Through a FOIA request to the Maryland Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks thus far this year. (Because the details, including vet testimony, are so powerful – and damning – I will post in multiple installments so as to give each death its proper due.)
Holly Blame, Mar 29, Laurel S
“The horse developed an infection in his left front foot…treated for six months, with several medications. The horse started to bleed…and then developed laminitis. Euthanized due to the severity of laminitis with 10 degrees of rotation.”
Dr. Daniel (commission vet): “My concern with this situation is that this is the second horse from this trainer’s barn that has had to be euthanized under the same circumstances. I have suggested to his treating veterinarians that [Jose] Corrales and his help may need educating on proper foot care.”
Imagine that: a professional racehorse trainer “may need educating on proper foot care.”
Scoreswhenhewants, Mar 30, Laurel T
“When the horse reached the quarter pole, [he] broke down: complete, comminuted fracture, [numerous] fragments; extensive muscle damage and hemorrhage. Degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].”
Scores had just turned five. He also, by the way, had had prior surgery – in same limb that broke down – with three metal pins inserted.
Dreamingofsavannah, Apr 3, Laurel T
“Filly was toward the end of her breeze when she broke down. The left tibia is shattered…numerous fragments. There is acute hemorrhage in both [italics added] hind limbs. The acute traumatic damage to the RH fetlock joint and surrounding tendons is very interesting; we wonder if that damage might have occurred a step or two prior to the catastrophic step(s) that resulted in the tibial fracture.”
Also: “There is chronic degenerative joint disease in both left and right radiocarpal joints and in all four fetlock joints.” And: “Chronic ulcers in squamous mucosa [stomach] and acute stress ulcers in glandular mucosa.”
Dreaming was just three years old and had yet to be raced (i.e., all that “chronic joint disease” was strictly the result of training).
Very devasting to hear about all of these deaths when some of them never needed to happen with proper care!
HORSERACING must be BANNED because it is ANIMAL CRUELTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chronic suffering caused by ongoing abuse and torture, and inflicted upon the equivalent of children and teens. Beyond unconscionable.
Trainers without a God-given clue on how to take basic care of horses and horses held together with metal pins in their legs still being sent out to race, not to mention the chronic gastric ulcers and severe degenerative joints in horses still the equine equivalents of toddlers. Yep, treated like royalty and loved like children. Horse racing is no better than the slaughter houses they send their unwanted chattel to be killed in.
I’ve commented on numerous social media posts about the horror of horse-racing. To me it is nothing but a conduit to the slaughterhouse. The comment by a veterinarian about the second horse suffering from fatal hoof injuries speaks volumes for the pathetic lack of compassion and expertise required to be a horse-trainer. These low-life scum are too lazy and stupid to hold down a real job so they exploit the innocents. When are racing officials going to wake up and face the fact that they have failed the horses miserably. Horse-racing is dead. It just needs to be buried.
These horse “murders” need to be kneecapped by the same criminals that hire them. If this is “sport” then what is deliberate repeated CRUELTY?!