From the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein (California) on the killing of Mongolian Groom in a Breeders’ Cup race at Santa Anita Saturday:
“It breaks my heart to hear that another horse died because of injuries sustained during the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Racetrack. This year, 37 horses have died at Santa Anita, seven of those since racing resumed in September. That’s simply unacceptable.
“This problem is not unique to Santa Anita. More than 3,000 horses have died at California racetracks in the past two decades, and thousands more at racetracks throughout the country. Unfortunately, most states lack sufficient reporting requirements, so we may never know the exact numbers of horses that die nation-wide as part of the horse racing industry. This is a gap that should be closed.
“Before the Breeders’ Cup, I wrote to the California Horse Racing Board that this weekend would be a critical test for the future of horse racing. Despite increased scrutiny and additional measures that have been put in place, the horse racing industry was unable to make it through a single weekend without a critical injury and euthanized horse.
“In the past, I’ve called for horse racing to be suspended at Santa Anita until it could ensure the safety of horses would be protected. With continued racetrack deaths, it’s clear that not enough has changed, so I renew that call.
“I will work with Governor Newsom to look at all options to protect racehorses and increase transparency at racetracks. If the horse racing industry is unwilling to treat these magnificent creatures humanely, it has no business operating in the United States.”
I for one am grateful for the senator’s statement, but let’s keep the pressure on. Please share your approval with Senator Feinstein, but state clearly and unequivocally that horseracing cannot be fixed or reformed – that horseracing must end. And for that, we need her help. (I believe phone and email are best.)
Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
phone: (202) 224-3841
email form
God bless Senator Feinstein for making a stand against the inhumane treatment of these magnificent horses. I just wish her statement did not have to end with the United States.
Thank You so much, Senator Feinstein! Your efforts will shine a brighter light on this tragic “sport”. If the public would stop patronizing racetracks, there would be little incentive to continue the brutality, the OVERBREEDING of horses which contributes to an unwanted surplus, and the subsequent transport/slaughter of our unwanted horses in Mexico and Canada.
The public has stopped patronizing tracks. There were over 300 tracks in the US at one point, now I believe the number is around 75. The only reason that 90% of those tracks exist is subsidies from casinos or directly from states. They don’t make enough money from racing to be profitable. If you look around the grandstand there are few if any young people, they aren’t interested. If you live in a state that subsidizes racing please write to your state representatives to end the ridiculous subsidies to this industry. It does work. When I was younger there were at least eight tracks in Michigan that I can recall. The state refused to allow racinos to support a dying industry and we are down to one track which has been sold for development because the land is worth more than the business. They are running their last meet now. Of course, all the doom and gloom predictions never happened. People found other jobs, farmers planted other crops, my farrier makes a nice living crafting custom wrought iron without getting kicked by a horse. Without subsidies racing would cease, it has run it’s course.
It is not often I will agree with Ms. Feinstein but on this issue I am totally on the side of putting an end to the cruel treatment of racing young horses, many of who die or injured and need to be euthanized. Even more shocking is how many are sent off for slaughter including past Triple Crown Winners. It isn’t just an occasional death but happens every day. To breed a horse for racing and if he/she doesn’t conform, send them to slaughter? That is animal abuse. Horses can be retrained for riding,competition, equine therapy, etc. but not on someone’s dinner plate overseas.
I sent the Senator a message today!!!!!! We are all in this together for the horses. They need a voice and kept safe. It is the least we can do for these magnificent animals.
Ann, I got my response from Senator Feinstein Very Prompt!!!!!
I did too
Thanks for the link. I wrote to her, I encourage everyone to do the same.
First of all I would like to give my undying gratitude to Patrick for his love,compassion,empathy for these gentle,intelligent animals. Let’s not allow their deaths and torture to be in vain. You know I keep reading more and more articles lately about how popular and how good all of these meatless alternatives are, and how great they are going over with today’s much more health conscious people. I see that is a huge positive,which will hopefully lead to a healthier society. Lastly, you ROCK Senator Feinstein,thank you too!!!!!!
There’s an article on Barstool Bets entitled “The Fight for Santa Anita has begun. Let’s Dance”. I have never read such nonsensical bullshit in my life – it goes beyond the Paulick Report for sheer stupidity, and that’s really saying something. If you can stomach it, I encourage you to read it.
Speaks to their ever-increasing desperation, Rebecca.
OK. I just sent an email to Feinstein.
Linda DeStefano Syracuse, NY
I read most articles and it’s shocking to read the pro-horse racing articles and the comments by apologists.
They are so deliberately delusional, ignorant, and just plain vile.
I’m imploring everybody a call to action please do the following if you haven’t already:
1. Click on the email link above to Senator Feinstein and fill out the comment form. Senator Feinstein needs to know that people care and stand by her stance to suspend horse racing. 2. Call as well. I’ve tried calling since yesterday and the lines are so busy I can’t get through, but I will continue to call. 3. Sign this other petition please
https://www.change.org/p/governor-gavin-newsom-outlaw-horse-racing-in-california?signed=true
Share, tweet, email the Bryant Gumbel video.
Use all social media platforms to spread the truth, the facts, and to mobilize everybody to shut this vile killing show down.
Mongolian Groom – I’m so sorry that you were sacrificed because politicians, once again, bowed down to Santa Anita and gave them another chance with 12 vets heavily scrutinizing all racehorses.
