Through a FOIA request to the Arizona Department of Gaming, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2020.
notes:
Words in brackets and italics are mine.
Throughout, the Department refers to the horses as “its,” further underscoring how this industry truly views its “athletes.”
Covid significantly affected the numbers below. From the Department: “Turf Paradise ceased live racing on March 11, with the cancellation of that day’s card. For the balance of 2020, there was no live racing or training in Arizona.”
In some cases, I have included additional comments from the Department. As you will plainly see, portents were there, but, as the old saying goes, the show must go on.
Bad Girl, Jan 8, Turf T – “[multiple] fractures, [multiple] ligament ruptures RF”
“This horse was on the vet’s list at Hastings Race Course on 7/14/2019 for being lame in the left rear leg. It returned to racing on 7/23/2019.”
Secreto Primero, Jan 8, Turf R – “[multiple] acute, complete fractures LF; tear in ligament; tendon completely torn; severe, chronic, active ulcerative gastritis”
“In 2019, this horse had two entries on the CA vet’s list: 4/20/2019 for injury due to falling down. On 9/12/2019 the horse was claimed but was found grade 3/5 lame on the left front leg [same leg that broke down]. The horse worked to get off the vet’s list at Turf on 11/3/2019 but was lame on the left front [same leg that broke down] post work. It raced and won on 12/22/2019.” Next race – dead.
Indian Brew, Jan 13, Turf R – “[multiple] comminuted fractures, torn cartilage”
I’m Amore, Jan 15, Turf T – “multiple fractures, ruptured ligament, torn tendon”
“This horse was put on the CA vet’s list on 10/15/2019 because it had an intra-articular injection (joint not specified).”
Obligated to None, Jan 19, Turf R – “horse finished last, 36 back; once the horse returned to its stall, it laid down and could not get back up: complete pelvic fracture that resulted in extensive hemorrhage that involved the majority of the LH limb”
In his preceding five races, all at Turf, Obligated finished a combined 70 lengths back.
Celtic Warrior, Jan 25, Turf R – “multiple fractures with bone exposure LF fetlock; skin degloved, cartilage erosion, chip fracture LH limb; hemorrhage RF limb; hemorrhage, loose cartilage fragments RH limb”
That’s issues in all four limbs. Celtic was only three years old.
Raider Red, Feb 8, Turf S – “colic”
Raider had been raced 64 times, most recently three days before dying – finished last.
Roses for Laura, Feb 8, Turf T – “open fracture RF fetlock; there are multiple areas of gastric ulceration and hemorrhage in non-glandular portion of the stomach which is common finding in racing horse”
Buddy Princess, Feb 9, Rillito R – “open avulsion injury, segments of bones are missing; over 30% of distal metacarpal bone is exposed; surfaces of the bone, soft tissue, and tendons are covered in dirt; suspensory ligament is completely ruptured”
Buddy was 12 years old, and this was her 52nd race – but first in two years.
Adorned, Feb 9, Turf S – “cast in stall, fractured neck”
Randy’s Boy, Feb 15, Rillito R – “[multiple] fractures with severe hemorrhage”
“The horse had one vet list entry for a quarter crack in October 2018.”
Cowgirl Barbie, Feb 19, Turf T – “horse was working on the main track when it stumbled, fell and could not get back up – [cause of death] not determined; trainer observed some gait abnormalities prior to the work”
Cowgirl was just one year old.
Senor Grits, Feb 19, Turf R – “open fracture covered in dirt, sand, and mud; partially ruptured tendon; completely ruptured ligament; severe, chronic degenerative joint disease with joint fusion/capsular fibrosis LF [same leg that broke down]”
“This horse was put on the vet’s list 2/24/2019 for being lame on pre-race exam. It returned to racing 8/31/2019. This was the first race since then.”
Sedona Moon, Feb 21, Turf T – “comminuted fractures, tendon rupture”
Sedona was just one year old; this was his first training session.
Destiny’s Storm, Mar 3, Turf R – “[multiple] fractures; osteoarthritis multiple joints”
“This horse had a poor performance at Los Alamitos on 9/11/2019 and was put on stewards list.”
Destiny’s was just three years old – “osteoarthritis multiple joints.”
Stratton, Mar 7, Turf R – “numerous ligament ruptures, joint disarticulation; chronic degenerative joint disease both front fetlocks”
“This horse was put on the Steward’s list for a poor performance on 12/21/2019.” Three races later – dead.
