Our vice president, Joy Aten, contributes the following on Rose’s Asset:
On July 30, 2019, Rose’s Asset was raced in a 5K claimer at Thistledown for owner W.A.R. Racing and trainer Jeffrey Radosevich. The 6-year-old gray mare finished last of 7, 16 lengths back; Equibase said she “hopped at the start…then stopped.”
A few weeks later, Rose’s Asset was one of a “couple mares available, possible broodmare prospects, $750.” Her ad, exactly as it appeared:
That ad ran on August 18.
One week later, owner/trainer Gerald Erfle ran Rose’s Asset at Mountaineer: “took a bad step, [fell], vanned off.” According to a fan, “She went down – couldn’t get up.” And according to the West Virginia Racing Commission (through Patrick’s FOIA request), Rose’s Asset suffered a “compound, comminuted MCIII fracture” – the cannon bone of one of her front limbs splintered into pieces, with fragments piercing her skin.
A lame “broodmare prospect” on August 18 – then raced to her death just one week later. Of course, Erfle has blood on his hands, but how about W.A.R. Racing and Radosevich (for selling – dumping – rather than retiring her), the stewards, track officials, and (perhaps worst of all) the vets? Vile, to the core.
There are no words for the evil,vile,wickedness of these cretans. 😭😭😭😭😭💔
Why would anyone in their right mind race this beautiful girl, obviously they didn’t care about her well-being. All my life I’ve wished to own one of these fantastic animals and never could, after hearing about all these people who do own them and do nothing about their care absolutely makes me sick. Obviously they aren’t aware of how magnificent these horses are and do not respect them at all!
Hey, Patrick. Do you have a list of racehorse rescues? I donate to a couple, Old Friends, and a mustang rescue (there’s another ongoing tale of abuse, by the BLM, no less) called Skydog Ranch. But I’ve seen many posters say, they always wish they could rescue these horses we see in here. If we had a list of rescues, donating to them, would be the next best thing to rescuing a horse!
With people not working, because of COVID19, these rescues are seeing their donations going down. When we all get back to work, please look into donating even a little bit, to a rescue organization. Check them out, as to who is reputable and who is not-as with any charity, there are scumbags out there-and, when your salary is coming in again, send them a few bucks.
More importantly, if you can manage it NOW, send them something. COVID19 may be driving the cost of gas down, but feed, property taxes, payroll for employees, insurance, veterinarians, those bills don’t go down, or away.
This is very difficult, Karen, as few rescues will speak out publicly against the very industries (like racing) that make their existence (as rescues) necessary. I for one will not promote any horse rescue that is not clearly and unequivocally anti-racing. I will, however, try to come up with a list.
Ok. It was a thought. I understand your feelings, but no matter what kind of charity I donate to, whether its a racehorse rescue, GBS/CIDP Research (auto immune diseases), or local PBS/NPR stations, I tend to do some research. The things I want to know, is, do they perform a needed activity? How much of what people donate, goes to the actual aid? Do they attempt to do, what their mission statement says? Has anyone who either does volunteer or paid work for the charity, ever stolen from them, if so, for how long, and what happened when they were caught (it happens)?
Yes, I would love it, if all horse rescues were very vocal in their opposition to racing. But, I know some depend on donations from owners, trainers, and jockeys. I understand why they don’t speak out publicly. But, I think the good they do, outweighs any protest against racing. After all, they could make a passive protest, by telling the public when they receive a horse, by telling its history. Including the injuries its suffered.
Well, to anyone who is considering a donation to ANY charity, please be aware that in times of crisis, there are con artists who will prey on peoples’ desire to help, if only by giving. Please check out any charity you are looking into-don’t let anyone scam you, i the name of helping COVID19 victims, or those in the medical professions, or anyone who has what is considered an essential job, and must be in contact with the public.
Thank you for asking, Karen – off the top of my head, two non-profits that do not support the horseracing industry in any way are Saving Horses, Inc in Encinitas, CA (founded by Audrey Reynolds) and Rainhill Equine Rescue Facility in Bowling Green, KY (founded by Karen Thurman).
