You know it’s bad when even your staunchest supporters are calling you out. John Cherwa is, of course, an unabashed racing apologist and, not unrelated, the paper he writes for, the Los Angeles Times, is a decidedly biased source of information on all things racing. (I have twice submitted editorials offering the activists’ perspective, to no avail; I and others have repeatedly reached out to Times staff in an effort to correct the record and/or lodge objections to Cherwa’s reporting, but again, nothing.) So imagine my surprise when Mr. Cherwa’s Tuesday column began thus:
“We’ve often said that statistics can be used to prove whatever point you are trying to make. For example, Santa Anita likes to use one about the number of horses that have been on the track, racing and training, to prove that the horse fatality rate is much lower than what people think. It’s in the tens of thousands of horses for this meeting. While it is true horses have been on the track, as they are several days a week, if only for a jog, it’s a made-up figure. The track just extrapolates the number of horses it has and comes up with an average. It would be shredded by an auditor. When you’re going to give a number is [sic] the thousands or even millions of a percent, you better be 100% correct. It’s why I don’t use that figure.”
And what exactly are the numbers Santa Anita is reporting? On their “Horse Care & Safety” page, under “Statistics,” this: “Home to 2,000 horses over ten months of the year, Santa Anita Park is one of the largest equine training facilities in the world. Horses raced or trained at Santa Anita Park over 420,000 times in 2019 with a 99.991% safety rate.” But it gets worse: “407,578 HORSES HAVE RACED, WORKED, OR GALLOPED THE PAST YEAR AT SANTA ANITA PARK.” Factually incorrect: There aren’t even 400,000 active racehorses in the entire country – not even close.
More “statistics,” of course, follow – a barrage of numbers meant to distract and deceive. Overwhelmed, the average person (and much of the media) will likely retain but one: “99.991%” – or, exactly as intended. (In addition, you have to scroll through all the “good news” to get to the bad – the “incidents,” as they call them. How many give up long before then?) But even if that “safety rate” were true, what would it matter? Here’s what we do know with absolute certainty: (at least) 8 horses have died at Santa Anita just since the first of the year; 43 dead in 2019, 48 in 2018, 46 in 2017; since 2007, over 600 dead racehorses at Santa Anita. Each of those lives had inherent value; to reduce their unequivocally wanton deaths to a percentage or ratio (see also The Jockey Club’s celebrated “Equine Injury Database”) is as callous as it is sad.
Then there’s this: Two separate studies have shown that the majority of spent American racehorses are brutally and violently bled-out and butchered at “career’s” end. In fact, the industry itself has even admitted as much: Last fall, Alex Waldrop, head of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, told USA Today that 7,500 Thoroughbreds are going to slaughter annually. Let me repeat, one of the most powerful people in racing acknowledges that multiple thousands – it’s actually more in the 10,000-12,000 range – of his industry’s erstwhile “athletes” land in equine hell every year. This fact alone not only guts their vaunted “safety rate,” but renders their declarations of the “primacy of equine welfare” positively obscene.
But Cherwa’s generous spirit had not quite run its course. Reinforcing the unassailable truth that this is a failing industry, Cherwa went on to compare the numbers from this year’s President’s Day at Santa Anita to the one in 2000:
attendance, 2000: 20,450 (and, he notes, it was raining that day)
attendance, 2020: 7,003
That’s a 66% decrease.
handle, 2000: $10,569,081
handle, 2020: $6,213,445
That’s a 41% decrease.
number of races, 2000: 10
number of races, 2020: 8
That’s a 20% decrease.
number of starters, 2000: 63
number of starters, 2020: 48
That’s a 24% decrease.
With demand for the racing product in steady decline, and the cruelty and killing at long last laid bare for the whole world to see, can the end, then, be far off?