Wit and Wisdom, Mar 9, Turf R – “[multiple] fractures LF; degenerative joint disease within both front fetlocks”
“This horse was on the California vet’s list as of 5/25/2019 for being cast in stall and injuring the LF leg [same leg that broke down]. On 6/8/2019, it was put on the CA vet’s list for being unsound on the LF leg [same leg that broke down] post race. Received 4 mg of Predef 2X in both front fetlocks on 2/15/2020, then raced on 2/18.” Next race after that – dead.
Devil’s Wildcat, Apr 14, Turf S – “colic”
Devil’s had been raced 49 times, most recently Mar 3.
Roman Pleasure, Dec 30, Turf S – “colic”
Roman had been raced 54 times, most recently Dec 7.
Thank you for keeping this up.
The abuse of race horses is never ending. Despicable!
That is so Sickening. All those horses should Not been racing. I used to watch the Triple Crown races and enjoyed them. I don’t anymore because I observe the Jewish Sabbath which is on Saturday. Now I feel it is a good thing I don’t watch Horse Racing anymore.
The above report is Sickening! Those poor horses should Not been raced. How those poor animals must have suffered. Their owners would deserve to seriously lose money.
COWGIRL BARBIE was owned and trained by the most despicable and dastardly, disgusting animal abusing creeps, and of course, killed. Idiots only would do this to yearlings. Horseracing is the poster child example of WHAT NOT TO DO, if you want to learn anything about horsemanship.
A yearling with gait abnormalities observed by this ******* moron called “the trainer” forced her to carry weight and run on a racetrack. This is criminal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If the apologists were to read through this list of wreckage and suffering it would not penetrate their dysfunctional brains. They are impervious to pain and suffering as long as it is not their own. Those responsible for hands on abuse and reckless killing of sentient beings can be defined as cowards and sadists.
It follows that all enablers of this callous industry are culpable in the never ending mass suffering and death of the horses.
There is a chance that someone might be a casual bettor that is not aware of the damage done to horses. Those are the ones I would hope that would get a clue by reading this list and all of other lists of injuries, injured horses and killed horses.
Rose, what a shallow, meaningless, life the people in this industry live. How can they look themselves in a mirror. And,oh yeah..they all have blood on their hands.
Without a conscience there is no problem looking at oneself in the mirror.
This horrific exploitation of horses for the entertainment of humans must stop.
They just run them to the ground caring nothing for them even then. These people should be charged with animal abuse and forbidden from owning a horse much less racing one.
“If humans killed each other at the same rate humans kill animals, we’d be extinct in 17 days”- these sick, heartless, evil pricks, these bloodsuckers need to simply…vanish!
Timely post, considering Turf Pairo’Deaths already hosted its DAILY VAN-OFF in today’s race 3. But, it’s still early yet, so there’s still plenty of time for them to live (down) to their name before tomorrow’s big AZ Dept. of Gaming meeting. I’m hopeful all will go as expected: their Horse Safety Drone will admit a few of TPD’s many deaths in the last month, and one of the esteemed Commissioners will ask if that number is similar to last year’s kill numbers. Regardless of the drone’s answer, the meeting will then continue on to matters of REAL significance: monetary issues, signal disputes, and the all-important feud between the state’s three desert dumps and the horse”men” who bring their poor animals there to die.
In other words, spend two minutes each month pretending to care about horse safety, then kill even more and be indifferent to your equine bloodbath. Rinse and repeat, Arizona Commissioners.
Desert dump is an understatement. The horses running there look like they should be in a paddock on a caring small farm OR a back yard of a loving owner. And pray you don”t get bit by a snake or scorpion coming out of the landscapimg lake.
Yes, but to racing creeps, Arizona tracks are well worth the risk of getting stung and/or poisoned; they enjoy the easy access to the Mexican border when it’s time to, um, “retire” their beloved athletes.
It is not normal to abuse innocent animals for profit. It is truly sickening.
Turf Paradise is a prime example of the many cheap tracks where (more) horses go to die and (even more) disappear from – as Kelly mentioned, equine slaughterhouses are right “next door” in Mexico. How handy for those owners/trainers…you KNOW they all will need to get rid of every racehorse they have sooner or later!
Even racing supporters acknowledge what a sewer TuP is. I’ve seen it mentioned on pro-racing sites numerous times, including as recent as last month in an article about racing trainer Marcus Vitali’s (just Google him – too many “unfavorable” headlines to mention about this loser here) return to racing at Turf Paradise. Here, just a few;
-“[Bob Baffert] at the top and Vitali at the bottom.”
