After (obscenely) boasting following this past summer’s supposed “clean” racing – never mind that six horses did die (see below) – Del Mar today began its utterly predictable regression to the mean. In the 3rd race, Ghost Street “suffered a catastrophic injury…and was humanely euthanized.” Three races later, it was Prayer Warrior, of whom trainer Jeff Metz’s daughter said: “It’s with a heavy heart to say that we unfortunately lost Prayer Warrior this afternoon. He was loved by everyone. The barn will definitely not be the same without him.” Vile – to the core.
(A third horse, Princess Dorian, “took a bad step” and was “vanned off” in the 2nd. That, of course, usually bodes ill. I will update as information comes in.)
The Del Mar 2019 Death Watch
Charge a Bunch, killed training Jul 18
Carson Valley, killed training Jul 18
Bowl of Soul, killed training Jul 29
unidentified, died in stall Jul 31-Aug 4
unidentified, died in stall Aug 5-Aug 11
Bri Bri, killed training Aug 12
Ghost Street, killed racing Nov 10
Prayer Warrior, killed racing Nov 10
I can’t stand this anymore!
This is utterly despicable and racehorses were dying almost every single day when I was a CHRB Associate Steward back in 2005 only back then we could hide the dead easily because everybody bought into their narrative “love them” “treated royally” “family members.”
Furthermore, nobody ever showed up for the countless committee meetings full of lip service, empty promises, and pro-horse racing rhetoric.
Not one member of the public showed up while racehorses continued to die there.
Here we are 12 years later and absolutely NOTHING has been done, NOTHING has changed.
This is insanity.
This has been going on for YEARS – YEARS of racehorses dying and they are still killing.
How in the hell can this killing business still be in operation?
All horse racing in California should be immediately shut down.
This is heartbreaking
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
God make it stop!
I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of breakdowns in the cold weather states,this Fall and Winter,it’s so CRAZY to run them on those frozen,icy,snowy tracks, such as Aqueduct. Those fragile undeveloped bones,pounding away on that FROZEN dirt and turf. I still hold onto a lot of anger and resentment at Aqueduct for causing the breakdown of “my” Beloved horse, A Fleet Attitude. Look him up on google and you will see how gorgeous he was (chestnut) big white blaze,won almost 700,000,the hard way. He was such a proud gutsy horse.He NEVER should have been running on that frozen icy dirt of Aqueduct. Those trainers and owners don’t care about them,it’s oh well , I’ll get another one.
The very definition of stupidity is doing something over and over again the exact same way and expecting a different result. It doesn’t matter what the racing industry says about their track surfaces, it doesn’t matter how many additional vets they have standing behind the rails, and it sure as hell doesn’t matter how many times they claim they love their horses. EVERY SINGLE DAMN DAY HORSES ARE DYING. What is it going to take to shut these death factories down?! The racing industry has shown its true skeletal and disfigured face, leering through a mask of blood while it vomits out the empty lies of loving its horses and treating them like family. There’s no saving horse racing, no redeeming it or changing it or simply accepting fewer fatalities. Horse racing needs what it has given to thousands of its innocent victims: death.
Nice article being so excited that the death rate is “predictably regressing to mean”. You love it when horse die dont you.
Thanks, Eric, for proving (the obvious) point about racing folks becoming increasingly hostile and defensive as your anti-sport hurtles by leaps and bounds toward extinction.
We didn’t kill off those thoroughbreds at Del Mar today; racing did.
We didn’t insist on breeding some of the most freakishly fragile animals in “nature,” drugging them up with every conceivable manner of narcotic — both legal and otherwise — and WHIPPING them to perform impossible, super-equine feats at breakneck speed until their bodies break apart; racing did.
We didn’t dump the vast majority of our precious horses into claiming races, kill pens, and, ultimately, slaughterhouses; racing did.
We didn’t hide behind gambling, greed, and gross self-preservation to protect our own financial interests when the general public started questioning the worth of an activity that is fundamentally criminal cruelty to animals; racing did.
U.S. horse racing is done. Accept it, Eric, and maybe redirect some of that anger toward those who rightfully deserve it. Helpful hint: they’re not us.
Excellent, Kelly. Thank you.
How is that showing excitement? It’s reporting facts. Guess what? Horses DIED yet again today. The racing industry killed them. How is that exciting? What it actually is is pathetically sad, especially with goofs like you, Eric, defending it.
Thank-you Kelly.
No words to add.
Couldn’t be a dumber comment Eric.
Eric, are you soulless or brain dead? Being a racing apologist I would assume you’re both. Excited about the death of another horse? No, we’re sickened and disgusted and heartbroken that so many gentle sentient beings have to die to give people like you entertainment and gratification. We’re angry that people like you defend an industry that causes horses to constantly suffer and die in ways that are beyond horrifying. This is horse racing – simply exposed for what it has always been: an archaic money hungry sanctuary for animal abusers to preform their heinous acts under the protective banner of “sport”. If anything, I would say that people like you are excited when horses die on the track, because simply beating them the entire race just doesn’t do it for you anymore.