Are the “facts” a little exaggerated on bith sides? The reason so many racehorses are ending up in slaughter pens is because the mentality at the racetrack among dirtbags (trainers) is to push as hard as possible and if they break down you can get another one. No problem. If that changed and they could not get more, I guarantee the ones they have would be alot more valuable and therefore they would be more careful with them. And they would last much longer. Training has to be about development. Not culling which is pretty much what is happening now. Also the owners and tracks are completely complicit with the “use them up” attitude. Tracks pay only lip service to reform. The tracks need alot of entries so they won’t exclude horses and punish trainers. If the horses are to last longer and be healthier, the entries will go down and that is why you can’t force the track to punish dirtbags. But, it will be fixed or it won’t be there. Alot more breeders should get involved and they will. Everything takes time. And some punishment for drug offenses and other things has already started. Patrick, there were many horses eased yesterday at Aqueduct and breakdowns at Tampa Bay and my favorite place (H)Oaklawn. Georgina Baxter and “pig wormer Joe Sharp” come immediately to mind. I appreciate all the hard work you do to gather these disasters from all over the United States. I do look at this religiously every day.
Allow me my 2 cents — as as example, NYC is banning use of plastic bags in all shopping markets — WHY, you ask? — I, personally, always RE-CYCLE my bags — I take that necessary step NOT to throw in the gutter and NOT to throw in the regular garbage bin which ends up in the land-fill — if everyone recycled, they would NOT be banning plastic bags today — the reason they’re BANNING — eliminating — ALTOGETHER is because many people “can’t be bothered” by placing plastic bags in the right receptacle — they have no time — many throw into the gutter, where these bags land up in our waters — AND, these are pretty good, responsible people — so, you can imagine the choices bad people would make — so, what do we DO? — to solve the problem of filthying up our natural world and torturously killing off our wild animals, e.g., sea turtle (this is one tiny example) AND poisoning ourselves by ingesting these tiny plastics — the only solution is to ELIMINATE ALL THE PLASTIC BAGS altogether — FOREVER — in this way, people as well as animals will finally STOP eating plastics and poisoning ourselves and each other.
mssm8822,
As you may know but didn’t include here is the horrible problem of many other plastic products polluting the land and oceans. Seabirds, especially baby seabirds, on remote islands or continents eating plastic lids instead of actual food. Of course they die of starvation. Plastic straws cause horrific problems for wildlife in our oceans and other waterways. Yes, people need to prioritize being responsible in many ways.
Yes, Wanda, of course — thank you for elaborating even more.
Mary,they have proven time and time again…no matter what the trainers and owners behavior will NOT Change. So please..don’t live in a delusional fantasy land.
I do not agree with the statement regarding exaggerating the “facts” concerning the abuse horses are subjected to in this business, because the true facts are mostly covered up and are rarely exposed and go untold.
As a small example, I was struck by one horse on the long list of dead athletes as needing further inquiry.The horse was listed as “found dead in stall”. The stated cause of death was very troubling to me, and when I looked at the horse’s racing history I was convinced there was something very wrong here.
It is extremely difficult to uncover truth in this sinister and secretive business. I’m sure Patrick could attest to that!! However, I’m sure many would agree we have to keep trying.
Every horse has a story and at the very least these stories need to be told.
Rose,
I completely agree with your statement that “Every horse has a story and at the very least these stories need to be told.”
In the case of the two horses killed by horseracing in Idaho, AFTERWHILE CROCODILE, a 3-year-old Quarter Horse, and PAST THE STARS, a 5-year-old Thoroughbred, I can only find what was listed on Equibase after reading Patrick’s post. AFTERWHILE CROCODILE and PAST THE STARS were both raced more times in a short span of days than any horse should be run besides the fact that they are forced to run carrying over 120 pounds at an age of underdevelopment. AFTERWHILE CROCODILE was listed as “stumbled, vanned off” with no other explanation of exactly what his injuries were. PAST THE STARS was listed as “not a factor” with no further explanation of anything regarding his death. That’s it. Two dead horses. If not for Patrick and this website, I, as well as lots of other people, would be clueless about these two dead horses killed by horseracing in Idaho. The same with thousands of other horses.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
My jaw dropped when I read John Cherwa’s SA fake stats column. I really thought he would have just regurgitated the Stronach lies. Imagine my surprise when he took an actual, well, journalistic stance in questioning their BS numbers. I’m curious why there’s no mention in the Times yet about Friday’s Los Al disasters, though. Those are just starting to trickle in to the TV outlets now.