-“[Vitali] will fit right in. He will probably pick up a few pointers from some of the trainers there. Wow talk about a cesspool of ‘talent’.”
-“Just when you thought TuP couldn’t go any lower now this.”
-“As much as I love horse racing and live here I wish [Turf Paradise] would close down.”
The following comment was quite interesting, as well – from the same racing site but in response to another racing issue;
-“Turf Paradise has been a corrupt organization since Simms bought it in 2000. He is merely the front man for a group of investors that were involved in criminal activities in California. The track has one of the lowest purse structures in the country, and the highest takeout rate on straight wagers. If it were not for the [Off-Track Betting] operation and simulcasting the track would have been closed down years ago.” – Dennis McGarry
But how about we hear from Turf Paradise track veterinarian Verlin Jones?…and I’ll preface his words with a short excerpt from a March, 2019 PR piece about TuP; “[Verlin] Jones’ name may be familiar to readers from a late 2017 case at Prairie Meadows in which his racetrack license was revoked in Iowa after he allegedly provided syringes filled with Aminplex Plus and Monster Energy Booster to an assistant trainer.”
But on to Jones’ own words from the February, 2019 Dennis Wagner piece titled “Arizona racehorses are dying at a record rate. The question is: why?”;
-“Jones said, the industry banned the use of steroidal medications that reduce an animal’s pain. While intentions may have been good, he said, that led to more animals running in pain, altering their gait, and breaking down as a result.”
YES…YOU READ THAT RIGHT. And YES, that was from a track veterinarian. Hmmm…because steroids were banned, now those PAINFUL horses are trying to protect their injured limbs, racing LAME, and therefore they break down? – so drug ’em up, is that right Jones? – you don’t want those sore horses altering their gait trying to protect themselves. SMH….
Here we go again with unbelievable incompetence and willful abuse by people who should be ethical. That virtue does not exist here. How can anyone hold a veterinarian’s license and make such demented, unethical statements and carry on a business of literally abusing horses in the worst way?
How is it legal for a state government to allow an unethical human being steeped in moral turpitude to continue to “practice” veterinary “medicine” on any animal???
“Obligated to None, Jan 19, Turf R – ‘horse finished last, 36 back; once the horse returned to its stall, it laid down and could not get back up: complete pelvic fracture that resulted in extensive hemorrhage that involved the majority of the LH limb’…in his preceding five races, all at Turf, Obligated to None finished a combined 70 lengths back.”
Obligated to None hadn’t yet reached his 5th birthday when owner Robert Otero and trainer Kyndra McKinney finished him off in that last race. And BTW, they pocketed checks in all of his (last) 6 races at Turf Paradise…they ran their young gelding into his grave but by GOD they squeezed a little money out of him first.
“Destiny’s Storm, Mar 3, Turf R – ‘[multiple] fractures; osteoarthritis multiple joints.’ ‘This horse had a poor performance at Los Alamitos on 9/11/2019 and was put on stewards list.’
Three years old with osteoarthritis – my horses in their teens and twenties don’t have osteoarthritis (well, with the exception of our ex-racehorses, that is). But as we know, the “WEAR AND TEAR” of racing really does a number on these racing slaves. Speaking of damaged baby horses, Gary Contessa was wanting rid of a “big lovely Elusive Quality 2yo filly…she is not unsound but does have arthritis in her knees.” First, a TWO year old with arthritis in BOTH KNEES – enough said. And second, Mr. Contessa, good try but a horse with arthritis is not a “sound” horse. She might not be head-bobbing lame but what a helluva diagnosis already at only two years of age.
What kind of a moron would believe that any horse, regardless of age, is not unsound with arthritis in their knees or any part of their body???
What is the definition of sound or unsound in these perverted people’s sick, sadistic minds???
Jones is either an idiot or a criminal. Actually he is an idiot criminal.
Why does he still have a license to practice?
Iowa should have reported him to the state licensing dept.
Just revoking his track license allowed him to take his illegal activity elsewhere and Iowa officials knew he would.
Further, there is no reciprocity for an Iowa license so he had to apply to be licensed in AZ.
Professional reference(s) is listed under “Arizona Veterinarian Licensing Requirements”
I wonder how his references were checked??
There is no accountability in racing; I just hope the same is not true for veterinary licensing.