Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on 2021 kills. (I have been posting in installments.)
My Three Kids, Feb 21, Golden Gate T
“Horse was galloping on track and sustained [multiple] open, comminuted, displaced fractures and [multiple] severe, complete ligament ruptures.”
Mantra, Mar 21, Santa Anita R (euthanized Mar 22)
“[Multiple] displaced fractures; [multiple] severe ruptures.” Also: “bilateral moderate-to-severe palmar osteochondral disease.” Mantra was just five – still in adolescence. One other note: “Insurance agency declined surgical repair, so horse was euthanized.”
John’s Jewel, Mar 24, Golden Gate S
“Severe, chronic, active fibrinous and necrotizing pleuropneumonia.” Also: “mild random hepatic necrosis [in] liver.” John’s Jewel was just two years old.
yet-to-be-named, Mar 30, Golden Gate S (euthanized Apr 1)
“[Horse] suffered a deep laceration – severed tendon sheath, deep flexor tendon, part of superficial flexor tendon; euthanized due to deterioration.”
Velocemente, Apr 3, Golden Gate R
“Fell: open, comminuted fractures, both distal tibiae; while struggling, [suffered] open, comminuted fractures of radius; severe hemorrhage and tearing of musculature.” That’s multiple open – through the skin – fractures. Also: “moderate-to-severe dorsal metacarpal disease.” Velocemente was just two, and this was her first race.
My Child Sbud, Apr 17, Santa Anita R
“[Multiple] open, comminuted fractures [with] severe, complete ruptures of the intersesamoidean ligament, the lateral and medial collateral ligaments, the palmar annular ligament, and the digital flexor tendons.” Also: “palmar osteochondral disease [and] dorsal metacarpal disease.” My Child Sbud was just three years old.
Lady of the House, Apr 18, Golden Gate R
“This filly suffered multiple open, displaced fractures of fetlock [with] severe, complete ruptures of [multiple] ligaments.” Also: “bilateral, moderate-to-severe palmar osteochondral disease.” Lady of the House was just two years old.
Multiplier, Apr 18, Santa Anita R (euthanized Apr 19)
“Pulled up lame – complete rupture of distal sesamoidean ligaments.”
Champagneformybaby, Apr 20, Golden Gate S
“When turning horse around, [rider] heard a loud pop and horse went acutely lame – catastrophic femoral fracture with severe hemorrhage and tearing of musculature.”
Big Wish, May 31, Golden Gate R
“Fractured both left front sesamoids at the finish line – open and comminuted; complete ruptures of [multiple] ligaments and tendons.”
Music Babe, Jun 16, Golden Gate T
“Galloped this morning, came back to barn, put away in stall. Assistant trainer was watering horses late morning and found horse deceased. Cause of death unknown.”
Snazzy Cazzy, Jun 17, Golden Gate S
“Horse found deceased in stall at feed time. The gross findings are consistent with a diagnosis of hemorrhage and exsanguination as the cause of death.” In other words, the 3-year-old Snazzy bled to death.
Racer, Nov 6, Golden Gate S
“Treated yesterday for colic/large intestinal displacement, died during the night – colonic rupture with leakage of manure into the abdominal cavity.”
NO justification whatsoever for these and all the other deaths.
END HORSERACING NOW.
This industry is barbaric and everyone that thinks this $hit is okay should be arrested for this egregious cruelty to horses!
So the last 4 listed died all alone without any solace or care.
Years ago I had a riding horse, nothing fancy. I kept him in a pasture for $50 a month with a number of other horses about 35 miles from my home. Even in that isolated situation, in the years that I had him, not one horse suffered like these poor racehorses. I received a call one summer evening that my little horse was not doing well. Long story short, he was humanely euthanized at my vet’s clinic. And he did not die alone. And I certainly was no millionaire. It took me a long time to pay off the debt associated with this. My point is the total lack of compassion boggles my mind. How do these people sleep at night?
Lisa, Yes, how do they sleep? I often wonder how they can stand what they are doing. I always focus on the veterinarians who betray every moral tenant of “and do no harm” and who abandon their patients, and only for the almighty dollar. Did they not feel compassion for animals – ever?? They watch and stay silent as trainers and owners abuse their patients. They prescribe medications upon demand and with no compunction for what harm is being done to the victim horses. These veterinarians are NOT censored or punished by licensing boards and there is nary a peep out of places like Cornell Veterinary School, which often trained them, or other vet schools.
These poor horses are treated like machines. They are used until they break, replaced and thrown away. That to me is not being American. Americans are supposed to be on the side of right.
Beyond appalling and heartbreaking!!!!
This is sadist inhumane barbaric inexcusable behavior. More people need to be informed, do not support this horrific sport!!!!!
Bravo! Said Perfectly, thank you Dawn.
ONLY SUB-HUMANS TREAT HORSES IN THIS WAY ONLY SUB-HUMANS
Horrific
People who profit off of santa anita and keep it in business are the epitome of evil. Karma…
They stopped the greyhound racing they can stop horse racing and any other animals used for human entertainment
That’s what keeps me going. The fact that greyhound raising is mostly eradicated, and also circus animals. I think that in the end this mission will be met – to ban all horse racing. And this, to the tireless leadership of Patrick Battuello and Nicole Arciello, and then with the help of activists.
Why do horrors of so called human beings do this to beautiful animals. They must be stopped and punished
My horse was euthanized this weekend due to colic. I stayed by his side the entire time and finally made the decision to end his pain for him. It’s beyond disgusting that so many racehorses suffer the agony of colic alone and ignored in their tiny prisons, finally succumbing to internal ruptures or the injuries inflicted as they thrash around in a desperate attempt to escape the pain. Anyone who leaves a horse to die this way is a sadist who simply enjoys the suffering of animals. I make no apologies for this statement.
Rebecca, I’m so sorry for your loss. Nothing anyone says makes it any easier. You have my deepest sympathy. I have never lost a horse(except Cigar who I cried for 3 solid days and still cry) but loss of my other pets so those of us know how you are feeling.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Rebecca. You’re in my thoughts.
That’s heartbreaking. Everyone here knows how much you truly loved and cared for your baby. May time and the knowledge that you did all you could for your sweet Arab boy help to ease your pain.
Rebecca, I’m so sorry your beautiful Arabian was afflicted with colic. It’s tough. No horse can ever replace him. Every horse is different.
STOP THE KILLING..YOU PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE HARNESS PUT ON YOU AND WHIPPED DOWN THE TRACK TILL YOUR LEGS BREAK..ASSHOLES
Perfectly said Laurie, you “nailed it”. That’s all it is …. whipped down the track … til (the vomit worthy happens).
I am so sick of the human species at this point. From horse racing to hunting to factory farming, there is NO treatment of animals that is anything less than horrifically egregious and brutal. This attitude that animals are “less than humans” and therefore expendable for anything we want to do to them is thoroughly unacceptable. I no longer care what happens to our species, except for a limited few. We deserve everything we bring on ourselves.
But the animals don’t.