From the Steward’s Report at Turfway December 30:
“Fire Marshall Bill finished second and required the assistance of the vets and the horse ambulance. After being evaluated, it was determined that the horse had suffered a catastrophic injury to his right foreleg and he was humanely euthanized.”
All was not lost, however, for the 4-year-old Fire “earned” $12,800 for his people – Brittany Vincent, Waylon Cundiff – prior to dying.
This, as ever, is horseracing.
As a gambling chip, people bet money on FIRE MARSHALL BILL. Money was won and lost. Money changed hands and this horse had to be evaluated by one or more veterinarians to determine that he had a catastrophic injury to his right front leg.
Who is the vet that determined that he could be passed to race and was he actually fit to race beforehand anyway? Besides the fact that horses shouldn’t be subject to this insanity of being forced into racing anyway because it’s so stupid and cruel!!!
There sure seems to be a lot of van offs there this year. So much for that new and improved surface being safer.
I wonder how times the jockey beat that poor animal to come in to the money before he was killed
You pose a good question. This horse did not deserve such barbaric cruelty all in the name of making money.
Even if FMB had tried to pull himself up to save himself from further injury, the jockey would have given him enthusiastic “guidance” to get him to the end of that track for a payday. I’m sure some apologist will insist that Fire Marshall Bill’s love of running kept him going all the way across the finish line despite his catastrophic injury, to which I will insist bullshit.
if this doesn’t break your heart, I don’t know what will — knowing what we NOW know about HORSERACING, you’d think most would get it — putting aside the unconscionable, depraved cruelty to Horses, the monies from Government supporting this vile industry is downright criminal — WHO says it’s OK to use taxpayer money to support HORSERACING? — this money COULD go to so many other deserving sectors — something is very wrong – we must keep pushing — let’s STOP the cruelty to our Horses — SHUT DOWN HORSERACING — FOREVER