Through a FOIA request to the Maryland Racing Commission, I have confirmed the rest of that state’s kills in 2021. (Other 2021 deaths can be found here.)
Strictly Business, Jun 17, Pimlico S
“History of colic, several days duration; horse became toxic and was euthanized.”
Dr. Daniel: “This was a long, complicated case of colic and enteritis that Dr. Maury did her best to treat in the field. It is unfortunate that referral for 24-hour care was declined multiple times by the trainer. I do feel that this horse may have been saved had this referral happened.” Strictly was three years old.
Wessington Springs, Jul 20, Timonium T
“While galloping [on Jul 19] the horse started to cough and the rider became concerned. Endoscopic exam proved clean. Galloping again on Jul 20, the colt pulled up and became unsteady. The horse then collapsed, bounced off rail twice, struck his head [and] died on the track. Hemorrhage at the base of the heart and in both lungs.”
Dr. Daniel: “The pulmonary hemorrhage in this young colt was overwhelming. I wish we could have determined an etiology…as [he] seemed to have a promising career.” Wessington was two years old.
Keepyourskateson, Aug 15, Pimlico R
“Pulled up and vanned off. Shattered carpal bone in right knee, multiple pieces.” Keepyourskateson was three years old.
Great Cause, Aug 20, Pimlico R
“The filly flipped [in paddock] and struck her head hard on the wall. [She] was recumbent, loaded on the ambulance, transported to barn, and euthanized.” Great Cause, three, had just been sold seven days prior.
Cash Comes First, Sep 7, Pimlico T
“The horse sustained open, comminuted, displaced fractures [in] his left forelimb; avulsed pieces of the ligament [through the skin].” Also: “chronic degenerative joint disease in all four coffin, pastern, and fetlock joints; chronic degenerative joint disease in both the left and right carpus joints; stomach ulcers.”
Dr. Daniel: “The degree of degenerative joint disease in such a young horse is somewhat alarming.” Trainer Henry Walters: “[Previous] surgery was performed on both knees and possibly one ankle.” Cash was three years old.
Valley Vibe, Sep, Timonium T (euthanized Sep 27 at Laurel)
“Left hind fracture, surgery. Developed laminitis [with] separation of the lamina from the hoof wall and marked downward rotation of the coffin bone to the sole involving both [emphasis mine] front limbs.” Valley was two and being prepped for his first race.
Tremendous, Oct 1, Laurel R
“The [horse] flipped over backward in the post parade and landed on his head. The horse thrashed some, but he made no effort to rise. He was bleeding profusely from his mouth, ears, and nose and developed nystagmus – euthanized due to severity of the head trauma.” Also: “severe degenerative joint disease of the fetlock [both front limbs].” Tremendous was three years old.
Kyosha, Oct 3, Laurel R
“Pulled up, unstable, vanned off. Complete, displaced, comminuted fracture – numerous pieces – of both wings of the pelvis [with] abundant hemorrhage.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [both] hind limbs.” Kyosha was three years old.
Bella Thyme, Nov 6, Laurel T
“The horse broke down near the 1/4 pole: complete, open fracture of cannon; left pelvis shattered into four large pieces; abundant hemorrhage into the body cavity.”
Not On My Watch, Nov 6, Laurel T
“The horse collapsed, appeared to be in distress, died – suspect bilateral pulmonary hemorrhage.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [both front limbs]; stomach ulcers.”
Dr. Daniel: “I am surprised to see the degree of degenerative joint disease found on necropsy. It is suspected that Not On My Watch bled severely. I would concur due to the amount of blood found in the horse ambulance coming from the nostrils. It is always a concern that pain is a contributing factor to EIPH. I wonder if joint pain contributed in this case.” Not On My Watch was three years old.
Bust’em Kurt, Nov 13, Laurel R
“Broke down near the 1/4 pole: dislocated fetlock, [multiple] fractures…euthanized on the track.” Also: “severe degenerative joint disease; stomach ulcers.”
Dr. Daniel: “The condylar fracture most likely occurred first. I would say that the sesamoid fractures occurred next, and the total dislocation of the ankle occurred as he was being pulled up. Given the degree of DJD, I would have to think there was a multifactorial cause for this devastating breakdown.” Bust’em was two years old.