Oh, and the CBS affiliate is using this site as its only source for the preliminary story:)
Kelly, you should have seen the way jockey Trevor McCarthy was left handed whipping the number 4 horse who won at Laurel today, I think it was race one. Holy Shit…it was so hard,I felt like I could feel each blow,it made me wince. That poor horse is gonna have welts like you won’t believe. SICK
I’ll take your word for it, Bonnie. These racing folks are monsters.
Again, smiles instead of tears, YAY!!! Yes, the truth is coming out, people are believing. Please keep the heat on this vile business, to shut it down for good, LOVE always overcomes evil, Amen!!
No, John. Your stats are either inflated or made up! We are not buying. What matters are the dead horses and the future dead horses! Killing them for profit! Does it make you feel good? These regal animals are cruelly being used as entertainment, to their deaths! We are appalled. Get a new hobby. Get a new way to make your money. The money you make now is bloody. SHAME ON YOU!
SO WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BEHAVE LIKE RESPONSIBLE CARING ADULTS AND STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF HORSES AND CALL THIS A SPORT FOR THE WEALTHY.
SHUT DOWN the HORSE-RACING racket — FOREVER — This is what HORSE-RACING is about for the Horses — grueling work — grueling work — grueling work — THEN, kill – kill — kill — death — death — death — WHO benefits? — WHO lives a miserable, torturous life? — TO WHAT END?! — WHY?! — The Horse-racing industry MUST be SHUT DOWN — FOREVER — The history of MANKIND is carried on the back of the Horse — All HORSES deserve to be respected and protected no matter what a man says they’re worth.
Beautifully said…🙏
Patrick,
Thank you so much for this report. I am encouraged that progress is being made in causing the end of horseracing. Horseracing is horse killing and that is obviously why it needs to be banned. No horse should suffer the unnecessary torture of all the different abusive things that racing people do to their horses. It is so unacceptable to race one horse multiple times in a span of 30 days or even less besides starting them under saddle as yearlings and forcing them to do the extreme, forcing the horse to perform beyond his or her limitations to the point of death.
HORSES ARE DYING. I’m not sure why that fact doesn’t seem to register with the racing industry. They insist on citing numbers and percentages when they should be made to answer the question: Why are horses allowed to die AT ALL?! Why is even one horse dying on a race track for entertainment somehow a legitimate acceptable fact of this “sport” – a sport in which its “athletes” are claimed to be “loved like children”? The truth is that there is NO moral or ethical reason that ANY animal should be made to die for human entertainment, and the cold fact that the racing industry can kill THOUSANDS of horses every year with no culpability, no repercussions, and absolutely no empathy or sympathy for the horrors they inflict on living sentient beings can’t be explained away with a smokescreen of false numbers, love balloons, and worn out rhetoric hundreds of years old. HORSES ARE DYING.
And Rebecca…it’s not like we don’t have a million other forms of entertainment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let’s remember that racing horses is NOT a sport. It is an industry based on gambling, lying, greed and corruption. It is an industry that cares nothing about the machines, otherwise known as horses. We will continue pushing for a ban on this animal abusing business. The only way to stop killing horses is to stop racing them.
marymbaggaley,
Horses will always end up in the slaughterhouse if they survive racing and cannot be raced anymore. If they are not turning a profit to their OWNER(S) or OWNER-TRAINER and are of no use as a breeding animal, they usually are not going to be turned out to pasture by a depraved, degenerate or derelict individual who only cares about buying, selling, training and racing and turning a profit. The breeding farms that charge astronomical stud fees are not going to be happy with anyone putting a limit on how many mare owners they can collect these stud fees from and the racetracks are in business to make money. I don’t believe owning and operating a racetrack was ever a hobby for anyone and it certainly is not a hobby for The Stronach Group. The Racing Secretary of multiple different racetracks accept entries and entry fees ($$$$$$$$$$$$) from owners/trainers of one horse multiple times in one race meet to fill out a race card even if it is just 4 or 5 horses. If one is “not a factor” or “stumbled, vanned off” do you think the track owners and operators care when they can downplay the fact that a horse just died from being raced to death? That is their business, to race horses and put on a show for gambling entertainment regardless of how morally depraved it is.
