Last Week…

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Wtach [not sic] Me Tip “hit rail, DNF” at Delta
Sea Thief “vanned off” at Louisiana
Jettas Cascade “vanned off” at Louisiana
Is She Quick “went wrong, vanned off” at Belterra
Keachi “bled, vanned off” at Delta
Theboyzhour “vanned off” at Louisiana
King Creed “returned bleeding from the nostrils” at Thistledown
Bald Is Beautiful “vanned off” at Arizona
Market Money “vanned off” at Belterra
Jessbye Train “bled, vanned off” at Delta
B’s Wild Man “hit gate, vanned off” at Mountaineer
Suchada “vanned off” at Indiana
Inca Princess “in distress late, bled” at Belterra
Poirier “vanned off” at Churchill
Chiller “vanned off” at Lone Star
Cawboybandido “vanned off” at Ruidoso
Syms Dandy Tlc “vanned off” at Ruidoso
Elusive Force “vanned off” at Arlington
Classic Cay “failed to finish” at Chippewa
Lips Like Sugar “vanned off” at Santa Anita
Luna’s in Charge “vanned off” at Churchill
Balisto “vanned off” at Gulfstream
Far Country “vanned off” at Jerome
Son of Aponi “vanned off” at Monmouth
Why Roxie Why “vanned off” at Pimlico
Sweet Sassafrassy “fell [over dying fellow horse], DNF” at Pimlico

While not all the “vanned” end up dead, most do, as borne out by our year-end FOIA reports. But even if death is not the ultimate result, the above are victims nonetheless, suffering painful injuries – in the case of the bleeders, pulmonary hemorrhage – so that some men may gamble, others chase pots of gold. (For any new confirmed deaths during the week, please see our running annual list.)

7 Comments

  2. Never heard of Chippewa Downs, had to look it up. Looks like the handle is $4-6000 on a Saturday night. How is this cesspool subsidized?

    • It’s a Native American tribal track. Their purses and handles are awful but that doesn’t stop them from providing their own cheap form of horse abuse. Many horses, in their downward spiral from the big name tracks, end up as the lowest of the low castoffs at these tracks running in cheap races. This breaks my heart even more than the low level tracks like mountaineer because these tracks often run with absolute bear minimum to no safety protocols.

      • I know, I looked it up. But where do they get the purse money? They don’t have a casino that I can tell.

        • It looks like maybe they do, but it doesn’t seem to be advertised much. I found some info on the Rock star tier rewards program and info on video poker.

          • Yes, I found it. The same tribe owns the Sky Dancer casino. It’s not on the same property but has the same owners. Not sure if they subsidize, not sure why they even would unless they just do it for supposed fun.

            • Alan, I think they do it for “fun” as you mentioned. How many ways are there to be entertained on a reservation? Not that many, unfortunately.

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