Having had my own horses for 30 years and having been in equine rescue for 20 years of those 30, the numbers of equines in need are overwhelming. Several years ago, after having taken home countless unwanted and injured TB’s from the track as fosters until they could be rehabbed and placed, I was asked to foster two ungentled and starved Twin Peak BLM sale authority mustangs (their story is heart wrenching). It was then that what the racing industry does to its horses they breed for racing, use in racing then no longer want – expecting everyone BUT them to provide homes and financially support them for life – really hit home for me. Just THINK if, while it continues to exist, the multi-BILLION dollar industry provided for every horse THEY bred and THEY raced when their horses could no longer be used by them…think of how much more money would be freed up, how many more homes would be available, to care for the poor mustangs who suffer because of the BLM round-ups.
I can describe these types of people that use, abuse, and EXPLOIT horses for money as idiots in love with money. They are certainly incapable of empathy, understanding, compassion, kindness, or learning true horsemanship. They will continue the sadistic, brutal, barbaric, inhumane treatment of horses until they are stopped from an outside force. It will have to be from an authority that cannot be bribed or corrupted. These heartless heathens will not stop themselves from doing what is wrong to horses because they are too evil to see the error of their own ways. It is much like what Mark Twain said, that no amount of evidence will ever convince an idiot. Horseracing is for evil idiots!!!!
Be aware that many people involved in the lower end and the upper level of racing are not principled or ethical people. Thats why they got into this in the first place; to be able to take unfair advantage of somebody or something. People that do this to animals have to be charged with animal abuse and prosecuted. But laws may have to be changed and attorneys want alot of money. Horseracing reformers need a lobbyist. I’m not into any more screaming and complaining. I want to figure out how to sue trainers and owners for cruel and unethical treatment of horses. The Animal Legal Defense Fund might be able to help. I’m not sure how right now. Patrick wants all racing to be shut down. I don’t believe that will happen because it is a big economic engine. But I do support his position. If anyone has ideas on how to prosecute someone for dumping an injured horse at Mountaineer Park for racing, post your remedy. I call the tracks and send them messages on their Contact forms. And I have gotten results. Not what I want but its a start. I have no intention of picking up pieces of a horse that some unethical owner or trainer dumped. I don’t have the money or means. And I believe that continuing to bail out horses will not result in fewer horses being dumped. The only way that will happen is exposure and punishment. So, to that end I am in great sympathy with these comments and descriptions on here but action has to be taken. Write to the owners and breeders. Write to the racetracks and call them. Thats what I do now until I can figure out what else is possible. Thankyou for caring.
Don’t bet on it. I’ve written several letters to them, enclosing the full yearly death lists and several pages of full color photos, and like every other welfare or activist group I’ve tried, all I get back is a form letter extolling what good they’ve done for other animals and of course, a donation slip.
Unfortunately, that’s the sad truth, Rebecca. The priority for most of the mega groups is fundraising. Using another non-profit’s research, even if it is seminal and would undeniably further the cause, is seen as competition. In the end, the only ones who lose are the animals.
What were your results, marymbaggaley? – I’d really love to hear the specifics.
Actually Mary, “economic engine” is the other big lie of racing. With rare exception, racing is a losing proposition which only exists because of massive subsidies, primarily in the form of a percentage of casino revenues. Without subsidies it would most certainly collapse. Young people have zero interest in betting on horse racing. The best example is Michigan. I can count at least 10 tracks that used to exist. When casino gambling was legalized the horse industry tried to get slot machines at tracks or a cut of the revenue. They got neither and there now exists one track which loses money every year because nobody cares about horse racing. Remove the subsidies and racing will collapse.
Despicable excrements is what these parasites are. They sucked and sucked and sucked the life out of this gorgeous girl. To abuse her to this extent and race her knowing full well they had blood on their hands is beyond vile and monstrous. It is pure evil and I simply cannot believe these disturbed bastards are still walking amongst us. The time will come when they will have to answer for their sins.
Well, everything in the ad for this mare, would lead me to believe, that it had a big problem that someone tried in the past to solve with surgery.
Why wasn’t the horse x-rayed, before the sale-or as a term of the sale? When you buy a house, you;d be considered foolish if you didn’t get a house inspector in, to look the place over! I know, before I bought my house, the inspector found that the electrical service was going to start a fire, any day. I got a new service, paid for by the previous owner, that saved me money, and a house. Maybe my life.
