Through a FOIA request to the Illinois Racing Board, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2021 (this is part 2; part 1 here).
Classofsixtynine, Mar 2, Hawthorne S – “horse developed uveitis, [became] completely blind in both eyes, not safe, euthanized” (three years old)
Expect Elprada, Mar 3, Hawthorne S – “equine protozoal myeloencephalitis” (nine years old, had been raced 50 times)
Tak, Apr 3, Hawthorne R – “broke down – multiple comminuted fractures, ambulanced to designated area, euthanized”
In For the Chase, May 14, Suburban R – “horse dropped and died at the 3/4 pole – likely due to extensive hemorrhage within the lungs”
Jam Up, May 18, Fairmount R – “horse broke down – fetlock shattered”
Shacks Your Daddy, Jun 22, Arlington S – “severe diarrhea, severe colic – horse expired in stall [not euthanized, just died]” (three years old)
Solar Circle, Aug 9, Arlington S – “large colon fecal impaction” (two years old)
Seanshine, Aug 22, Arlington S – “down in stall – history of progressive hind-end neurologic symptoms going back about one month…euthanized”
King of Miami, Sep 16, Arlington T – “collapsed and died – pulmonary hemorrhage” (three years old)
Three Amigos, Sep 29, Arlington S – “chronic, severe degenerative osteoarthritis; no rescue would accept [him]” (just four years old)
Reveille, Sep 30, Arlington S – “neurological for some time, progressively worse”
Golden Lily, Oct 5, Hawthorne T – “came off track in respiratory and cardiac distress; collapsed, paddled, and died” (four years old)
Sassy Coyote, Oct 8, Hawthorne S – “hit head in stall, was seizuring and bleeding from nose, mouth, and ears…euthanized” (three years old)
Beyond Streetsmart, Oct 15, Hawthorne R – “[multiple] fractures – taken to the designated area and euthanized”
Cajun Moon, Oct 28, Hawthorne T – “jockey heard a pop – [multiple] fractures”
Insane Lifestyle, Nov 1, Hawthorne T – “collapsed on track dead with blood in nostrils; horse had a history of being a severe bleeder”
Parolee, Nov 5, Hawthorne R – “broke down at 1/4 pole – [multiple] fractures, ligament rupture”
Not Accredited, Nov 6, Hawthorne R (euthanized Nov 8) – “returned lame after the race – comminuted slab fracture” (not euthanized for two days)
Cadet Captain, Nov 21, Hawthorne R – “[multiple] fractures, ruptured ligaments”
Charlo, Nov 24, Hawthorne S – “severe colic” (three years old)
Mora Valley, Nov 26, Hawthorne S – “yesterday the horse had profuse bloody diarrhea; horse was found dead in stall this morning”
Mommas Boy Otis, Dec 26, Hawthorne R – “horse fell at the top of the stretch – complete, open fracture of cannon…euthanized on the track”
This list reads more like doctor Mengele at Auschwitz. The suffering! Revolting.
It seems that racing officials do not care about the number of horses dying for the sport. We on this blog care enormously for their welfare and oppose horse racing. Why can nothing more be done than listing the death numbers? It is a tragic and sickening situation that happens too often. One horse death is too many. It should have been stopped long ago but still goes on with few rules and legislation. I read the deaths everyday and wonder what more can be done to shut this evil business down. Are we the only ones who cry over another horrific death of a horse?
The people in this gambling racket really know how to make themselves despicable and despised.
Yet these horses are treated like royalty and live in stalls cleaner than our kitchens, according to the apologists. We’re also told that horses who crash to the dirt while racing from broken legs, shoulders, and spines die doing what they love – do the horses who suffer for hours before death from untreated illness and injury, alone and forgotten in their stalls, also die doing what they love?
There is no excuse for any of these horses to die. I do not understand how these people can be so selfish. They obviously do not care about their horses. The racing of horses must end!
Something that stood out to me in this list – and something I’ve not seen before in Patrick’s FOIA’s – was in regards to Three Amigos.
Yes, we’ve seen where still-growing and physically immature racehorses are suffering with severe, degenerative osteoarthritis (and training/racing isn’t any different than the activity my horses do of their own free will in their pastures? Not one of MY (even aged!) horses has severe, degenerative osteoarthritis like Three Amigos did).
What struck me is the “no rescue would accept him”. Did it ever occur to (trainer) Carlos Silva, (owner) William Granger or even (former owner/trainer) Brendan Walsh to provide Three Amigos with his home where he could live maybe a few more years being lovingly cared for? – to NOT look for a rescue to dump him onto? Of course it didn’t – all racing does is make them, use them, cripple them and ALWAYS get rid of them.
I don’t think any rescue could afford to take care of him and then just have him be in so much pain that they’d have to put him to sleep anyway. I doubt very much that the connections of THREE AMIGOS would want to give the rescue any money to pay for his veterinary care.
I’m shocked that anyone allowed that admission in the report.
I think they thought it would make them look “good” in the sense that they “did their part” but the rescue people “didn’t care” enough to save the horse. You know, as if these racing people think that they are above the law of the land and common decency. They have no common decency to exploit horses for racing and wagering revenue. These racing people have NO SCRUPLES to suggest that what they do to horses is okay. What they do should get them arrested.