As I just wrote, while NYRA is currently at Aqueduct, they’re still training horses at Belmont – and still killing them. Yesterday morning, says the Gaming Commission, Gio Game “broke from the gate and appeared to have a cardiovascular collapse.” Dead. Gio Game was but four years old – four, still in equine puberty.
Despite what industry apologists regularly say when these “sudden cardiac events” go down – “could happen to a horse anywhere” – there’s nothing natural about this; it’s a horseracing thing. In fact, this is the 7th adolescent horse to drop dead of a failed heart this year at Belmont alone. But fret not, for the Commission assures an “investigation [has been] initiated.” Never mind that we’re still waiting on every investigation that’s been initiated since I’ve been doing this (2013).
Belmont Park, 38 dead horses in 2019…and counting
Doyouknowsomething, Jan 8, stall – “sustained left elbow injury in stall”
Speke, Jan 19, training – “suffered a fracture to his right shoulder”
Catpsalm, Jan 29, stall – “protozoal myeloencephalitis”
Miss Marion, Feb 3, training – “fractured cannon bone…euthanized on track”
Chronos, Feb 3, training (euthanized Feb 4) – “fractured right front leg”
For Pops, Feb 26, training – “collapsed and died” (four years old)
Queen Bode, Mar 3, training – “euthanized at hospital”
Mighty Zealous, Mar 10, stall – “severe respiratory distress…euthanized”
Miss Marilyn, Mar 23, training – “leg injury…euthanasia on the track”
Miss Mimosa, Mar 28, training – “cardiovascular collapse” (three years old)
Pretty Enuff, Apr 1, training – “suffered a leg fracture…euthanized”
Luz Mimi, Apr 4, training – “suffered a leg fracture…euthanized”
La Manche, Apr 11, training – “suffered a fracture…and was euthanized”
Noble Cause, May 11, racing – “injuries necessitating euthanasia”
Anne’s Song, May 24, racing – “ambulanced off, euthanized due to poor prognosis”
Successful Mission, Jun 9, training – “sustained fractures while breezing”
Inflection, Jun 9, racing – “euthanized due to poor prognosis”
Ro Bear, Jun 16, stall – “died in the barn from an apparent impaction colic”
With Caution, Jun 28, training – “P1 fracture…died complications from anesthesia”
Fancy Persuasion, Jun 30, racing – “went down dead on the track” (two years old)
yet-to-be-named, Jul 11, training – “fractured sesamoids…euthanized”
La Fuerza, Jul 27, training – “fractured humeral, ambulanced to barn, euthanized”
Royal Inheritance, Sep 6, training – “collapsed and died” (five years old)
Passporttovictory, Sep 6, racing – “bad steps”
Mo Moxie, Sep 7, training – “sustained a fracture and was euthanized on track”
Deft, Sep 12, racing – “broke front leg and was euthanized on the track”
Rhode Island, Sep 14, racing – “was vanned off…subsequently euthanized”
Coffee Crush, Sep 19, training – “cardiovascular collapse” (four years old)
Have Another, Sep 20, stall – “severe laminitis”
Meet Me in L A, Sep 21, racing – “went wrong…euthanized”
E Z for You to Say, Oct 10, stall – “severe laminitis [both front] feet” (two years old)
Mo Fun, Oct 14, training – “suffered a cardiovascular collapse” (three years old)
Kid Robin Hood, Nov 2, training – “sustained a fracture at the 5/16 pole”
Darken a Day, Nov 10, training – “sustained injury to leg requiring euthanasia on track”
Long Haul Bay, Nov 21, stall – “severe colic”
Goneonamission, Nov 24, stall – “found deceased with apparent head injury”
Sweet Timing, Nov 29, stall – “pelvic injury…fever and pleuropneumonia”
Gio Game, Dec 6, training – “cardiovascular collapse” (four years old)
So the standard line is to say, “An investigation has been initiated” more or less. At the same time, no results from any investigation since 2013, and possibly before 2013, has ever been produced or made known to anyone that wants to know.
So where is the government oversight that can do any investigations into the endless mistreatment and deaths of horses?
