Through a FOIA request to the Texas Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2019. (This is Part 2; Part 1 here.) (Please note: With but two training deaths listed since May, the carnage in the Lone Star State is surely being underreported by the “connections”/tracks/Commission.)
Witt’s Cut, May 10, Lone Star R – “open fracture MCIII”
Sister Ashlee, May 17, Lone Star S – “colic” (last raced 13 days prior)
Hez Dashin Bigtime, May 17, Sam Houston R – “horse flipped in holding barn”
Yankee Gambler, May 19, Lone Star S – “laminitis” (raced 37 times)
Typhoon Tycoon, May 19, Lone Star T – “sesamoid fracture”
Magnum Maduro, Jun 1, Lone Star R – “sesamoid fracture”
Moro Chief, Jun 8, Lone Star R – “fetlock disarticulation”
yet-to-be-named, Jun 13, Lone Star S – “laminitis” (two years old)
F J Uncle Vic, Jun 30, Lone Star R (euthanized Jul 4) – “chondritis” (63rd race)
Pal Play, Jul 11, Lone Star R – “cannon fracture” (first race)
Smoklahoma, Jul 15, Lone Star T – “condylar fracture”
Carolina Jasmine, Jul 20, Lone Star R – “fetlock, both sesamoids”
Miss Perry Twister, Jul 23, Retama S – “colic” (last raced Jul 5)
Squeeze My Corona, Jul 27, Retama R – “spinal cord fracture”
Klone, Aug 10, Gillespie R – “cannon bone fracture”
Chattering Class, Aug 10, Retama S – “foundered” (70 races – most recently Jul 18)
Facunda, Sep 6, Retama R – “spinal cord fracture”
Little Bean, Sep 10, Retama R – “fetlock fracture”
Promissory Note, Oct 4, Lone Star S – “cellulitis”
Tenue de Soiree, Oct 22, Lone Star S – “neck/back”
Fm Dynasty Rock, Nov 9, Lone Star R – “facial/nasal fractures – massive blood loss”
I feel quite sure that horse mutilations from breakdowns are underreported everywhere. Nobody wants to know these things and people want to forget that they happen, fast. How in Gods name did a horse suffer a broken back? Texas has the worst kills. The one with massive blood loss from nasal and facial fractures was a good one too. But this will stop. Because prominent breeders ate starting to be heard on this topic and other topics as well. When trainer punishment becomes harsh the way it will in California, tracks will have fewer entries because dirtbags will want to avoid suspension.
I am NOT certain that suspensions will be a deterrent for some trainers. For example, Steve Asmussen had a suspension for 30 days for a violation in Kentucky and hired a lawyer to fight the suspension and the rules that he violated. He wants/wanted to get the rules changed to give all of the trainers more room to dope/drug the horses that they are responsible for so they can dope/drug more and not get any violations or suspensions. It shows me that he is an incorrigible horse abuser with a license and an income to abuse horses. If the racing commissioners and racetrack owners and operators cared about safety, they would revoke their licenses. But, the racing industry is fundamentally wrong to run yearlings in training for the big auction house sales and it is fundamentally wrong to have Baby Races. It is fundamentally wrong to race 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds. It is obvious that Bob Baffert and Steve Asmussen are doping and drugging their horses because they are racing and winning young underdeveloped horses on the road to the Kentucky Derby. I watched part of a video showing Steve Asmussen being interviewed at Oaklawn after a horse he trained won and the interviewer said he has 21 points so far.
Why race a horse with laminitis, I would assume that would be very painful! A trainer should know his horse mentally and physically! Secretariat was euthinized because of laminitis, it was very painful so should horses be raced with laminitis or not, it doesn’t sound like the horse should be raced at all at no time!
NO!
Shocking and horrifying inhumane treatment of horses caused most, if not all, of these injuries. I’m not sure exactly how some of these injuries could occur. How does a horse get nasal and facial fractures? It sounds horrible! No taxpayer that is against this barbaric industry should have to support it in any state whether it is Pennsylvania or Texas or any of the other states that still have horseracing.
When I was a full supporter and investor of this business I trained and raced in Texas.
This was back around 1998 where I raced at San Antionio’s Retama Park and Lone Star outside of Dallas.
Frank Stronach had just purchased both tracks under the now defunct “Magna Entertainment Group (MEG).”
It was just as horrific back then as it is now and Frank Stronach was well aware of racehorses dying.
Despite all his power, money, and so-called “love of racehorses,” he did absolutely NOTHING to improve the conditions or lives of racehorses for YEARS citing that they were the property of the owner.
What a great escape and I know why he says this it’s probably because his main goal is to fill races and his wagering coffers under his business and tracks he owns.
So to hear him and his daughter Belinda Stronach now claim to “care” and want to bring in all these “reforms” it’s laughable to me.
He knew damn well that horses were being doped and shock wave therapy a long time ago and this was long before his daughter took over so whether she would have done something about it is questionable.
Both him and his company now under a different name “The Stronach Group” doesn’t fool me now and didn’t fool me back then under MEG.
It’s all the same and this poor filly died while this parasite owned the track and he had very little to say:
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/article/Fleet-but-fatally-fragile-868526.php
If you take the time to read this article you will find the same old excuses, the same old lines, and the same delusional line of thinking – absolutely NOTHING has changed for these poor racehorses.
Anything they say is public wallpaper, empty rhetoric not followed by meaningful actions.
Also, back then MEG attempted to stop the local newspaper from publishing this so their business antics were the same back then as they were for years including hiding whips of photos to deceive the public.
They count on the public to forget about it and they are back to business as usual.
Furthermore, these tracks have never been financially sustainable and the only reason why they open is to tap into the state coffers, the millions that are put aside into the racehorse development funds.
The local politicians in and around these tracks have been trying to shut them down and shut down their funding for years.
Most all residents wants these tracks to be demolished and commercial/residential developments in their place.
It’s so vile that local cash-strapped governments on the verge of bankruptcy are supporting this and the majority of community residents don’t even know what’s going on or, if they do, they want it shut down.
The “horsemen groups” AKA HBPA continue to threaten the government here with a lawsuit if the raid their state funded horse racing funds, but nobody has challenged them as they continue to kill racehorses.
It’s utterly despicable and it’s the racehorses who pay the price every step of the way.
Incidentally, for those of you who view the article the ORIGINAL picture that accompanied this article showed MISS PRETTY PROMISES down in the dirt with both her front legs snapped-off.
She struggled to get up on her stubble’s, but true to industry form MEG under Stronach’s attorneys threatened to sue the newspaper for showing the picture claiming publication rights – no kidding.
That’s why the picture was changed out to show a healthy horse running barrels!
I was there, and I had a picture of her down in the dirt, but I don’t think I have it anymore.
I’ve tried to google it and it appears to have been scrubbed from all related articles.
Just like they hide the whip in their promotional pictures on their website they hide the ugly truth and have been for many years.
We have Patrick, HRW supporters of both, social media and Kill Lists to thank for exposing their vile business and to also point out that reforms will not stop racehorses from being subjected to the daily, abusive business practices that often lead to their death.
I remember the picture and it’s a picture you may have lost but an image that will stay with you forever…. RIP. With Love. Sopher D.