Rose’s Asset was then raced, with the owner and trainer, very probably knowing full well, that she was in danger of at the least, pulling up in pain, at the worst, of going down. At the best, after one race, she was going to return to the stall lame, or at the worst, be euthanized on the track.
This was animal abuse, plain and simple, but these people don’t seem to realize what is animal abuse, and what is not. I’d say, knowingly racing an injured, unsound horse, is abuse.
Not only that, it puts the life of the jockey at risk. I wonder if we should attack horse racing from that aspect.
Did the jockey know, Rose’s Asset was sold so cheaply, and why? That she had a history of a leg injury, that the owner and trainer very probably didn’t bother to do some research on-failed to do something as simple as getting that leg x-rayed? Because it sounds as if nothing was done, to find out why there was a lump and a scar on this mare’s leg.
Stay with me, here.
What if the jockey had been injured, or killed, during the race, as a result of Rose’s Asset going down? Wouldn’t this qualify as some kind of assault,or manslaughter, on the part of the owner and trainer, who knowingly put that jockey’s life at risk, possibly without telling him or her, that they had no idea why the mare had that leg scar and bump?
I mean, I’m sure, trainers, at least, know what a surgery scar looks like, vs a run in with a sharp branch that fell off a tree in a pasture ( as if racehorses get a lot of pasture time, after weaning). And that lump…was it hard, like arthritis? Or soft, like some kind of ongoing inflammation/abcess?
Say that jockey had been left paralyzed, or at least, unable to work, for months. EVen unable to do anything on his wife’s honeydo list. Do the shopping, or go to the kids’ school conferences. SAy, this injury affected that jockey’s quality of life, for months, or even the rest of their life.
OR, what if the jockey died.
Could the DA tell the police, a crime has taken place, that resulted in serious injury or death, go arrest that trainer and owner?
Could the jockey sue? The burden of proof is less, in civil suits, than in criminal court. And, I’m sure, the jockey’s lawyer, would come into court, armed with a lot of films, of horses with previously known lameness or injuries, going down on the track, with the jockey lying motionless on the dirt or turf. “Oh, and see that horse? Its actually running on 3 good legs, and a stump. A stump, because the lower part of the leg has literally broken off at the point of the previous injury, which was not disclosed to the jockey.”
If a person has chosen to become a jockey, thats one thing. People also choose to become race car drivers. But, a jockey has the choice, to not ride an unsound horse, just as a racecar driver would not race a car with mechanical problems. But, if that choice to ride a horse, is uninformed, because someone is willingly with holding information about the horse’s health, from the jockey, that could be construed as a crime.
The fact that gross animal abuse is also happening, and the fact that these racehorses are forced into training before they are physically mature-which leads to injury-would be made known to more and more people through such a trial. That past injury information is not only with held from the betting public, hushed up and with held from jockeys, would become known. That injured horses are routinely dosed with painkillers, both legal and illegal ones, would become known. That the abuse of racehorses continues after a racing career is over, for the less fortunate ones, the geldings not fit to become pleasure riding horses, the mares who have reproductive problems.
Its a thought. Anything that gets the intentional and ongoing abuse of these horses into the public eye, helps.
Those are all valid questions in the “normal” world but the thing about the HORSERACING world and jockeys riding horses whether they know they are lame or not is something that they know full well is an INHERENT RISK to the riders/ jockeys and horseracing/ PARI-MUTUEL wagering owners, operators, lawyers and lobbyists would have more money to fight against anyone getting killed that signed a waiver. Usually the waiver basically means that you ride at your own risk and you basically sign your rights away in order to ride someone else’s horses on someone else’s property/land.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
Something that’s always gotten on my nerves…Todd Schrup,however you spell his last name,always says “nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of our equine athletes”…give me a break. I guess that’s why tens of thousands of thoroughbreds are KILLED every year. How can these MORONS say this shit with a straight face? It’s called mindless DRIVEL.
It’s part of THE BIG LIE as Mary Johnson has accurately described it in the previous post about FAST KARMA.
Bonnie…They do not give 2 iotas about the equine athletes. Someone gets hurt (the horse not the jockey)and they just go on to the next race or the pick 6 handicap numbers. And then you get we will let you know what happened and they never do.
