safety of the horses and their riders needs to be the first priority for all involved in any horse sport and that is what we should be striving for.
Maybe, Lilly- but do they happen in the sheer volume as the track? And cripple their horses beyond salavage for a possible pain free life after they are retired? Most of the horse sports I was involved in didn’t even start their horses until they were 5 or 6, and they provided slow gradual training. Course their main goal was also to keep that high priced horse as useful and athletic for as long as possible, as that was the only way you progressed up the levels. By 5 or 6, most of these TBs are done, or have lingering issues and injuries that will nag them the rest of their lives, if they aren’t slaughtered first.
Do you breed your show horses to be sent to slaughter?
Please stop these cruel heart breaking Horse races. If Horses are treated like this then Horse race should be banned.
NO emotion equals robot – maybe that’s the problem with you people!!!
What do you mean “you people”?
Throughout history those who dare to speak out for justice and much needed change have met with resistance.They are vilified and derided.That is something that remains true to this day.
And Mr. Jones, when I said “you people” I certainly was not referring to the ‘weak minded people ….the ilk that Mr. Batuello preys upon”…
What a greedy and savage industry. They break and ride horses before their bones and joints are formed. They cripple these poor horses and one way or the other they end up dead here or at slaughter.
Anyone in the racing industry Can go to hell and suffer just like the animals. And I hope they do. At least in NASCAR the idiots who want to risk their lives aren’T making innocent animals suffer to profit. There are a million ways to make money other than horse racing. Can’t humanity see the beauty in horses and want to take care of them for the sheer fact they are magnificent and wonderful to observe and take care of. It’s sickening and anyone who pays money gambling on races and paying for tickets is just as evil and stupid and non caring and self centered as the ones running the industry. Some stupid bitches want to wear their hats around and prance around drinking their drinks like they are accomplishing something when in reality they are just as guilty as everyone else in the industry. This is coming from someone who has been to the races several times and who grown up in the thoroughbred racing’s industry as my dad bred races horses and sold them. Do I wish he used his degree from Cornell to do something more useful with his life. Absolutely! I love horses and have gently rode them my whole life and it wasn’t til later in life I realized the cruelty in the racing industry. Sickos. Shame on those headless people who choose not to do something better with their lives.
So everyone who doesn’t see it your way is an idiot? Mr. Batuello, please ban this abusive language.
If you don’t like it, buttercup, you can always take your pro-exploitation and abuse ideas and leave. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass in the way out, you’ll get a headache.
Kisses.
Wow. Let me spell out my point to you. You all are two faced. You all talk about how disgusting horse racing is, but completely lack intelligence in any of your comments. When pressed, you just call people stupid idiots and cover your ears in the corner somewhere.
“I love all pretty ponies, and anybody that doesn’t just want to watch them gallop in a field of rainbows and butterflies is a big, dumb, stupid meany!”…..Exactly what these comments sound like. No one takes you all seriously.
Mr. Jones go stick your head in some manure where it belongs.
Can you give a logical rational reason why a horse – or any animal – should die for your entertainment? Not the usual “we’re humans and have the right to use animals as we please” but something that will explain why people who believe the way you do fight so vehemently to defend horse racing. Explain why it is acceptable for a living sentient being to suffer for your entertainment and enjoyment. Please.
People also “die for entertainment” if It’s presented that simply. It’s quite a simple minded argument to suggest that “animals die for $2 bets”, or something along those lines. It is much more complex than that. When you boil down the moral argument here, and yes, step aside from the emotion, it is quite simply a difference of opinion. If you are against horse racing, you are completely entitled to that. The most sane course of action is to not participate, not watch, not even acknowledge that it exists. For example, personally, I am a vegan. However, i believe it is everyone’s right to choose their diet, regardless of my morals or dietary beliefs. I simply choose to live the way I choose to live and leave everyone else alone in that aspect. You will never see me protest a slaughterhouse or shout out meat is murder in a protest. It is annoying at the very least to see people called “murderers, killers, slaughterers” etc when none of them walked up and shot a horse in broad daylight. We have people doing that to each other, for crying out loud, and no one bats an eye. I don’t expect this to sink in with anyone, and I am not naive as to think that anyone will actually agree. But quite honestly, horse racing is a legal sport. Eating meat and dairy is a legal activity. People work with horses, and people work in the meat and dairy business. I am no one to tell someone else that their livelihood should be taken away because I believe that my morals are somehow superior to someone else’s. I just find it difficult to fathom that many if you have so much respect for animals, which is fine, but a lot of the things that I read suggest that there is so little respect for other people.
And again, Gina, very classy of you. Again demonstrating why no one outside of the 17 people that comment on here will ever take you seriously. Typical activist with no perspective outside of your own agenda.
