“Collapsed, Got Up, Did Circles, Then Collapsed and Suffered Sudden Death”

Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on 2021 kills. (I will be posting in installments of five.)

Cali Caliente, Jan 9, Santa Anita T
“Horse was jogging, collapsed near wire, got up, did circles, then collapsed and suffered sudden death. History of collapsing/severe epistaxis 11/26/20; was sent [to] farm and had several rounds in oxygen chamber. Horse came back to track mid December and has only been jogging.”

Once more: Cali collapsed from “severe epistaxis” – acute hemorrhage from the nostril(s) – less than two months prior to collapsing again and this time, dying.

Noor Khan, Jan 17, Los Alamitos T
“Per assistant trainer Linda Thrash, horse did not finish work well. Walked back to barn ok. At 7:45 am, horse staggered in tow ring and collapsed. Presumptive cardiopulmonary collapse; extensive hemorrhages.” also: “chronic ulcers [in] stomach”

Don’t Stop Lookin, Jan 17, Los Alamitos T
“[multiple] open fractures, [multiple] severe ruptures”; also: “chronic ulcers [in] stomach”

Scat’s Choice, Jan 23, Santa Anita R
“[multiple] open fractures, [multiple] complete ruptures”

Staredown, Jan 28, Golden Gate T
“fracture, rupture, massive hemorrhage, muscles severely torn”

“At 7/8 pole [Staredown] fractured proximal RF limb and fell immediately to synthetic surface…. Horse was unable to rise, there was crepitation [crackling sound] and instability at the elbow/distal humerus region. After evaluation and consulting with trainer and owner, euthanasia was elected due to the grave prognosis….”

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23 Comments

  1. This is representative (behind-the-scenes) of the tradition of the Sport of Kings in the United States, namely California. If I didn’t have access to the internet and everything, I would not be as aware of this demented and DEGENERATE ABUSE of horses as I am now. I know what I have seen first-hand, but it is much more rampant and uncontrolled than I was aware of before discovering this site. Thank you for educating the public on these horrific and treacherous abuses that only lead to death for the horses. It is very revealing, not to mention extremely disturbing!!!

  2. The fact that Cali Caliente was not retired when it was first evident she/he had an obvious health ailment says it all about these people and their “sport”.

    • To me, using injured and ailing horses for this gambling industry would be the equivalent of going into hospitals and rehabilitation centers and forcing injured and ailing people to work.

  3. THIS IS SO WRONG AND SO SAD WE HAVE TO STOP IT POOR ANIMALS , ENOUGH IS ENOUGH 🙏

  4. Two of these horses collapsed and three of them had fractures and ruptures. Their trainers and vets were no good.

  5. You wont to stop horse racing becous of what the babies go through ( they need to have exrays before each race, as they are getting saddled and a million$ fine for any vet that passes a horse knowing there is something not right. help stop the pipline they sell horses that need to be put down they do not feed nor give water for days they die very slow and if they make it alive , maybe not even standing they go to Mexico or Canada to get killed, California is the only State with a law but its no good, if they can walk they sell, i have seen horses draging a leg that was rotten but it was walking.

  6. More info on Cali Calienta from the DRF…

    “Cali Caliente entered training at age 2, and was up to five furlongs in workouts before [racing trainer] Kruljac stopped on him. Same at age 3. He was up to a half-mile before another hiccup. None of the setbacks were serious – a tibia injury, another tibia injury, and a hot knee.

    “‘He fell apart three or four times on the way to his first race,’ Kruljac said. ‘We just kept turning him out and giving him time. It took forever for his bones to set up. If I didn’t have his mother and his siblings, I probably would have given up on him.’”

    But Kruljac didn’t “give up on him” – he kept at it until he killed him.

  7. Why can’t we find one (or two) state senator and assembly member who would introduce–co-sponsor–a statewide “horseracing-ban” legislation; and find at least three or four well-known personalities to support such legislation and campaign for it? Even if legislation was introduced to ban the whip, all implements of torture, all drugs, and not allow any horse to race in CA until six years of age (and more stipulations), that might be the lethal blow if we can’t get legislation to simply ban it completely.
    If we had the resources, an initiative might be the best way to go….

  8. One minor issue: A “FOIA” is usually a federal info request; but in CA, they are called Public Records Act Requests (“PRA Requests”). With inter-agency requirements, maybe a FOIA was the process used (?), but I wanted to be sure as I pass this info on. Thanks.

  9. Horse racing is not a sport – it’s a complete sham and an utter disgrace as the Kill List above clearly confirms.
    Case in point is Olympic multiple-medal world champion U.S. gymnist Simone Biles.
    She had a choice to be an athlete – racehorses don’t.
    She has a voice to stand-up and say “I’m not right mentally,” and I must withdraw for my personal safety.
    Both Simone and the athletes that rallied behind her said: “everybody focuses on our physical well-being when the mental well-being is equally important to ensure our safety and to protect us from personal injury.”
    We are in a high risk sport and we have made the choice to do it, but it’s also our choice to withdraw because we know our bodies better than anybody.
    This is totally contrary to a racehorse whose mental health is compromised daily due to intense confinement in their stall 23 hours per day.
    Everything natural to them is stolen for the sole purpose of commodification.
    Their stall confinement begins their demise in some capacity and their physical well-being as well.
    Only racehorses can’t say “I’m not well” nor do they have the choice to defend their own life as horse racing takes that away from them.
    The only thing they can rely on are sites and people like us who are a voice for them.

    • There were critics of Simone Biles as well and someone said that the people who criticized Simone Biles could not bend over to pick up something that they dropped on the floor. Certainly, her critics were not athletic.

  10. I am so sorry these poor horses had to suffer for no good reason. Broken, battered and stressed. There has got to be a special place in hell for their abusers. There sure is no justice for them this side of heaven. God speed poor baby’s

  11. What are they giving them to cause the ulcers in stomach and bleeding thru noise snd causing bones to crackle????!!!! I think we need to give it to the jack ass’es that give it to the horses and make them run and whip their ass’es!!!!

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