The chart note for the 3rd at Thistledown yesterday says it all: “Candy Classic…suffered a catastrophic injury near mid stretch, completed the course and was euthanized.” Yes, that’s right folks, this poor horse fatally broke down but his jockey – David Haldar – pressed on to the wire. Incidentally (or maybe not), for finishing the race the soon-to-be-dead 5-year-old “earned” $146 for his people (in addition to Haldar, trainer/owner Jerry Sparks). One final act of “service.” Vile.
The replay, with Haldar whipping Candy – in slop, mind you – right up to the moment of “catastrophic injury.” Candy is the 7 horse. Pick up at :45 mark and again at 1:55…
Always hated riding on a crummy sloppy surface track such as this!! Typical racing conditions of our now thankfully demolished , redeveloped track that operated in fall / winter weather. We have galloped horses when the track was literally freezing up under the hooves of the horses we were galloping.Our local hospitals were sure are glad not to have so many broken up humans to deal with as well as the several weekly breakdowns and deaths from our now demolished track that were sent to our local rendering plant too.
Well, I hope everybody at Thistledown learned their lesson. No, not the lesson about not whipping horses to their deaths; they’ll never figure that one out. The real wisdom to be gained here is one of stated accuracy: NEVER, ever, ever admit to an on-track killing. It’s just not good for the brand. Instead, use every single worker and every single mechanical device at your disposal to get that poor, mangled, mortally wounded animal into the van. Then you can have the chartwriter “truthfully” tell the world that Candy Classic — like the legions of other broken-down, suffering victims of your favorite blood sport — instead of being destroyed in the slop, was merely given a ride back to the barn to enjoy his dinner. See? Doesn’t that sound nicer? More importantly, it makes YOU seem like you’re not killing off horses for fun and profit. And that’s the most critical part of the whole horse racing equation.
You’re welcome.
Thank you!! You said it perfectly!
That isn’t the right race.
These poor animals. They’re treated so badly, they probably run out fear.
OK I see what you mean now, you didn’t mention that he was A) NOT whipped after he bobbled and B) was being pulled up and finished last. Now why he didn’t stop him right away I can’t say except he must have thought it wasn’t that bad. And maybe it wouldn’t have been if he had pulled him right up. Or maybe it would have.
Anyone who gives a s*** about the horse’s welfare would pull him up and protect him even if they thought it “wasn’t that bad”. That said, according to the apologists regarding horses being pulled up and vanned off, they claim even those horses “are just fine” – they’re just being extra cautious to ensure the horses are OK. What an absolute crock.
A horse doesn’t have brakes like a car, it’ll take 10-15’ so if the horse was that close to the finish line his momentum carries him past. Also, and I am on NO way making any of it OK but a horse is in shock for up to 15 minutes past the injury so there wasn’t any pain between fracture and euthanasia, only for those who didn’t know, that’s all.
Holy hell, Joy. I literally cannot believe this “Greg” person just submitted that reply to you. I’m confounded. Speechless. Did he really just give you a physics lesson on the principles of inertia? That truly made me LOL, But then I stopped laughing right away, because this guy actually had the SICKENING AUDACITY to state that Candy Classic (and ALL other catastrophically injured racehorses, presumably) FEEL NO PAIN when their bones shatter. Like I said, I’m speechless.
Let him have it, please.
To all but for GREG in particular: As a former racing breeder and owner, I was there when my horse suffered a fracture while vying for the lead in a race. The jockey immediately eased him out of the path of other horses while simultaneously dismounting and then comforted the horse until the ambulance arrived. I was THERE when the ambulance left the track and I am haunted by the look of terror in my horse’s eyes, his uncontrollable trembling and the covering of white foamy sweat over his body. There is no question that “shock” did not ease any pain and euthanasia does not take place within 15 minutes even IF that lie were true. As anyone who has been there when a horse suffers a catastrophic injury knows, the trailer takes them to a “killing” location where they are offloaded before they are euthanized. I took my other horse home and we never raced a horse again. My guilt for having my horses involved in this deadly, callous, brutal business of horseracing I will bear to my own grave. I have spent the rest of my life trying to redeem myself. My horse’s story was published and is now in paperback at many places and libraries. http://www.savingbaby.com Greg, dare you read it and learn?
