It goes without saying that the NYS Gaming Commission, like its brethren across the country, does from time to time err. Typically, it’s relatively harmless – a misspelled name, an incorrect date, etc. But several times over the years, the Commission has reported a horse as dead who in fact was not; mostly this has occurred when reporting another (actual) death from the same race. Accordingly, I held off posting about Booby Trap in the 1st at Belmont Thursday – you know, the race that saw this:
Apparently, though, the 2nd-place finisher, the aforementioned Booby Trap, was “vanned off” and subsequently euthanized. (Another reason for my initial skepticism: The Equibase chart indicated no issues for BT, simply relaying that he “held safe for the place honors.”) And so, we now officially have two dead from the same Belmont race. And lest we forget, in this race another horse, Perfect Tapatino, “fell heavily” (after colliding with Baltimore) and yet another, A Silent Player, “was reported to have bled.” How proud the suits at NYRA must be. Booby Trap was five years old.
(Please note: It appears my initial skepticism was justified as Booby Trap has since disappeared from the Gaming Commission database. So it appears – there’s that word again – that he is not dead. I will of course continue to monitor, but for now his name has been removed from the killed list. – Patrick, 9/30/21)
Patrick, did Perfect Tapitino make it out without distress?
Nothing from the Gaming Commission yet, Nancy.
Patrick, will there be a presence from us Saturday at the Pennsylvania Derby?
Hopefully horseracing wro gs will be there for these big races
There is never an end to the viciousness and horse abuse both on tracks and by the BLM and their pro slaughter advisory board which is trying to exterminate our beloved wild horses and burros within ten years by vicious brutal roundups and letting hundreds of thousands of cattle and sheep graze on our taxpayer funded public lands and on the wild horses and burros legally protected areas. The ranchers pay next to nothing and are subsidized
They should stop having steeplechase races it seems horses are vulnerable to injuiries and death they fall heavily on turf sudden death happens too much i feel bad for these horses i wonder if they make a sound when they get hurt
Both Baffert horses are scratched from the PA Derby on Saturday (Medina Spirit and the female horse from the Cotillion) . Yey they live another day. Perhaps this will discourage the ones who were attending the race to see the infamous BB if he showed.
I read that Baffert scratched MEDINA SPIRIT because of the post position. What sportsmanship, as if horse racing is a sport. We know it is Animal Cruelty in every way.
Where were the so-called reporters from the ever-vigilant racing press in covering the deaths of not one, but two “athletes” in Belmont’s triumphant return. Hmmmm? Real news and sportswriters would have recognized that this would demand actual coverage — you know, a mention and some follow-up on tragic circumstances that struck at least two of their game’s performers within a minute. But not the racing press. Oh, no. Their journalistic integrity and dedication to presenting actual facts in an unbiased manner ends at the exact point their masters (any and all sub-humans in the industry) might be perceived as anywhere near as cruel and abusive as they actually are.
Imagine if a REAL sports reporter decided a couple-few athletes’ severe injuries weren’t worthy of mention, even though they occurred mere moments apart, and in front of thousands of fans. Let’s say a shortstop took a line-drive to the throat and had to be carted off the field and hospitalized. You think ANY reporters assigned to cover that game would neglect to mention that little tidbit of information? Now, imagine that at the very next at-bat, the pitcher unintentionally beaned the batter in the head with a fastball, breaking facial bones and knocking him unconscious. Again, anyone in the press gonna leave that out of their story? The very thought of it is absurd. That’s because REAL journalists and sportswriters, unlike those at DRF, HRN, TDN, Paulick Report (oh, so fitting that its initials are P.R.), TVG, and NBC Blood Sports, et al. don’t feel the need to protect the images and reputations of their news subjects by never, ever reporting anything bad that occurs on the field of play. They’d be laughed and shamed out of their jobs if they tried that shit even once. Not so with the racing press. Their loyalty lies first and foremost with the animal abusers. And anything they speak or write that would detract from the squeaky-clean public image their anti-sport enjoys (ha ha) is an absolute no-no.
YES, Kelly – they’re nothing but cowardly racing mouthpieces void of any integrity. Only 50% of their “athletes” ever get a mention in their flimsy pieces…and for those, the jockeys, even bumps and bruises are mentioned. Can you imagine how busy they would stay if they fairly and professionally wrote about all of their “athletes”’ injuries? – and DEATHS? They never will – it would ruin them and the industry that butters their bread.