Being paid by lobbyists to not care.
The evidence has been proven but sad to say money talks! Strict laws or stiffer laws if any need to be enforced !
There is absolutely NO facet of horse racing that is not cruel, sickening, or disgusting, usually a combination of all three. It’s beyond belief that such an archaic barbaric industry can still be functioning in America today, when the torture and abuse that these horses endure from the start to finish of their life is right out there for anyone and everyone to see. No one in the racing industry or in the straggling mob of supporters is able to give ONE moral or ethical reason why killing a living sentient being for entertainment is acceptable – and killing them in utterly agonizing ways that a serial animal torturer would be proud of. What in the hell is so wrong with people that they can see a horse’s leg snap completely off and continue to rabidly support the racing industry?! I don’t understand how thousands of supposedly sensible horse owners aren’t demanding that this death show be shut down. I don’t understand how PETA and HSUS and the rest of these animal welfare groups will travel halfway around the world on behalf of animals, but refuse to intervene in one of the most blatant and widespread cruelty cases right under their noses. And I don’t understand how those parasitic animal abusers in the racing industry can have their violations on display on freaking national television and still be able to go out there EVERY DAMN DAY and exploit and kill horses with no remorse, no consequences, and no apparent end in sight.
#HowManyMoreHaveToDie
Where’s that Santa Anita outrage? Oh, it’s coming. It’ll swallow New York. And Florida. And Maryland. And Pennsylvania…and, yes, even Kentucky.
Right now, I truly believe Cali racing is finished. Those still keeping a toehold in the game are just desperately wishing for the impossible; that no more horses will die in the initial days of SA’s upcoming meet, starting Dec. 26th.
They know damn well that all the so-called safety reforms they claim to have enacted — and those still up for discussion — are not even putting a dent in the death count that the whole world is witnessing. They’ve shown us all that they CANNOT stop the carnage. They were running ridiculously short fields, with minimal races, yet continued to host breakdown after breakdown right up to the day Mongolian Groom ruined their little party in the Bleeders’ Cup Classic. They tried to carry on with their usual public denial and obscene self-promotion, but we all knew that Santa Anita was finished. Over and done.
Still, all hope was not lost for the entire state’s racing industry. Until, suddenly, it was.
Prior to Nov. 10 — “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” — horse racing folks were able to proudly point to Del Mar’s previous, first ever, “fatality-free” racing meeting to reassure themselves that, by gosh, it COULD be done. They made themselves believe that, at least “Where the Turf Meets the Surf,” they could continue to whip drugged TBs across dirt without killing them. On Sunday, Bloody Sunday, THREE horses, in three separate races, went down, and all three were euthanized. Del Mar had instantly proven to the world that it was, indeed, EXACTLY like its sister track, the “beleaguered” Santa Anita.
Racing kills horses. The world now knows it. California will be the first to ban horse racing outright, but as with all other social movements, many more progressively-enlightened communities will follow suit.
Mongolian Groom was smarter than all those F’n Tools.He knew he was injured and didn’t want to go into the gate.When the FUCK are those scumbag vets gonna be held ACCOUNTABLE 12 asshole vets and those idiots couldn’t see he was INJURED in his HiND????????????WTF . I’m sick of you scumbags in this sleazy crooked rigged gambling scum shit. GET A REAL job you f’n losers. OK I’m gonna go there,you racing idiots are no better than Lindsey Graham.
God…I pray your Right Kelly!!!!!!!
GIO GAME trained by multiple killer Mark Casse and owner John C. Oxley.
These 2 often team up and plenty of racehorses have died and/or disappeared under their care.
They probably use the same doping regime and daily business practices that lead to racehorses dying before GIO GAME died.
Hence, “killing” and it’s more reasonable to call it this because they don’t stop doing to racehorses what leads to their dying.
It’s not surprising that GIO GAME was purchased at the Ocala 2 year-old-in-training sale so the heavy pounding on his muscoskeletal system started as a baby.
It’s highly likely that his issues started during this time and exacerbated with the continued pounding and racing.