Cherry picking numbers to further your lies doesn’t paint a true picture.
To whom are you referring?
I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess you’re just another little racing creep who snipes out random, passive-aggressive non-statements, then mysteriously disappears.
Is this really what you guys have been reduced to?
You know David,just the fact that they’re being denied the thing they love more than ANYTHING in the world…living life as they were meant as PACK animals, is more than enough torture. How would you like to be denied what makes you the most happy?
Bonnie,
When you said PACK animals, I thought of horses being used as a pack animal, as in outfitters that do guided pack trips for people that hunt deer, elk, moose, or other wild game animals. I know you mean horses are animals that prefer to live in a group of other horses referred to as a HERD.
I know that we won’t be able to know the exact numbers of racehorses being killed because the racing industry is not keen on recording and reporting all of the deaths of horses used in the racing industry. They also don’t exactly do cherry-picking of numbers (in my opinion) as much as they do comparing apples to oranges in how the Jockey Club and Santa Anita Park calculate the so-called safety rating to deceive the public. Even just one dead horse killed by racing or racing related activities is significant and there are so many that have been killed and not reported. The racing industry is not known for being forthcoming with all of the facts. Owners and trainers cheat each other in various ways and it is the horses who have to suffer the abuse inflicted upon them including the drug abuse.
And of course the racing industry is the model of honesty and transparency. Alright, David, you’ve thrown your little stone, now run back to the Paulick Report and tell them all how brave you were.
I think the industry needs to be shut down. It is built on nothing but misery. Day-in and day-out MISERY. If the horses don’t drop dead on the race track, they go to the slaughter house. There is NO good outcome for ANY of the horses. None of them have any chance. Just looking at them is heartbreaking. They give 100% – heart, body, and soul – but all they get in return is a whip across their ass and then a knife in the neck.
Well said, and welcome, Kathleen:)
That’s not 100% true. There are many organizations who rehome OTTBs- Canter, Changing Saddles, Amy Paulus, who are in it for the horses. I have two through Amy who are amazing- one I took as rehab for a bow and one I just purchased. These organizations are great, and give people an opportunity to have a fabulous horse for dirt cheap. One of mine sold for $100K as a yearling- ran five races- SLOWLY! I bought him at three years old for $1500.00 plus shipping. He’s a love. There just aren’t enough buyers/organizations/maybe awareness of this to handle the tidal wave of overbreeding in this industry. It blows my mind that my horse’s stud fee was $150K (Quality Road) and he was a throw away horse. I’m in Kansas (about to cry) and would have no access to these horses if it weren’t for these organizations, and yes, they would probably all end up at the slaughterhouse. I have another crazy TB mare I took from a rescue- she was skin and bones- she’s tattooed- She’s hanging out with the retirees, and I may look her number up and see who she is sometime.
Thank you — thank you for loving these Horses and taking them in — I wish there were more of you : thus more Horses could be adopted — BUT, since this is NOT the case, think of all the Horses left behind to only be put on the PATH TO DEATH — for this reason, this unconscionable & depraved industry MUST be SHUT DOWN — again, Beth, THANK YOU for rescuing them.
Words and actions are not the same.
I heard a blurb on the radio the other day…….so can’t verify the facts……but the bottom line was that the horse owners were filing suit because they insist the problem is with the track, Santa Anita in this instance. The problem is with the owners and trainers and what they do with and to the horses when they are not at the track. I hate horse racing, but, historically, the one thing a track like SA has done that has actually helped other equine disciplines, is put money and research into surfaces. Yes, I think the tracks should be shut down, but the onus for this continuing atrocity is on the owners and trainers.