Elijah, why are you on this site? Really? What do you hope to accomplish? If you’ve already acknowledged that the people who are against horse racing are weak minded, devoid of respect for people, and childish whack-jobs, then surely there’s no point in continuing to post your opinion. Your repetition of the same rhetoric that has been used by racing supporters for years is not going to change the minds of anyone here who knows the true horror of the racing industry, and to continue to display your lack of empathy for these horses dying for no other reason but to entertain like-minded people is beginning to get tedious. Please go back to the Paulick Report where your obvious disdain for those of us truly saddened by the exploitation and death of these horses will be rightly appreciated.
Oh, and the people who die for entertainment CHOOSE to participate. Horses have no say in what they are made to do, no appeal against any unfair treatment. Human athletes are given adequate rest periods after an injury – horses have their nerves frozen or damaged, or are drugged to keep them running. Human athletes get a comfortable retirement – if horses can’t be used for breeding, the majority of them are sent to slaughter. (And I’m sure you’ll have plenty to say on that point).
I wish someone would jump on the backs of all idiots in the industry and who support the industry with their whips and whip the shit out of them making them run against other humans getting whipped and kicked as fast as they can in the dirt until they also break their leg and then have to be put down.
Classy.
That’s kind of ironic because when I was at the track, I was struck by how incredibly low class everyone one, and even the “officials” were dropping f bombs every other word and calling horses rats
Attacking the messenger doesn’t change the facts – the horrific facts about this antiquated business model that needs to shut down.
The business model desperately needs to be changed. Shut down will not happen. Quite simply, the “for” horse racing is much much stronger than the “against”, for multiple reasons. It matters not the petty insults that are hurled, the only solution is compromise….regardless of the defiance from either side.
and the rhetoric of your breed is old and tired as well…..is it not the truth? Tell me what point of view are you trying to make, because you have said nothing to even point out your views. “End horse racing!” Well, how, exactly, are YOU going to do that? ….have a look around the industry elijah, folks are turning their backs on this almost daily, for the exact same reasons we all are. Where im at slot subsidies and simulcasting are the ONLY things keeping the game propped up. And lastly you have the nerve to say about respecting your fellow person, yet come here and say . Some people just want attention and to be heard, and this cause fulfills most of your “like minded”s need for that. Address the daddy issues or whatever most of you have going on, maybe you should heed your own words and you might get somewhere. I am here because of absolute love,admiration, and respect of the horse( all of them ) and just an fyi to you the industry itself hasnt the power to change nor the will….the same things are still just being talked about as they were some 10 years ago, the industry cant even come together on simple issues such as lasix, 38 jurisdictions all with different rules and regulations… the industry will eat itself from the inside out because of their lack of will on coming together for the horses best interest, and well thats because this game simply isnt about the horse here in the usa. Most of us here wont be fooled because we know better, i was one that thought change would be possible, after being shut out at every corner im not left with much choice.
Oh and animal welfare was voted top issue in the country last year, you think the younger generation such as myself will put up with this? The new generation will end it, because of the old guard not having any interest in changing their antiqated ways. Comprimise the industry cant even do that with themselves….what you bring to the table is quite laughable
It doesn’t matter if there are more people for horse racing than against it (like there were more people for slavery than against it) because numbers don’t necessarily win. We’re talking about moral integrity, what’s right versus what’s popular. And since you will never be able to rationally and morally prove that horse racing is not abuse and cruelty on a absolutely devastating scale, you will lose.
We people r fucked up for riding horses till they die
This racing horses, injuries and euthenasia must stop. This is animal abuse. It should not be accepted as ok and it’s all part of the “sport”. Are these people even human??? And this includes the spectators. This is barbaric!! This makes me sick to my stomach! STOP THE ABUSE NOW!!
ITS TIME 2 PUT A STOP 2 HORSE RACING!!!!!!!!!
Stop racing horses – it is cruel!
Eijah the photo above is a STOCK photo….that has been said numerous times….but i assure you im sure triggermans leg doesnt look much different. When the necropsy comes out i will graciously ask patrick to post it here, those facts will be undeniable. Compare some of the necropsies with the horses pp those facts are again undeniable.
Keep racing 2 and 3 year old horses and this is what you get. 🤷 It’s proven that their skeletal structure does not finish growing and maturing until 5-6 years old. 2 year old horses are still immature both in body and mind. I don’t care if it has always been done this way, it needs to change. Until then, I guess more and more horses will die from preventable injuries.
Quit training horses hard at 18 months to 2 years old. Quit racing 2 and 3 year olds. Their skeletal structure is not mature at that age, no matter how they look. I don’t care if it has “always been done that way” there will always be deaths if they continue to be raced and worked hard at such a young age!
Horse racing is for the deprived, the cruel and heartless. They don’t deserve the air our horses breath.
I saw that poor colt trying to get away from his handlers just before they forced him to race. We thought they were going to scratch hm when they led him away from the track entrance but, apparently, we were wrong.
The problem is that they are worked too young. A horses legs are not fully developed until the age of 5 yrs. which is why in the American Quarter Horse industry, horses under the age of 4 are not permitted to compete in “under saddle” events. These racehorses are racing with the full weight of a rider by the age of 2 yrs. and are usually lame by the age of 7, if they are still alive!
This SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN!!😭😭😭🐎🐎💔💔💔💔💔
No Animal should be used for “Sport?”. Horses are beautiful, intelligent animals and should be treated with Love, Dignity & Respect and well looked after & cared for!!! Those cruel individuals who do not care for these majestic animals (or any animal for that matter) should be named & shamed, be arrested for animal cruelty & be banned from owning any animal EVER AGAIN!!! “Hang Your Cruel Heads in Shame you Monsters”
This is nothing less than cruel abuse. We are better than this . Get over the greed. You will burn in Hell.
Yiu all are bastards to do this to these beautiful horses. Stop horse racing you money hungry bastards. Yiu will answer to God for your evil.
Shut the tracks DOWN or STOP racing these babies! I have a 5 year old Arabian who is just being broke to the saddle! These are babies being asked to run marathons! His poor baby leg was snapped at the joint! What the hell is wrong with you all? Ad s horse owner I despise horse racing and am NOW opposed to it! How many more babies are you going to KILL before you end this madness? And why are these insurance companies poo ayi g on these claims! It is no longer the Sport of the Kings, but the Sport of the Dead!
Something MUST be done about this senseless cruelty and negligence! How can we stop this?
Sick. Need to outlaw horse racing! It’s as bad as greyhound racing. It’s all about the money!!!! At horse and dog’s expense!!!
So many are dying, i believe its the greed to make these horses trainyoung as bhones are developing as well as trining methods. Something truly needs to be done to stop the unnecessary deaths.
Time to stop this heinous cruelty. It’s all about money, prestige and human entertainment. No true compassion for these incredible animals.
Ban horseracing.. horse are being killed by evildoers.. the idiots are braindead and heartless.. they should have their limbs broken, then hauled out in the middle of the ocean and left to die.. aye 👹
NOBODY CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR LEGS ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND THEIR KNEES ARE NOT FULLY CLOSED. YOUR MURDERING THEM. STOP RACING THEM
This is horrific!!! This poor baby deserve d to live a good long life! Stop making these horses run please humans and to make money off of them! Those people forcing these animals to run get injured and then are murdered deserve to be killed themselves!!! SELFISH!!! Animals were not created for humans to be entertained!
Those forcing animals to ring and those people betting on these horses are just sickening! You should all be ashamed of yourselves!!! They died because of you!!!
Stop this horrific abuse now and forever!!
I would like to see if all the tragic breakdowns have similar bloodlines. The industry has no gain to continue to have such tragic outcomes on its tracks. This breed was bred to race. It is it’s job, could bad breeding be the cause of the increase in these events?
That’s nonsense. If you turn horses out they graze, they don’t organize races, they don’t run around at a full gallop for fun. Fighting dogs are bred to fight. Can’t imagine what might cause injuries or deaths.
The racing industry has no gain to continue to have such tragic outcomes on its tracks – in their mind, they aren’t suffering losses either. What’s one more horse compared to the thousands they’ve already destroyed? There’s always another underage colt or filly they can restart the process on. The Thoroughbred may have been bred to race, but not to begin excessive full training at 18 months old, or be given cocktails of drugs that literally eat away their stomachs, or have their injuries masked to try to get one more race out of them, or to be so worn down that their limbs literally splinter apart. Breeding has no more to do with these deaths than the surface of the tracks or the alignment of the planets. It’s the continual barbaric treatment of horses that mean less to their owners than the shit that gets shoveled out of their stalls.
Patsy – yes, there are huge issues with inbreeding in most current TBs. Most go back to Mr. Prospector, Raise A Native, and Native Dancer. But the current trend today Is that when a potential young stallion is injured, they hurry and send him to stud duty, to continue to produce very unsound horses, all in the name of greed and making a quick buck. Even many in the industry and apologists are bemoaning that this is a bad business practice., and that all it does is produce fragile, unsound horses . But this trend is nothing that those in the breeding sector will change- because there is too much money to be made, and too much greed Involved. They don’t give a damn about producing sound, stout horses, they just want the quick bucks.
And FYI, I currently have OTTBs, have had many more In the past. I’ve even had ones I laid up at home to take a break from racing while I was still actively involved in racing. Most go out and meander: The only time they run is when they are spooked or for whatever reason couldn’t go out for a few days. Then it’s a brief lap around the pasture, and they are done. So I have a hard time agreeing with people when they said they want or are bred to run. Mine have been happy and perfectly content not to..And for the record, ALL of mine have hated whips and needles. So, can’t say they don’t remember those abuses!
😡🤬🤯 greedy people need to stop this practice
Greed ..entertainment ..most humans are monsters the cruelest species on earth
They’re animals. Not tinker toys or money makers! They were not put here to be used and abused. This is shameful!
Stop that torture!!!
So beautiful animals……
So sad. To see this
Elijah Jones, you may not eat animals but you’re not a vegan if you support horse racing and attack people who want this particular form of senseless animal abuse to stop.