This is terrible, just makes me sick. She’s a beautiful mare and should have been put out to pasture not raced! Her owner and trainer should are fined.
The fact that nobody’s going to the races anymore and just the people that are taking care of the horses and they’re still dying raises the question of who is killing down it’s so obvious yeah but shit asshole motherfuckers
Another horrendous example like so many others.
ROSE’S ASSETS was a beautiful mare that deserved so much better.
This mare is yet another “sent out to die” scenario like so many others posted on this site.
Vile, indeed.
ROSE’S ASSETS deserved better!!! Shut this down now, PERIOD!!!! R.I.P. beautiful baby, my heart is broke…
Her trainer and most people at the track knew she was not fit to race. And why was she vanned off with a splintered cannon bone with fragments piercing her skin. The poor mare should never have been subjected to such excruciating pain. Where was the vet. In all this??
Track vets. are not practicing veterinary medicine as it is intended, they are puppets of this cruel, corrupt business. They do not deserve a license to practice. Period.
RIP Rose’ Asset. You had so much dignity compared to the unscrupulous humans who abused and killed you.
Rose Smith, I agree with you completely that veterinarians practicing animal abuse and neglect at racetracks should not be allowed to be licensed!!!!!
An FYI regarding W.A.R. Racing, Rose’s Asset’s owner who unloaded her after her July 30’th race;
W.A.R. Racing ran two horses in 2019 – Rose’s Asset who they raced 7 times. And the other? – Zippit Yankee. They raced him 6 times…he, too, was killed. Two horses raced. Two horses killed.
https://horseracingwrongs.org/2019/09/20/injured-tail-fractured-vertebrae-in-gate-dead/
This is beyond disgusting and must stop.
The whole racing industry……greed, greed…..no concern for the horses….all are to blame….the way of this shitty world unfortunately
This is just awful..How could u di thst fo such a beautiful horse?? She went down trying t ok juat llease ger owners..sad they didnt lover her as much as she lived them😔
Horse racing is exploiting animals for money. Horse racing beats young horses down a track to their death. Thousands are bred and 1 or 2 are chosen. The rest are thrown away as trash. Animal cruelty is a felony. How can this be legal????
That’s what happens when u sell a horse
.YOU NEVER CAN TRUST THE PERSON THAT BUYS THE HORSE FROM YOU ..The buyer here is the one that did WRONG ..NOT THE SELLER ..
Keri – clearly the seller did not follow up on the horse he sold, however. Out of sight, out of mind, right? That’s the problem with the racing crowd, very few care what happens to the horses once they are used up and no longer have value to their racing connections. As I’ve said before many times, I was often told by trainers at the track – “I don’t care where this rat goes, he just needs to go now!” “This piece of shit is a donkey- I need the stall, she needs to go!” If I had $100 for every time I heard variations of these quotes, my mortgage would be paid off. That’s how much concern the majority of racing people have for their horses. In fact, the majority of the racing people I know would LAUGH at the notion of “we love them like family”!
Not to mention- do you think this horse was dumped because she was SOUND?? If she were sound- she would still be toiling at some low level fair track or the current low level dumps that are still racing like Fonner Park! Even with the current covid situation- the tracks near me aren’t closed – the horses are still getting pounded on every morning for training, and very few have been for sale! God forbid they could just be having a break in a pasture for a little while, but if they were, they wouldn’t be race ready if racing starts up again.
How incredibly callous and sad. She appeared to be a nice horse. With care and rest, she could have become someone’s lovely hunter. It seems that race tracks should simply build an abbatoire on their facilities considering the number of horses who break down and are killed. How do these people sleep at night? They obviously have NO COMPASSION and their consciences are seared and no longer function.
There is no way that all people involved in getting this horse to the gate did not know she was not fit including the Vet. As sad as this story is, they just continue. Unless race horse records are made public and online to all Vets and tracks the lies will continue. Unless owners and trainers can be prosecuted outside of the track for animal abuse, they continue to skate free. I don’t believe most tracks will change their monitoring. I mean every track right now could have video everywhere. I am curious was this death case investigated by the track? And is anyone tracking the VETS that approve a horse to race who then has a catastrophic injury and publishing their death rates? Sometimes improving a problem means looking at other players in the field. .