The dead bodies – for gambling and entertainment, I remind – continue to pile up at Belmont Park (43 on the year, in case anyone’s lost count). Yesterday, the Gaming Commission reports, Solar Fire, two, “sustained a r elbow fracture in his stall” and was euthanized. The Commission, of course, will categorize this as “non-racing,” unmistakably implying that the connections’, the track’s, the industry’s hands are clean. Lies. It matters not where death ultimately comes – in the stall, on the track, at the slaughterhouse – all racehorse deaths are Racing deaths. Full stop.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
This is heartbreaking.
I can’t stand this anymore and this needs to SHUT DOWN now.
Not only is the brutality, doping, beating and killing unacceptable, but so is the billions in casino profits given to this state-sanctioned animal cruelty.
This money would build communities, bridges, roads and help out people who need it.
Instead, it’s going to support this vile business.
Folks, please write your local politicians and tell them that you want the funding to stop.
Gina,you know what upsets me?,seeing the pictures of the new foals,the farms put out…looking at those cuter than all get-out newborns,it breaks your heart,because you know they’re going to have a hellish existence and death. These innocents don’t deserve ANY of this bullshit. Entertain yourselves with something other than living breathing SOULS.
It’s absolutely ridiculous the number of fatal injuries racehorses get in their stalls. I can’t even imagine cramping a 17 hand plus enthusiastic young colt in a tiny 12 x 12 stall for 23 hours a day. These poor horses are literally being driven insane.
Point taken, but Belmont will never “equal” Santa Anita, because nobody yet understands (least of all the folks at Santa Anita) WHY Santa Anita suddenly became Santa Anita.
I’ve got a couple theories, and believe the efforts of Patrick and the staff and supporters of Horseracing Wrongs deserve no small portion of the credit for what we are all witnessing. But these efforts alone can’t explain the laser-focused public outrage to one track. Stranger still, all that long-overdue attention came about at a time when they weren’t even killing off any more horses than usual.
Anywhere one looks, the very name Santa Anita is now inextricably linked to dead horses. Most of those I encounter daily know very little about horse racing (a credit to their character;), but they sure know “where all those horses are dying.” I do my part to try and explain that these deaths, and soooooo many more, are part and parcel of all of horse racing; that what’s become the familiar Cali local breaking news story (“This just in: Another racehorse has died at Santa Anita”) should be aired for EVERY track, in every state. But for some reason, it still isn’t. The exact same media attention that’s been showered on SA should be afforded Belmont’s carnage (and Gulfstream’s, and Keeneland’s, and every last other horse track still somehow clinging to existence.
Still, seems we have a lot to celebrate as 2019 comes to a close!
The horse racing community? Not so much.
Happy New Year to all at Horseracing Wrongs:)
Kelli,you are sooooo Right!!! It will come to an end when the next big recession hits,and the next one will be even worse because of the astronomical deficit and all the propping up gimmicks have been played out and used up.Just look how prices have been rising,so many people are living paycheck to paycheck…barely hanging in there. And that is when the outcry will come.People will need that tax money for themselves..to exist.Just look at the homeless issues in cities.
Mmm… “sustained a r (right) elbow fracture in his stall” ?
Huh ?
Fractures usually occur in training (which are often not disclosed) and during a race. Hence my query.
Well, one would think that given this industry is a public industry, and I hasten to add, sustained by the public e.g. taxpayers, that Belmont would, at the very least, disclose WHY this racehorse fractured his right elbow.
Until they do this, one can only speculate.
Is that fair enough?
Waiting for the cause of the fracture in the stall, Belmont and/or the relevant racing commission.
FWIW back down under in Australia, we had a wonderful mare, Makybe Diva, who won three (3) of our Melbourne Cups. Thankfully, the owner decided upon her much needed retirement, much to the chagrin of her trainer.
With all of the racehorse deaths I’ve investigated for more than 10 years to date in my state, Makybe Diva’s first foal’s death really got to me. Probably because
I’d had the privelege to observe him prior to his sale as a yearling, he looked more like his grand sire, Sadler’s Wells and was a darling to observe his equine behaviour. He had a beautiful nature. Bored out of his brain when confined.
He failed to perform and surprise, surprise he ended up being sold for a measly $17,000 to a bunch of footballers who employed a famous trainer (name withheld for legal reasons) who was going to wave the magic wand on our famous Melbourne Cup mare’s first offspring. This gelding died from trauma to his head when confined in his stall. He was being prepared to race again in Sydney. I have ideas about what was happening in his stall at the time. During my time over the years as a strapper/stablehand in a few racing stables, I’ve seen the adverse reaction of a horse when he’s about to be needled and it ain’t pretty.
Not for one minute am I suggesting that this was the case in either Rockstar’s or Solar Fire’s deaths.
The public NEEDS to be better educated about tax payers money going to subsidizing this archaic bloodbath. Believe me the taxpayers are going to NEED that money. Voting out the politicians who give this money to barely keeping racing on life support. WAKE UP people!!!!!!!!!
This is dire, when will this carnage end.
I pray that only good positive people will be around these beautiful special Souls. I pray that the Bad Evil people will be gone from their lives. These are beautiful intelligent giving animals and they deserve to be cared for by good intelligent people. Sending positive vibrations to these beautiful animals. I pray that God will allow every News Network to bring awareness in order to help these beautiful horses! Amen. Thank you God in advance!