Kelly, you’re response is perfect, Thank you.
They are treated as a commodity, not as an intelligent creature with feelings, so terribly sad.
There is no safe racing!
This is a total disgrace to the animals whom are destroyed and shows that there are heartless and cruel individuals who still have money as their top priority, sans guilt or remorse of any kind. This is a Gestapo regime against these beautiful living, breathing and emotional animals who were here long before barbarac humans were. Stop it, stop it immediately or suffer the consequences of Karma ,that’s real and exists. You monsters-how could you do what you do. It’s mind boggling someone is be such a total destroyer of life.
Money is the root of ALL evil
What the hell is going on ?
How cruel.are humans these horses run their heart out and these rich asshole kill them. Where is this country headed and our government let’s them.
What is taking so long to get legislation voted on to end this horror show they call horse racing
A nation is judged upon how it treats its’ animals? Guess that leaves the US in the crapper.
It’s front page news today (11/11) on the San Diego Union newspaper. I’ll try to provide a link if possible.
Here’s the link:
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/horse-racing/story/2019-11-10/del-mar-racing-fatality-horse-dies-euthanized
I see they’re busy tweeting how much they loved him and he’ll be missed.
Reading their tweets left me feeling sick to my stomach!
Peter Miller said there are far greater problems than horse racing…..so he inadvertantly admits that horse racing is a problem? And again with the comparison to auto racing – there IS NO COMPARISON to consenting human beings driving around in unfeeling hunks of metal and living sentient beings being forced by shocking devices and whips to run at breakneck speed. And again with the drivel “it’s an unfortunate part of this sport”. It’s not a sport, you parasitic monsters! There’s no moral or ethical reason to cause the death of an animal for entertainment, and yet the racing industry actually congratulates itself on what they consider an acceptable number of fatalities. Why is horse racing still allowed? Two horses dead in one day is not enough? At this point I don’t care if it’s a politician, PETA or the freaking Boy Scouts of America, but SOMEONE has to step in and stop this death machine. Not just for a day. Not just for a weekend. Forever.
#HowManyMoreHaveToDie
Every day I just hate these assholes more and more. They are the dumbest most unlikeable sacks of shit,these “people” in racing. Wish they would all go off to some island,and live far away from the rest of us, and just fuck each other up. Leave the poor horses Alone!!
Peter Miller – the “trainer” of Arms Runner who broke down at Santa Anita on March 31 and hobbled on three legs – his right foreleg dangling – in pain and confusion, looking for someone, anyone, for help.
You can bet Miller wants the public to look elsewhere and not at racing – but let’s look at what Miller did to Arms Runner. From a Paulick tweet; “Arms Runner, the Peter Miller-trained horse who suffered a fatal injury Sunday at Santa Anita, was on vet’s list in October while receiving 4 legal extracorporeal shock wave treatments a week apart (from 10/2-10/23). He remained in training while being treated & raced Nov. 22.”
the USDA report for export of horses& livestock. Almost 60,000 killed,not sure if yrly or.According to the USDA 1,471.00 horses slaughtered 10/26, 1716.00 10/03 Ytd,44,900 something,previous ytd 104,000 if Im correct
Horse racing is built on gambling and big money. Along with that comes publicity and adoration – as long as the beautiful animal continues to “entertain” the gamblers by running its heart out. When that ceases, either through accident, or racking up the loses, then the so-called love dissipates in favor of another winning animal. It’s all about addiction and money, not the horse.
Horses are not like kleenexes, to be used and throen away!!
I am absolutely heartsick over the losses of such beautiful, intelligent and loving animals! I see no excuse for such evil treatment of them by the humans who surround them. I know, it’s not all humans. There are enough around them, however, who thoughtlessly cause them immense harm, and they are certainly not looking after the best interests of these horses. Horse racing has definitely become a problem, of late. Or maybe it has always been a problem and that it was more successfully covered up in the past than can be done in today’s world under current media conditions. Human selfishness and greed surely play no small part. Horse racing should simply be banned to protect the horses, since humans in the industry now are incapable of responsible care for the welfare of these great equine athletes.
Horse racing conditions must change. The abuse is rampant. Please make kind laws to protect abused horses 🐎. They suffer and have no rights.
You can’t fix wicked, Tara. Horseracing must end.
Stopped by the Paulick Report for my daily dose of nausea, and read his View From the 8th Pole.
He needs to have his 8th pole shoved up his ass.
Just remember, he makes his money off those clicks, Rebecca.
When are people going to care and learn? This horse racing needs to END!
Racehorse’s deaths need to end. My family raced standarbreds for years & I never saw or heard of a death during my lifetime & I’m 73 years old now!~!!! Somethings really WRONG with the racehorse industry today. The horses are literally racing for their lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe the huge number of deaths Something is definitely wrong.