More details on some of the 2021 deceased I reported on…
Insane Lifestyle died training at Hawthorne Nov 1. The full evil, however, is better understood through detail. From the Racing Board: “The horse has had a history of EIPH. Bled through lasix racing on 3-10-20; given time on vet’s list. Bled through lasix racing on 7-31-20; given six months on vet’s list. Bled through lasix racing on 6-11-21; given six months on vet’s list. Trainer then raced the horse at a fair without lasix. Trained this am without lasix – collapsed on track dead with blood in nostrils.”
That’s at least three bleeding episodes (and “vanned off” at least twice) prior to bleeding to death. The only race in this period (Mar 13, 2021) in which he (presumably) did not bleed he finished last, 25 lengths back. Then there’s this: Over just a 13-race “career,” Insane was sold at least six times and trained under at least four different men. That poor, poor animal.
Also, the death of Naughty Swagger (below) demands repeating. Her end came in the 6th at Turf Dec 14, and what a horrific, terrifying end it was:
“Just past the wire, it [it] 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 changes found in the left front fetlock, may have led to the described slowing and collapse of the patient at the end of the race.”
Naughty was only six, the age of maturity for a horse. “Severe osteoarthritic changes may have led to the collapse at the end of the race.” Words fail me.
INSANE LIFESTYLE, an Illinois-bred Gray/Roan Thoroughbred Gelding born on February 10, 2016.
His connections as of last start were:
Owner: Heather L. Jones,
Trainer: Jeffery Scott Jones,
Jockey: Rocco Bowen
What these people did to this horse is unforgivable. They and everyone else involved with the unacceptable abuse of this horse belong in prison for the rest of their despicable, disgusting lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The trainers should lose their licenses and barred from the track. They should also be brought up in animal abuse charges. There is no excuse for these horses to have been able to train let alone run in races. What horrible track vet let these horses run. I can’t wait for all race tracks to be shut down for good
Yesterday (3-24-22) the Ohio State Racing Commission reported the 7th horse death at Hollywood Race Track in Austintown (Mahoning County). An independent organization learned that in 2020 and 2021 at the 6 race tracks in Ohio a total of 113 horses died (during or after a race) and 46 of those deaths occurred at Hollywood in Austintown (40.7%). The total (113) for the state’s 6 tracks is completely unacceptable and for Hollywood Race Track it (46) is outrageous and racing should be suspended while a thorough (no pun intended) investigation takes place.
The kill total for ’20 and ’21 at Mahoning is actually 50, Richard. Please see my op-ed.
I read the list of 913 deaths at USA tracks and see that in ’21 there were 66 total at the 6 Ohio tracks (28 @ MV), 65 at the 2 WV tracks, 95 – PA, 107 – NY, and Calif. – 72 ! Kentucky at 20 deaths almost seems ‘good’ (?) ! I’ve been watching the Triple Crown races all my life and Breeders Cup more recently but have only been to local racetracks twice ( once each at Mountaineer and Thistledown ) and have seen a couple of the most famous deaths on TV. I knew there was a serious problem but had no idea of the extent. My girlfriend provided me with this article (Bled on lasix,…) and I’m so glad she did. I’ve always enjoyed watching horse race but, I can’t now. I’m not optimistic that horseracing can be totally eliminated but, I will be committed to that end.
Thank you so much, Richard. I’m actually in the process of completing the 2021 Kentucky report now; the kill total will come in around 65.
I’ll be watching for the final numbers for 2021. I guess it will be many more than the 913 that are listed. I’m becoming more disgusted by the minute. A friend who lives just a few miles from Mahoning Valley has a retired thoroughbred she adopted years ago and he is now over 20 years old and happy. Thank you for what you do. I am now as of today committed to do my small part in stopping this cruel sport.
Richard, I can relate to your statement, “I can’t now.” I also can’t enjoy watching horses race as I did before I watched the video of “Where Racehorses Go To Retire” on YouTube and discovered Horseracing Wrongs. I knew that racing two-year-olds was horribly wrong and the confinement of horses in stalls and other things that people do to race horses are wrong, but I didn’t know how many horses were being killed and the fact that horses are killed basically every day at race tracks in the USA and other countries. Also, out of between 19,000 and 20,000 Thoroughbred foals born every year (and it may have been over 20,000 annually in past decades), the figures of 10,000 to 15,000 Thoroughbred horses being shipped to slaughterhouses to be killed for their meat every year is overwhelming and repulsive. How could anyone with any sense of right or wrong and knowing the extent of the heinous cruelty to horses exploited for racing enjoy watching horses run on a race track and not cringe in anticipation of the horses pain and suffering?
Patrick, you do great work exposing the immense amount of racehorse fatalities, vast fatality rates, significant inhumanity and terrible cruelty involved with all of the forms of horse racing through your reports, media coverage, signs, protests, etc., but the only successful way to end all of the forms of horse racing is through politicians (politics), policies, the ballot-box, ballot questions, acts and laws – federal/national and/or state by state. In order to pass major horse protection laws including horse racetrack prohibitions, champion ballot questions to end horse racing, pass “Race” horse Protection Acts and Constitutional Amendments, and to successfully outlaw horse racing, you and your organization must do so by using the ballot initiative process. There is no doubt that the vast majority of citizens of every state in the US (and worldwide for that matter) would vote to end horse racing.
Jake, it’s been said it would cost in the ballpark of Five-Million Dollars to get the initiative or referendum on the ballot in just one state, the State of California, for the people to vote horseracing out of existence in this one state. I think we need a bigger total of funds to accomplish this worthwhile goal to end horse racing. Thank you for your feedback.
Look at that face…HOW CAN YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELVES???
This is the horse seen on the replay collapsing and the announcer made pathetic call about the incident.They were unable to delete fast enough and the announcer had a live mic with his callous remarks.
Suffering and and abuse is all she has known in her short life. Her sad expressive face says it all. Heartbreaking.
And to think a small segment of society gets away with so much cruelty and killing thousands upon thousands of horses year after year without any accountable. That is only possible because people and their representatives have turned their backs on the horse…
I am totally heartbroken to constantly read about what happens to the poor horses that are “used” by greedy humans in the sport of horseracing. People who abuses these horses should be criminally prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The Animal Welfare Watch in UK reporting the death of Kensington Art at Musselburgh today. Also known as Big Kenny, he fell at almost the last of the hurdles in the 3rd race. Yes, once again the barbaric Steeplechase strikes its magic death wand. I have recently read the state of Virginia will be holding Steeplechase races soon for a day of fun for the whole family.