Floroplus, an “injured, vanned off” in the 2nd at Kentucky Downs Sep 8, has been confirmed dead by the Kentucky Racing Commission. He was seven, and this was his 26th turn under the whip. Officially: “[multiple] open fractures with fetlock disarticulation; extensive soft tissue damage.” And of course – because it exists in almost every single racehorse – “there was grade 2 squamous gastric ulcer disease.”
This is horseracing.
A disgusting activity conducted by immoral, unethical and soulless beings.
Yes, that is the answer to the question “What is horseracing?” and you nailed it, J Brooks.
Regarding the grade 2 squamous gastric ulcer disease, the different points of forcing horses to perform as racehorses are the same points of the causes of gastric ulcers. Squamous ulcers occur with 1) DAYTIME FORAGE DEPRIVATION, 2) lack of access to water, 3) high starch diets, 4) pelleted feeds, 5) straw feeding, 6) INTENSE EXERCISE, 7) CHANGE IN HOUSING, 8) TRANSPORT, and 9) LACK OF HORSE-HORSE CONTACT.
These are just NINE of the major categories of how racehorses DO NOT RECEIVE “amazing care” in this egregiously cruel industry and that’s a fact!!!!!
Reading Floroplus’ PP’s gives a glimpse into his tragic life of cruel exploitation. So do you think being purchased for $585K as a two-year-old would ensure that “royal treatment” we always hear about from racing supporters? – we know better than that (what’s “royal treatment” anyway? – we’ve yet to receive an answer to that question).
Floroplus endured change of ownership (and all of the stressful changes that come with it) too many times. Dropped into cheaper claiming races (red flag) – disqualified from a first place finish in one of his THREE races in ONE month (March 2021) for a lidocaine positive (red flag). And yet he’s what the racehorse IS – a mere commodity, a voiceless racing slave. No surprise here that a (young) 7-year-old with (only) 26 races is being made to race with a belly full of ulcers.
An aside, familiar names were noticed when reading the charts…ie, Bret Calhoun once had Floroplus in his barn. Calhoun is the racing “trainer” who claimed Ike Walker for E.R.V. Enterprises – who then promptly took the gelding to Camarero where he was raced to death.