Santa Anita is starting something called a “Sunshine Bonus” to try to entice owners from other states to bring their horses to race at SA. Because killing horses from their own state just isn’t enough – they have to practically bribe outside owners in. More horses, more needless deaths, more bad publicity. Great thinking, Santa Anita!
And more money to fill the card
I perused the racing results for the last 3 days at Santa Anita and it was horrendous.
The following racehorses listed can easily be categorized as the “walking dead.”
All of them were either “eased,” “weakened,” and/or “no rally.”
The above descriptions reflect racehorses who are suffering, in some capacity, because for a racehorse to exhibit this behavior they would have to be suffering pretty bad as most others only get through the race because they are being subjugated, forced, and/or abused via the act of incessant beating/whipping.
TURKISH ANGEL, HOT ON THE TRAIL, AT THE MARGIN, WINS IN FASHION, MONGOLIAN LEGEND, HUDSON RIVER PARK, TAKEO, DR. HOFFMAN, DUDE’S DREAM, ZEE’S EMPIRE, MR. NASTY, SAVING SOPHIE, SUPER BUNNY, COOL RUNNINGS, FANTASTIC DAY, LA SARDANE, TWO FILLY COUP, WHATSITTOYA, SAY IT WITH ROSES.
On Saturday, February 22 Race 8 it got so bad that the last 5 were all either eased, weakened or struggled to finish the race on their own volition: PRINCE RICK, GRAND SIERRA, CHERRY PIE, GEOCAS STREET, WICKED BLUE.
Then the suffering continues with DIAMOND RANGER, VODKA TWIST, TOWER SNASH, DON’T UNZIP ME, PEPE TONO, ACKER, MOMSIENKO, BIRD, SECRET COURIER, PATZILLA, SARA CREWE, ELEMENTAL, SPRECKELS.
On Sunday, February 23, 2020 RACE 8 There were 10 racehorses running and 6/10 struggled to make it through the race on their own volition. So 60% of the racehorses in that race were obviously suffering in some capacity and they were: TURN THE SWITCH, GO DADDY GO, CRYSTAL TRIBE, M TOWN GEM, SOUTHERN KING, STORM THE BASTILLE.
It’s important to note that these racehorses, with issues in some capacity, can be transferred from track to track, state to state, trainer to trainer, owner to owner with NO doping/vet/treatment records following them.
So the issues that probably exist today become worse tomorrow and increase their potential for demise with every step.
Yet, the industry who claims to “care” permits this to continue because, not only do they not care, but they require racehorses to fill races and wagering coffers even when they know that they are suffering.
This abuse is intentional, malicious, and supported by all in horse racing.
However, it’s not just Santa Anita, but when I perused Gulfstream Park, also owned by The Stronach Group, and every single other racetrack running over the weekend it was pretty much the same.
Almost all of the above named racehorses are headed for either their legs snapping-off resulting in them dying in the dirt, permanent maiming most likely resulting in them being bled-out on the slaughterhouse floor.
This is the sad truth behind this despicable business that needs to shut down.
Gina. LaSardane was the horse that went down with ArmsRunner awhile back. She lived to run another day. The race over the weekend was not a good one for her. Another example of what is so obvious it could not be clearer.
Thanks for pointing that out Nancy.
LaSardane “lived to run another day,”
Indeed she did, but I would say she “lived to suffer another day” until she either dies or gets dumped.
This example also exemplifies the farce that Santa Anita has implemented reforms to protect racehorses.
For example, I went back and watched the race where LaSardane went down and it was horrific.
She would have sustained injuries to some degree despite what they say.
Yet, the multiple vets that Ms. Stronach insisted on hiring as an extra measure – WHERE ARE THEY?
They seem to be either asleep at the switch or deliberately ignoring PP’s as clearly evident when MONGOLIAN GROOM displayed lameness in the rear leg that snapped-off days before the Breeders Cup.