Gale Winds, Nov 19, Laurel R
“The horse was removed from the track by ambulance. While at the barn, the horse made several attempts to stand and then fell through the outer wall of the shedrow. Catastrophic fracture of right femoral neck [which] caused catastrophic and irreparable bleeding; Gale Winds was bleeding out.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four legs]; stomach ulcers.” Gale was three years old.
Moquist, Nov 21, Laurel T
“Moquist was working this morning and broke down near the 3/8 pole: open [through the skin] fracture; dislocation of fetlock; fractured condyle.” Also: “There is preexisting chronic degenerative joint disease in all four legs, most severe in the front; a prior surgery [with] two screws in right ankle; and stomach ulcers.”
Manicomio, Nov 25, Laurel R
“The horse suffered a catastrophic injury then tumbled forward to the track: open fracture [and] dislocation of the right fetlock; [multiple] sesamoid fractures; tremendous soft tissue destruction; joint affixed to the body by a small piece of skin.” Also: “severe degenerative joint disease.” Manicomio was five years old.
yet-to-be-named 2-year-old, Nov 27, Laurel T
“Broke down near the 3/16 pole and euthanized on the track. RF leg: severe open, comminuted fractures of MC2, MC3, and MC4; flexor tendon rupture. RH leg: femoral neck fracture.” That’s two broken legs. Also: “degenerative joint disease in LF leg [and] subacute hemorrhage/ulcers [in] stomach.”
Dr. Daniel: “It is always surprising to me to see the degree of degenerative joint disease present even in a young horse….” Again, two years old.
American Playboy, Nov 28, Laurel R
“Open, compound, comminuted fracture of the RF cannon…euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [both front limbs]; stomach ulcers.” Dr. Daniel: “[The] joint disease may be a result of hard training.” American was two years old.
McElmore Avenue, Dec 26, Laurel R
“Walking back to the barn horse suddenly collapsed and fell to the ground; [vet] arrived on the scene and determined that the horse was dead – most likely pulmonary hemorrhage.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four fetlocks]; stomach ulcers.” McElmore was four years old.
On Tue, Mar 29, 2022 at 2:37 PM Horseracing Wrongs wrote:
> Patrick Battuello posted: “Through a FOIA request to the Maryland Racing > Commission, I have confirmed the rest of that state’s kills in 2021. (Other > 2021 deaths can be found here.) Strictly Business, Jun 17, Pimlico S > “History of colic, several days duration; horse became toxi” >
I agree with you, Patrick!!!! This list of gruesome killings of horses exploited as gambling chips certainly should be posted at the betting windows, but isn’t it obvious that the narcissistic, money-grubbing, power hungry, ego-tripping, professional liars that make their money from this hideous cruelty will never allow this list or any other list of gruesome killings of race horses to be posted anywhere near any betting window??!!!!
Dr. Daniel must be very desensitized to the gruesome killings and alarming injuries as well as the chronic DJD (degenerative joint disease) because in the necropsy report on CASH COMES FIRST he says it is “somewhat” alarming. You would think it would be at least extremely alarming. It appears that there are so many young, underdeveloped colts and fillies with degenerative joint disease in all four limbs that a certain Dr. Daniel doesn’t find it to be extremely or exceptionally alarming, only somewhat alarming. This horse racing industry must be shut down!!!!! This CRUELTY to horses is unacceptable.
Ironic that a horse that died of EIPH has a picture with his nasal strips still intact – which are used to aid in breathing while racing. Kind of pointless when the poor horse can’t breathe due to drowning in his own blood. I would bet that this is not the 1st time this poor horse bled either, and I would bet his connections knew he was a bleeder.
Strictly Business..I hope when the connections are old and feeble that the caregivers just laugh it off. If you can’t take care of your animals or dependents don’t have them. And the others on the list, I’m so sorry your life resulted in this travesty. How utterly DISGUSTING, shameful and sad.
Rick Buckley, the trainer of STRICTLY BUSINESS, has to be one of the most sadistic creeps on Earth to refuse 24-hour care to a horse with colic and enteritis. He evidently enjoyed seeing a horse suffer in pain. He should be in prison for FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY.