That chance cost you your life.
NO more.
Shut down Santa Anita, BAN horse racing in California and you better believe that this is just the start.
Thanks Gina. If I read one more comment from someone that begins “if you had ever been on a backstretch…” I’m going to scream.
To read these apologists comments you would think the racing industry was just minding their own business in an equine paradise until Patrick came along and started slinging mud and inciting a riot among the peasants. YOU PEOPLE KILL HORSES! Why is that a point you just can’t – or wont – seem to grasp? We’re not upset that the blankets and halters don’t match, or you use straw for bedding when we think you should use shavings. YOU PEOPLE KILL HORSES! Why in the everloving hell do you not think that is important? Because you keep mumbling about how much you love your horses? Because you have taco parties with a live band and that just makes it okay? Because you breed them so you think it gives you some sort of sick right to kill them? I honestly wonder if it’s just the horses on drugs reading some of the bullshit rhetoric being spouted off. We must be closer than we think to shutting down horse racing because these apologists are going positively rabid.
Excellent analysis, Rebecca.
Alan, it is because I spent so many years on the backside of a low level track that I completely turned against it. I, too, am sick and tired of hearing the same old tired comment. I sent an email to Feinstein and left her a message at her D.C. OFFICE.
How the HELL does that even happen with 12 vets!!!!! It just proves our point. I would like to see these callous people send their precious dogs,cats,etc. out to do something that would kill them or maim leading to the remainder of their lives to be lived out in Excruciating Pain.
Signed the petition. It had A LOT of signatures on it, well over ten thousand.
Gina Powell, I am thrilled to hear that there is a petition on change.org about horseracing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing that because I didn’t know there was one and was thinking about asking other people to start one since I don’t have the wherewithal to pull that together. Thanks again and I encourage everyone to sign it. It’s huge to me. It’s so easy when you only have a smartphone as I do.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
I sent an email to the senator. I so much want to hope that this really is the beginning of the end of horse racing.
These callous idiots that say about backstretch or shedrow,whatever, they fawn over these high end barns that have mega wealthy owners… and they take their fucking pictures…and they say…..see they are spoiled. Yeah you fucking idiots hang out at the low level barns and give those bottom level horses the same attention and spoiling you do to the high end barns. You make me SICK you fucking apologists.
You make me beyond fucking sick,you sacks of…. I literally cannot take it , if not for those low level claimers constantly being forced to run in PAIN, you f’n sacks of SHIT,there would be NO races,because the high end horses only have to go through this torture,spaced far between!!!!!!!!!! You Lazy …..
EVERY INNOCENT HORSE DESERVES THE SAME FUCKING LEVEL OF CARE, you New York ,California, owners,photographers.trainers. Don’t just focus on your high end wealthy owners and trainers. I literally cannot take how brain dead these idiots are.
I would like to put out a challenge for the “photographers “ who that’s their job. How about spending a year at low level mainly claiming tracks and take pictures of those horses that are in pain and being run at bargain basement for sale prices and let’s see if you still say …but, if you could be on the backstretch and see how they’re treated. You know damn well those ones who will be going to SLAUGHTER soon are not treated…..at all. Please don’t lie and insult our intelligence, nobody is believing your bullshit. If you truly gave a damn about these horses you would want this SLAUGHTER to be over. None of you give a damn,you want to hold onto a paycheck coming in.
nothing was mentioned about the danger to jockeys who get hurt every day at some track who are aboard horses which have been drugged that day..thoroughbreds want to win, it is in their breeding and when drugged they still go out and give their all. the drugs cover their pain so they just run run run as fast as they can.
The fully autonomous, wholly consenting jockeys? You’ve come to the wrong place.
Do you think it’s ethical to drug a horse so he can’t feel pain to cause him to “run run run” until his legs literally snaps in half? Those vicious little jockeys you’re so concerned about make the decision to ride horses they know are in pain, and they whip them so hard they actually leave welts. More of them should end up with broken backs and snapped necks – they’re the ones who deserve it.
You know what’s in YOUR breeding, “mjmadigan? Parents who must be brother and sister, because you sound blisteringly, mind-numbingly stupid enough to be inbred with the idiot mentality to match. Jockeys – I’ll feel bad about them when THEY are forced to run run run around a track with one foot dangling from being broken off at the ankle. Come to think of it, no, I won’t feel bad for them at all – because they have free will and full consent and they are part of the problem.
They want to win? That’s absurd.
Alan what you said earlier today is SO TRUE. My nephew who’s 20 says…that’s for corny ass old men wearing shorts and socks and smokin’ cigars. Today’s kids are so much sharper and smarter and more sensitive. (he said that about horseracing) to be clear
Done.
As an aside, Sen. Feinstein’s Tweet on this topic has a whole slew of replies — nearly all of which are really just (poorly-worded) attacks of HER — from those in horse racing. Hard to believe these semi-literate, racing-supporting sadists think that they’re going to save their non-sport by spewing such hateful and vicious bile.
Over the years, I have always contacted Senator Feinstein, she is a real horse woman and has done a lot of good for horses and other animals. I just sent her a long letter as well. I hope and pray for real change for these beautiful innocent horses.
E-mailed and called. I will forward you any response, should I get one. Tweeted/shared
Thank you Patrick .
Thank you, Sunny.
THIS UNBEARABLE HORRIFIC CRUELTY MUST STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!