What followed was a “cover-up” report by full-fledged apologist and racehorse investor, Dr. Larry Bramledge, who didn’t include the most important information in his report – it was a sham.
Furthermore, WHERE ARE THE INJURY records because LaSardane would have been treated after that fall.
Well, we will never know just how much she suffered and/or continues to suffer because this is horse racing where their lack of transparency is evident and is counter-intuitive to their so-called reforms.
If they cared they would ensure that every racehorse’s medical/treatment records follow them throughout their career.
Instead, they deliberately hide them so that injured, lame, suffering racehorses continue to fill races for them because profits over the racehorses’s welfare is what clearly matters.
LaSardane – hope you make it out alive, but where will you go?
Gina and Nancy,
Wouldn’t it be awesome if you, or anyone who knows of the horrendous suffering that these racehorses must endure at the hands of their so-called caretakers, could make a phone call to a law enforcement department or agency and these abusive caretakers would be arrested and the suffering horses would be seized and sent to a rescue, on behalf of a humane society, that would honestly take care of them and give them the medical care they need?
Gina the race with LaSardane and Arms was horrendous. And we also made fact that the jockeys just walked away and the poor horses were looking for some kind of help.
PLEASE STOP CRUELTY AND NOT EATING AND MURDERER STOP!
THE ANIMALS DID HURTING YOU HUH!
No more lies! No more dead horses! Santa Anita Park, as well the whole horseracing industry need to come clean!
“…..can the end, then, be far off?”
I suspect maybe. And I think and it will come down to profitability.
ANY ABUSE OF THE RACE HORSE SHOULD BE ATTENDED TO IMMEDIATELY!!! IT’S A SAD AND HORRIFIC TESTAMENT TO ALL OF US WHO HAVE HEARD THESE STORIES AND NOT FORCED THE SO CALLED” ELECTED OFFICIALS” TO DO SOMETHING AT ONCE TO STOP THIS CARNAGE !!!!!! HORSES ARE GENTLE CREATURES WHO HAVE GREAT HEARTS AND LOVE TO SHARE WITH US – THE WORTHLESS HUMAN BEING? LIKE ALL THINGS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY- THE LACK OF TRUE ACTION SHOWS A COUNTRY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT THEIR COMPASSION IN THE GARBAGE.
Frances,well said, I agree with EVERY word. The frustration level of not being able to SAVE these beautiful majestic gentle horses is off the charts. This country right now is the worst I’ve ever seen. There is NO moral compass
Did I miss it, or was there any mention of overworking horses – if no change, the frequency of starts will still be up to the trainer!! I think that is a glaring omission and speaks to the feigned “concern” for the welfare of the horse.
This business has had years and years to make meaningful changes to impact horse “safety” but instead it choose to make matters worse with drugs bad actors and the wholesale slaughter of horses, not to mention deception, corruption and cover ups.
Nothing will change because if the proper consideration and care of the horse became a reality the business would fold.
I checked the horses, AFTERWHILE CROCODILE and PAST THE STARS, killed in Idaho on Equibase. They were raced two days in a row; raced one day towards the beginning of a short race meet and then raced again the very next day. I don’t know how many horses this happens to all of the time but I think it is very many and very often. Obviously, this is done for the wagering handle, attempting to get at least 4 horses to run in one race, and the owner’s/trainer’s morally depraved choice to abuse horses. It’s horrible and completely contradicts true horsemanship. More people need to become aware of this tragic situation. More people need to know and speak up that racing and gambling does unethical and UNACCEPTABLE cruelties to horses. Hopefully more people will speak out against this inhumane treatment of horses used in racing.
The CHRB is touting their new “reforms” including their “limitations on shock wave therapy” rule.
It’s a joke, completely laughable, and everybody in the industry knows that it will take little effort to apply SWT to a racehorse off the track and just ship it in.
SWT is NOT traceable like a doping substance can be.
There’s no way to prove that a racehorse has received SWT unless caught on tape.
Furthermore, this rule requires the application of SWT to be done in a designated therapy room.