Don’t worry Wanda, I wanted to say way worse but every dog has its day so to speak.
I get it, Nancy. I had to change my choice of words also! Some people call it vitriol. What these people do to their horses and how they abuse them and how they neglect them and willfully on purpose deserves bitter criticism!!!
But what they really deserve is to be punished by law. They should not be given any kind of free pass to commit crimes against horses!
I agree and they will pay someday,somehow. The great Secretariat will be 52 years old tomorrow. The most magnificent of all
Sadly racing will never learn. As the nauseating lists of the dead go on and on, racing pats itself on the back. Another Record Low for Catastrophic Injuries in Racing
Equine Injury Database releases data for 2021 season, reports record low rate.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/257717/another-record-low-for-catastrophic-injuries-in-racing
Here is what I posted last year this time, Jeanette: https://horseracingwrongs.org/2021/04/06/ignore-the-hype-the-jockey-clubs-record-low-death-rate-is-a-fraud/. And incidentally, my 2021 kill total – all 100% confirmed – will come in higher than 2020. The lie of “reform.”
I believe you, Patrick. This is a bald faced lie to comfort the conscience of those who are guilty. Reading through the casualty reports you complied this year made me absolutely ill and it seemed as if they would never stop. How can that possibly be a record low for catastrophic injuries? My Mom always said – if it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Well there you are – this is all a tissue of lies to allow people to continue in their cruelty.
You could put the actual corpses in a big pile in front of the betting windows, and most of these old racing junkies would still find away to climb over them to place their all-important bets. (Dead horses is just not a deterrent to gamblers in the throes of their bloody, horse-killing addictions.)
Not really, there aren’t any bettors left. Without all of the casinos and subsidies 90% of tracks would close. I haven’t been in a track in years but I could have held batting practice in the concourse without worrying while there was a line to get into the casino.
Many times when I go on Equibase to check out the profile of a horse that has been reported as injured and/or deceased, I get the pop up ad to open a betting account through 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. People can bet from anywhere on a device.
True, but they don’t. If you read the results you find that the betting handle (which includes off track) is very rarely enough to cover the purse much less leave anything for the track. I suspect the issue is the same as on track. Nobody wants to scour past performances to make a bet then wait a half hour. The want to play poker or slots online. Without subsidies it would be gone. Personally, I think that’s the worst part, giving taxpayer money to sleazeballs to torture and slaughter horses.
Agreed, Alan, that most of the grizzled old die-hards have, well, died. But having worked among those who remain, I can attest to how fiercely defensive many of them can be about their favorite anti-sport/gambling game. For them, suggesting that animal racing should be banned for its cruelty is tantamount to taking away their reason for living. That’s pretty hooked.
And, while their membership isn’t quite at zero — yet;) — I wouldn’t discount their willingness to grumble and gripe their way over piles of massacred equines to help them get their fix. They’ve spent decades of their lives metaphorically doing just that.
There are plenty of casinos everywhere and plenty of online gaming. Why can’t they find a fascination with other forms of gambling? There are plenty of other choices. Leave horses alone!
Agreed, of course. But these are mostly older men who’ve spent their adult lives studying a very small segment of a very specialized equine population. They can’t transfer their accumulated “knowledge” to another betting game — and believe they shouldn’t have to. Their “enjoyment” of (addiction to) animal abuse is so ingrained that they think WE’RE the sick ones, for trying to take their archaic hobby away.
And these are the documented cases of how racing absolutely destroys the horses before they have had a chance to live.
Severe degenerative joint disease, riddled with gastric ulcers and drowning in their own blood before they are even close to maturity.
Dr. Daniel should be “alarmed”. I hope Dr. Daniel understands he is dealing with an industry where the horse is the subject of “alarming” abuse day in and day out. These cases are a minute sample of what is the norm for these unfortunates.
Alarm bells are going off all over this gambling business but they are falling on deaf ears.
Where is the petition to sign to put an end to this atrocity??!!
There are three petitions regarding racing and/or subsidies (California, New York, and Pennsylvania) listed below under How To Help.
I don’t know about any petitions to stop this egregious cruelty to horses in Maryland.