Through a FOIA request to the Arizona Dept. of Gaming, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2021 (this is part 3; part 1 here; part 2 here). (Not all necropsies were in yet, hence the lack of detail on some deaths; I will follow up.)
Florida Two Step, Oct 28, Turf T
“This horse was training when it [it, not he] pulled up lame – severe, acute, extensive, compound fracture with comminuted fracture of P1, avulsion of metacarpus, oblique fracture of medial sesamoid, and hemorrhage.” Also: “The stomach ulcerations and small intestine hemorrhage are suspected to be secondary to stress and can be common findings in racing horses.” Florida Two Step was five years old.
My Proposition, Oct 29, Turf T
“This horse worked three furlongs; as it [it, not she] was galloping out, it became lame on the right front leg – acute, complete humeral fracture. Humeral fractures occur in racing animals as catastrophic failure or accumulation of stress and microfractures.” Also: “The gastric hyperemia and hemorrhage with ulcers in the non-glandular region and along the margo plicatus of the stomach are consistent with equine gastric ulcer syndrome. EGUS is common in racehorses.” My Proposition was two years old.
Cats Blame, Nov 9, Turf R
“The horse was pulled up at beginning of turn – severe, acute sesamoid fractures. Proximal sesamoid fractures may carry an occurrence rate as high as 41.5% in racing Thoroughbreds. Approximately 80% of all forelimb proximal sesamoid fractures are, as in this case, biaxial (both the lateral and medial sesamoid bones are fractured). Racing puts excessive force on suspensory ligament attachments to the proximal aspect of these bones, and creates the condition of fetlock joint hyperextension, predisposing this location to injury.” This was Cats Blame’s 50th time under the whip.
Ambers Storm, Nov 10, Turf S
“colic”
Half Cocked, Nov 30, Turf R
“At the 5/16 pole, the horse pulled up lame – severe, acute avulsion fracture. The left metacarpophalangeal joint is disarticulated with bone exposure and hemorrhage in the surrounding soft tissue. Based off the pulmonary hemorrhage seen throughout the respiratory tract, this horse likely experienced exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage, which is a common finding in racehorses.” Also: “There was evidence of gastric ulceration. This is a common finding in racehorses, and it can be related to diet, exercise, or stress.” Half Cocked was three years old.
Wasjuannowpaul, Dec 6, Turf S
“stall accident”
Naughty Swagger, Dec 14, Turf R
“Just past the wire, it [it, not she] collapsed and fell. Examination found the horse deceased. There is a complete fracture of the second cervical vertebrae, with exposure of the spinal cord, which is partially severed. Osteoarthritic changes of the forelimbs, with the most severe osseous changes found in the left front fetlock joint, may have led to the described slowing and collapse of the patient at the end of the race.” Naughty Swagger was six years old.
Originate, Dec 17, Turf T
“[multiple] fractures” (two years old)
Midnight in Maui, Dec 20, Turf S
“ataxia”
Alleyesfollowbelle, Dec 27, Turf T
“fractured fetlock”
Tazeeti, Dec 27, Turf T
“flipped – head injury” (two years old)
Midnight Luck, Dec 29, Turf R
“ligament rupture”
That phrase: “…a common finding in racehorses…” is used multiple times in the necropsies. With the knowledge that racehorses are victims of such exceptionally horrendous cruelty, abuse, brutality and that it occurs on an every day routine basis, the people who claim to love horses ought to be against the racing of horses for wagering handle, purse money, tax breaks, corporate welfare. Any type of financial reward or compensation of any kind to be gained from the brutal abuse of horses is not love.
God almighty these sound like battlefield deaths, not something t hat should be happening for “entertainment”!
It is a battlefield for the horses. The horses are running for their lives. Imagine living in a constant state of fear and dread.
Yes, but remember, everyone: “Cat’s Blame (sic) was and is fine.” This, according to those ever-transparent Turf Pairo’Deaths officials the day AFTER he broke down in his 50th race and was immediately euthanized.
This response kinda reminds me of how Chad Daybell responded to queries about his missing stepkids –whose bodies were later found buried on his Idaho property — while he’d been cavorting in Hawaii for months with his lovely bride, the children’s “mom,” Lori Vallow. Daybell had assured a reporter that the kids were “SAFE.” They were not safe. And Cats Blame was not fine.
(*Apologies to anyone offended by this analogy; horses are not murdered children, obviously. Just couldn’t help noticing the similarities between death track officials, along with their protectors in the racing press, and those who seek to hide their crimes from the media and the public.)
I think there’s a lot of mental instability going around within the racing industry, Kelly. (The mom was declared mentally unfit to stand trial.) What is the “mental fitness” of people that can kill horses and then just say that the horse is fine?
What’s their mental fitness level? I think it’s probably pretty high. (Well, as high as any sociopathic blood sport advocate’s can be, anyway, as they watch their sick game swirl down the drain.)
But, lucky for them, (the hilariously-titled) HISA is coming to save them all!
The blue ribbon nominating committee of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has a responsibility to the stakeholders, so the horses will continue to be brutally abused to the point of “injuries common to racehorses” and death.
It sounds so goofy to say “blue-ribbon nominating committee” in my opinion. It doesn’t sound like a highly ethical group of adults with respectable positions of leadership and responsibility. It sounds like a bunch of “well-chosen” human puppets.