Well – HELLO – myself, and others were the ones who brought this rule in YEARS AGO back in 2005 and Del Mar was one of the first tracks where it was implemented to the staunch disagreement of most trainers and owners there.
Most of the top trainers like Baffert, O’Neill etc.had their main string of racehorses at Santa Anita.
They kept a small string at Del Mar, since it was a short meet, and they often would ship in and out their top racehorses from Santa Anita to race at Del Mar either on the day of racing or a day before.
This was precisely why I was so aggressive, as an Associate Steward, to gain access to the grounds of Santa Anita to catch these cheaters, to level the playing field, and my top priority was the health and welfare of the racehorses.
I was adamant about it with Santa Anita management and once Stronach evidently got word of this (he knew me from Canada and knew my trainer Dad) I was actually BANNED from the grounds, was told that I would be charged with Trespassing plus I was taken off my Steward stand duties for the up and coming meet!!!
Imagine that?
This is the anti-thesis of people who “care” and want to get rid of the cheaters and/or the methods of which most certainly lead to racehorses dying.
Than I find out that, evidently, Stronach himself knew that his trainers were using it on his racehorses to win races, plus they had the “insider” information that the racehorses who received SWT were the ones with a higher change of winning and paying off huge bets.
I witnessed Rick Arthur DVM applying SWT to one of Richard Mandela’s racehorses entered in a stake race so, in my view, Dr. Arthur is a main source of cheating in California and he’s still in one of the most powerful positions on the CHRB.
It’s all smoke and mirrors just as this post claims and racehorses will continue to die and just as they get the SWT rule in place they are probably onto something else anything to win at the racehorse’s peril.
This is horse racing.
Gina, I STILL don’t understand why it’s not MANDATORY that the medical records FOLLOW the horses…wherever they go!! Am I missing something???? I hate these assholes more and more each day. I hope they all get Coronavirus…because they are all human scum. Nobody will miss them.
Gina, your story says it all about how much these morally vile and depraved “people” care about their horses and their money. Obviously, the horses are never safe as long as they are owned and trained by these vile creeps in horseracing.
Well said, Gina.
Smoke and mirrors on the Covet-19 virus being released in an official statement from The Stronach Group.
I could have predicted almost every single word even before this statement was released.
True to industry form – their killing show MUST go on so that their wagering coffers can be filled.
Are they going to shut down?
Of course not, and they cleverly got control of the situation by making this announcement instead of complying with any type of recommendations coming out of Gov. Newsom’s office: “ban any venue with over 250 people.”
Not horse racing.
The Stronach Group, among other tracks, will implement “hand washing stations” and other mitigating things to prevent the spread of the virus, but NOT shutting down – no way.
Isn’t it funny how this vile business quickly announces and implements just about anything to prevent their tracks from shutting down?
Yet, their nowhere to be found at the kill auctions as their profit slaves are boarding the slaughter bound trucks.
That’s because those racehorses are their disposable gambling chips that they can’t make anymore money off of because they’ve destroyed their limbs and spirits.
What more can you expect from a bunch of racehorse beaters, animal abusers, and killers?
It only stands to reason that if they don’t care about the horses than why would they care about people?
Racehorses dying is just fine by them and if it means a person catching Covet-19 than that’s fine too.
If they truly cared about the racehorses snapping their legs-off than they would have shut their death pit down a long time ago and if the CHRB really cared than they would have enacted the Bill to shut it down.
Once again it’s so laughable that their statement spells out such “concern” over the health and welfare of people and horses too – these people sicken me.
How stupid do they think people are?
Give it time. The Coronavirus does not discriminate except that it is more apt to kill people over a certain age with UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS. People with diabetes, kidney failure and the need for dialysis, and respiratory infections and diseases will definitely die from Coronavirus especially over 50 or 60 years of age. Smoking cigarettes, cigars, and vaping will certainly add to the risk of dying from Coronavirus.
Gina..I did not see the statement
.BUT ask them if they will be in the grandstand with all the folks who can afford the $2.00 bets.