Through a FOIA request to the Louisiana State Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills on that state’s tracks in 2019. As if anticipating my annual question, the response came with this note: “The Louisiana State Racing Commission does not track or maintain a list of deaths that occur during training hours as those are more often than not handled between the trainer and their private veterinarian.” Neither, of course, did I receive stall deaths. So, the true carnage at Louisiana racetracks is much greater than the 60 I am reporting. (This is Part 2; Part 1 here.)
(“comminuted” – bone shatters into several/many pieces; “open/compound” – break causes open wound, bone has torn through the skin; “displaced” – ends of the snapped bone no longer line up; “disarticulation” – bones are separated at the joint)
Hold the Mic, Jan 4, Delta R – “[multiple] fractures”
Hawaiian Appeal, Jan 31, Delta R – “post exertional distress, sudden death”
Don’t Tell Sarah, Apr 4, Evangeline R – “suspensory rupture”
Gg’s Gracefulgabby, Apr 12, Evangeline R – “sudden death”
Keeneway, May 3, Evangeline R – “comminuted, compound, displaced, open fracture”
Dancing Soldier, May 6, Louisiana R – “comminuted, displaced, acute fracture”
Starlite Patriot, May 11, Delta R – “radius fracture”
Mr. Carlos, May 17, Evangeline R – “sesamoid fracture”
Carolyn’s Cactus, May 22, Louisiana R – “carpal fracture”
Canek, May 25, Delta R – “sesamoid fracture”
Sidneyway, May 27, Louisiana R – “sudden death” (four years old)
A Certified Heart, May 30, Delta R – “carpal fracture”
Zoomin for Chablis, Jun 6, Delta R – “displaced fracture”
Guardianne, Jun 7, Delta R – “neurologic, paresis/paralysis”
Tressels Going Grand, Jun 8, Delta R (euthanized Jun 9) – “unknown”
Calmack, Jun 10, Louisiana R – “disarticulation – severe, acute”
Honest Bandit, Jun 11, Louisiana R (euthanized Jun 12) – “acute condylar fracture”
Spicey Corona, Jun 15, Delta R – “neurologic, paresis/paralysis”
Soul Seekin, Jun 15, Louisiana R – “acute slab fracture”
Kool Yankee, Jun 19, Louisiana R – “displaced, acute sesamoid fracture”
Special Results, Jun 20, Delta R – “MCIII fracture”
D W Washburn, Jun 27, Evangeline R – “sesamoid fracture”
Avery Lynn, Jul 3, Louisiana R (euthanized Jul 4) – “unknown – Grade 3 lame”
Pilotoshinning, Jul 6, Delta R – “compound, open fracture”
Livertadora, Jul 27, Louisiana R – “displaced, acute sesamoid fracture”
Tylers Bandit, Jul 31, Evangeline R – “multiple displaced fractures”
Brutus Hughes, Aug 22, Evangeline R – “comminuted, displaced, open fracture”
Awesome Pennies, Aug 29, Evangeline R – “neurologic, paresis/paralysis” (first race)
Ks Alabama Cartel, Sep 6, Fair Grounds R – “scapula fracture”
Track Binder, Oct 11, Delta R – “comminuted, displaced fracture”
Boogie N Bacardi, Oct 18, Delta R – “P1/P2 fracture”
Wicked Proud, Nov 1, Delta R – “sesamoid fracture”
Cajun Star, Nov 9, Delta R – “P1/P2 fracture”
Doc’s Rocket, Nov 13, Delta R – “compound, displaced, open fracture”
She’sasweet Deputy, Nov 21, Delta R – “sesamoid fracture”
Eos Shez My Secret, Nov 22, Evangeline R – “open, severe disarticulation”
Sheza Piloto Habit, Nov 23, Evangeline R – “comminuted, displaced fracture”
Thf Mr Lincoln, Nov 26, Evangeline R – “carpal fracture”
Too Deadly, Nov 26, Evangeline R – “skull/spine fracture – displaced”
Painted Train, Dec 6, Evangeline R – “comminuted, compound, displaced, open”
Sea Bee Salute, Dec 8, Fair Grounds R – “sesamoid fracture”
Social Cat, Dec 11, Delta R – “compound, open fracture”
Eye Am Sizzlin, Dec 14, Evangeline R – “comminuted, displaced fracture”
Gentleman’s Prize, Dec 18, Delta R – “skull/spine”
Ballard High, Dec 21, Fair Grounds R – “humerus fracture”
Cosmic Cat, Dec 27, Fair Grounds R – “fracture, suspensory [rupture]”
There are no excuses for abusing horses to death. No excuse is acceptable.
Any lame depraved excuse that anybody can come up with is unacceptable. When are our Senators or any elected official going to put a stop to this heinous abuse of horses?
How are the new measures for attempting to control the rapid spread of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 going to impact racetracks? Social distancing, standing six feet apart, gatherings of no more than 10 people and so on are going to require changes in how everyone does things, what they do, where they go, live their lives. What is next?
Seems the Kentucky freak show aka derby has been postponed until September! Perhaps all the other tracks will be mandated to follow suit. Let’s hope and pray that one good thing coming out of this pandemic will be the end of horse racing.
Hope springs eternal!
Amen, Andrea. “Hope springs eternal!” is right!!!!!!!!!!!
Racing still has no explanation how a horse running on a flat dirt track can sustain injuries as horrific as these. Endurance horses going up and down steep terrain and 17hh+ Warmbloods making repeated landings over six and seven foot jumps don’t suffer injuries like this. And no other equine venue has horses dying two and three per day with no investigations, no repercussions, and no impact on the connections that claim to love these horses like family.
So true, Rebecca!! Wtf!! And how in God’s name can a 2,3,4 year old baby horse just suffer from paresis/ paralysis? This is normally induced by severe trauma., as far as I know. What are these butchers doing to cause such neurological trauma that they need to be euthanized??? We all know the answers…there is no place cold, dark or deep enough for these criminals.
And lets not forget about I promised youhuff an 8 yr old grey, that was found down and starved in the front yard of his trainer multiple stakes winning-trainer Thomas W. Sam. A homebred for owner Keith T. Sam….shameful, rip I promise youhuff.
I remember that horse, Billy.
So many abhorrently cruel deaths for these innocent horses. It’s outrageous!
And these apologists call this a “sport” cruel deaths, painful deaths, all for profit gambling and greed…its blood money, supported by the states that allow all of this, theyre actually complicit in it.
That one was pretty bad Patrick. As were the other 60 that were listed on that report. I only wonder what the owners and trainers thought about those when they happened. If that was my horse somebody would pay for that, one way or another. The owners that bred or bought these horses have to demand retribution. That would bring this to a halt. If you had to pay $10,000 for every horse you killed you would need insurance or you would go broke. Then you would be out. Why don’t more owners speak out? Because they are not paying the training bill in the first place. So they have no voice. If every owner had to show financial responsibility that would clean out the bottom dwellers in a hurry. And I don’t mean the horses.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.