Lest anyone not believe “lay people” with reference to racehorse injuries, the below is from esteemed veterinarian, Nicholas Dodman:
“THE ARGUMENT THAT THE HORSE WAS “IN SHOCK” FOR 15 MINUTES PAST THE INJURY AND, THEREFORE, FELT NO PAIN IS HOGWASH, TOTALLY UNSUPPORTED BY SCIENCE. THE WHOLE SCENARIO FROM REPEATEDLY WHIPPING THE HORSE ON A SLOPPY SURFACE TO THE POINT OF FRACTURE (OVEREXTENSION) AND CONTINUATION TO THE FINISH LINE AFTER THAT BEFORE ULTIMATE EUTHANASIA IS TYPICAL OF THE HORSERACING WORLD MENTALITY. ONE TRACK VET ONCE TOLD ME, “IT’S ONLY A HORSE SO WHO CARES?” THAT JUST ABOUT SUMS IT UP.”
Dr. NICHOLAS DODMAN, DIPLOMATE of THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY ANESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA.
As always, thank you Jo Anne for your incomparable insights.
Kelly, I’m glad Patrick allows comments from racing fans and apologists like Greg even though they are incredibly disrespectful to the horses – they show the idiocy needed to defend such blatant animal abuse.
“[No] pain between fracture and euthanasia” – that from the expert Greg. From Glenn Pettifer, DVM, DACVA, this: “Anatomically and physiologically, horses have all the structures required for pain processing. For horses in acute pain, there is an anxious appearance…dilated pupils, glassy eye, flared OR pinched nostrils, muscle tremors, profuse sweating and an increased respiratory and pulse rate” (the symptoms Jo Anne’s horse exhibited when he fractured his hind limb).
Isn’t it something – blinkers and shadow rolls don’t bother racehorses even though prey animals are at a greater risk of being the predator’s catch (and they know it) when their vision is impaired…metal bits and tongue ties don’t cause discomfort to sensitive tongues and gums…whips aren’t even felt on a TB’s thin and sensitive skin…and BROKEN LEGS don’t cause pain! Are you certain, Greg, that horses don’t have brakes like cars? – because what you and your like describe sounds like an inanimate object to me.
Thank you, Jo Anne.
It is I who offer my profuse gratitude to you, Patrick, and to you, Joy, for your determination and dedication in bringing the truth to light and I also thank all who have joined to help end the deadly exploitation of these magnificent beings as disposable gambling objects. #EndHorseracingNOW #HorseracingKillsHorses
As I have horses people assume I like horse racing and I let them know I do not explaining how cruel that world is for the sake of money and pleasing usually unaware fans of why. As you’ve said they are too young and not finished growing and put at risk because of this. The public is told accidents are due to the tracks and money is spent to “improve them”, and still the accidents still continue it’s not just the tracks it’s asking too much of the horses and they try to please and do what is wanted of them! Horses enjoy running but on their terms but that’s not exciting enough for people who demand more and more thrills. Letting people know should result in safer practices but for the most part….people want what they want as always.
Or I forgot…..this was not an accident!🤬
Jockeys beat sore and/or tired racehorses – fact.
They are required to do so and this is standard operating procedures in horse racing which is not exclusively taking place in the USA, but wherever there’s a track you can expect racehorse abuse.
In Australia, a jockey called Chris McIver is an abusive, sadistic sicko, but it took many acts of horror to finally ban him for 1 year.
In 2019, he kicked and punched a racehorse in the face because it got tired.
Seven months ago he whipped and beat a racehorse called Absolute Bonza over its head.
Last month he repeatedly kicked and stomped on the hindquarters of his mount Or Else right on camera.
Recently, he went back to a racehorse’s stall, whom he rode that day, entered the stall and started stomping on the racehorse’s head and body as the horse laid in his stall.
Reference: https://horseracingplanet.com/category/australasia/
Gina,
This sadistic s.o.b. deserves severe punishment. He is the kind of filthy creep that should be imprisoned for life!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for sharing this information and the link.
What a sick individual McIver is – that he’s allowed to be around animals is shocking…but not shocking the racing industry allows it. TY, Gina, for posting this – more ugly truth about an ugly industry.