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.)
Natural History, Feb 6, Santa Anita T
“[Multiple] open fractures accompanied by complete rupture of both branches of the suspensory ligament; changes in both fetlocks are consistent with bilateral repetitive overuse injury.”
“Repetitive overuse injury” is the incessant grinding of unformed bodies – NH was just three years old – I speak of when arguing the inevitability of dead racehorses.
Black Badge, Feb 8, San Luis Rey T
“Rider and outrider heard ‘loud pop’ while horse [was] galloping. Catastrophic breakdown with complete humeral fracture associated with stress fracture and callus formation…massive hemorrhage affecting soft tissues from the shoulder to the proximal antebrachium. Chronic changes [included] healed, mid-body fracture of lateral proximal sesamoid bone [and] moderate to severe dorsal metacarpal disease.”
Yes, Black Badge, just two years old and yet to be raced, had a previously healed fracture in the same leg that ultimately broke down. Oh, and this baby also suffered from “severe gastric ulceration.”
Munny, Feb 11, Golden Gate S (last raced Feb 4)
“Horse had upper airway surgery on 2/10 for dorsal displacement of soft palate. Recovery uneventful. Last checked on at 10 pm. Found deceased in stall this morning. Bilateral epistaxis. The amount of hemorrhage surrounding the larynx likely compressed the airway and caused respiratory distress and failure are evidenced by the large amount of blood froth observed within the trachea and bronchi. There was also evidence of hemorrhage within the guttural pouch which is the likely cause of the blood observed coming from the nose.”
Imagine this poor animal’s pain and terror: “compressed airway, respiratory distress, epistaxis.” And yes, she too suffered from “chronic gastric ulcers” – at three years of age.
Sweet Boy, Feb 20, Golden Gate T
“Galloped out and fell over dead. The cause of the sudden death was not determined.”
“Fell over dead” – Sweet Boy was just three years old.
Okoye, Feb 23, Golden Gate T
“Horse attempted to duck into saddling paddock while jogging and ran into rail…sustained severe laceration to chest with severe hemorrhage. The trauma caused a penetrating wound into the thoracic cavity with a rib fracture and collapsed the entire right lung. Additionally the tremendous amount of blood within the cavity likely resulted in exsanguination.”
“Exsanguination” – Okoye, also just three, bled out.
Reading these horrifying accounts of what happened to these horses to cause them suffering and death 0proves to me that horse racing should be ended.
Wanda, wasn’t Munny the horse you pointed out as dislike for her name? I came back with the sire was Munnings so that’s probably where the name came from. And remembering it was said she only had the minor throat issue…No problem,right?
Nancy, there are so many names of racehorses that sound disgustingly unfitting for a horse. Munny did sound like an alternative spelling for money, whether it was or not.
The callous disregard for the horses is beyond disgusting to me. HORSERACING cannot be banned soon enough! This despicable industry is responsible for so many horses dying from injuries and ailments that could have been prevented. It sickens me!
#HorseracingisAnimalCruelty
Heartbreaking. Vile. Disgusting. Enraging. Cruel. Horrific.
Oh, yeah; I remember three fatalities, all within FOUR DAYS at Golden Gate Killing Fields (Sorry, Wanda, I had to steal your perfect title for the Stronachs’ OTHER Cali Death Track). All three kills occurred just a couple weeks prior to a protest of their beloved Bay Area Cruelty Compound. So, how do they respond? By proudly and very publicly announcing they’re SUING the racing protesters for costing them (blood) money.
Nice job, Stronachs! Pretend your business isn’t a straight-up slaughterfest, brag about your oh-so-important use of the Court’s time, then just keep on killing horses — giving everyone even more reasons to protest you. Rinse and repeat, until the voters shut you down:)
Kelly, no need to apologize. You know we’re just calling a spade a spade! It is what it is! I think that’s kind of neat in a way that these professional killers of horses sue the protesters, because there is no publicity like free publicity. If it is in the news at all, this attracts attention to the fact that there is a need for a protest.
Another kill at Saratoga. The video is still up. I taped it. First time starter race 6 the 8 horse stepped in a hole and won the race and broke down after
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
This is so heartbreaking how those vicious monsters make those innocent young horses suffer