The amount of dope required to keep masking existing ailments keeps increasing until it becomes an overdose resulting in cardiovascular collapse.
Now this is all speculation, although probable, because these racehorse abusers and killers keep their doping records secret and there’s never any disclosure of such during their bogus “investigations.”
These parasites have never and will never be held accountable for what should be deemed Felony Animal Cruelty only because it’s conducted under the banner of horse racing.
This continuous dying is so deeply disturbing, but it’s outrageous that our communities are being forced to support this via casino profits.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
How many California horse vets does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Um, Thirty-two, apparently.
Thirty to look the other way, because the light bulb is clearly pre-shattered.
One to humanely destroy the poor, broken bulb.
And, finally, one more to decide that it’s just better for everyone in horse racing to continue living in total darkness.
The list of tragedy is endless, such a cavalier attitude to the devotion these magnificent creatures give to us.
Well, as if so many horses being KILLED isn’t DEPRESSING enough, that Fat Faced Scumbag Caton Bredar hit the pick six yesterday Gulfstream. Any chance you’ll use some of that money to save horses? Didn’t think so, you greedy scum. God, I hate that phoney bologney,and that grating way about her.
And no mention anywhere, that I can find, even by Caton, about the horse that broke down yesterday at Gulfstream. They rave about their record handle, and an amazing day of racing, but a probable dead horse gets tucked away. From the same owners as Santa Anita no less, and the trainer is the scum that brags about “juicing” his horses. Not surprisingly, he hasn’t mentioned his horse either.
EXACTLY!!! Peggy
Bonnie and Peggy,
If it were not for your comments here on this blog, I would not know anything about what happened at Gulfstream yesterday. If it were not for this blog, there are a great number of horses that are dead that I would not know about. I don’t follow horseracing closely enough to know who is doing what and/or at which racetrack. I am grateful that there are people who can and do follow racing in a way that uncovers some of what the horseracing industry has been hiding from public view as much as possible. I do know that the modus operandi of the horseracing industry and every racetrack is to keep their dirty, dastardly deeds as secret as possible. It is a crying shame and extremely depressing! I can only hope and pray that more horses are saved from the hands of these evil people who put their own selfish desires first and foremost, above all else. The horses need rescuing! May the deceased horses rest in peace. 😞
They brag constantly about all these “record handles” but what are they giving to the horses who they are TORTURING and killing? EVERYBODY in this evil has blood and sins on THEIR hands….go rot in hell.
Bonnie, I knew from back in 1966 that the pari-mutuel handle and the revenue that it brought to the local economy of Lewiston, Idaho was the top priority for having horseracing in Lewiston. The newspaper articles published this kind of information. The same was true of the horseracing in Kennewick, Washington at Sun Downs in 1985/86, when I lived there. The newspaper published articles about the pari-mutuel handle as if the horses were the least important thing about racing, or at least one of the least important parts of horseracing.
In Lewiston, they didn’t make enough money in the summer of 1966 to have horseracing so the track remained at Lewiston Round-Up grounds as a training track for several years up until 1981. The old rodeo grounds were torn down and a new rodeo grounds was built in 1982 in a different part of Lewiston. There were people who wanted horseracing in Lewiston to continue and they even had a name, address and phone number published in the new phone book. However, a horseracing track and “legalized” horseracing in Lewiston did not materialize in 1982 or no year since that time. There was no listing in the phone book the following year or at all since 1982 in Lewiston, Idaho.
Wanda,I enjoy reading your posts very much.I grew up surrounded by Standardbreds,which gave me my interest in horses. Look up Brandywine Raceway (Harness Racing) I literally grew up right next to that storied magnificent site,Sooooo respected,by the way.
Bonnie and. Peggy.the breakdown at Gulfstream. Was it race 2 horse #7 Tale of Fire?? He had a Dnf.
I still can’t cope with seeing that picture of Eight Belles trying to stay up with two snapped off legs.That right there should have been ENOUGH to turn anyone off.
Absolutely Horrible! It is so abnormal for these horses to die at such a young age. Horses live well into their 30’s. This evil must end fast all across the country, not just Santa Anita!