A “Bad Step” Kill at Thistledown

One thing about the Thistledown chartwriter, he/she is a person of few words. The full writeup for Competent in the 7th yesterday: “made the lead a few strides out of the gate, took a bad step, pulled up and was euthanized.” Done. Dead. Competent was five, and this was her 18th race. In her penultimate one, April 30 at Churchill, she finished last of 12, 21 lengths back. Her exploiters: Mark and Jason Tomczak.

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4 Comments

  1. It’s a “job” so why make a big deal out of something that happens often in racing??? This shit show must be recognized as the ABUSE that it is at Thistledown Racino in Ohio. This practice of routinely ABUSING HORSES must be recognized by law as the equicidal mania that it is and be punished severely!!!!!!!!

  2. Looks like the elder Tomczak has been “training” thoroughbreds for the last 45 YEARS. And poor Competent — as one of his top earners — just proved his absolute competence (in killing off his own family members’ investments, that is.)
    So, you think, just maybe, it’s time to give up this whole killing-horses thing yet, Mr. Tomczak? I mean, we’ll never know how many unfortunate young equines you’ve destroyed throughout the years. My guess is, it’s well into the hundreds.
    But, hey. Maybe you were a much “better” trainer back then. So, only, say, 50-ish horse kills. In either case, it’s probably time to find a new hobby. Ideally, one that’s actually beneficial to the world. (Not to mention, to your own family;)

    • Oh, and as if the fabulous Tomczak clan doesn’t have enough carnage in their history, they’re entering a gelding this weekend with the worst PPs I’ve ever seen.
      Delaware Park must be pretty hard-up for equine victims these days if they’re willing to allow poor Fifth of November to be run there on Saturday — his first race off an 11-month layoff from track torture. But I guess the Tomczaks think he’ll survive. (And, clearly, they know best.)

      • Thank you, Kelly. It sounds like the racetrack is desperate to fill out a race card. It has been well established that any racetrack’s higher priority is filling out the race card even if that means sending a horse out to die on the racetrack or shortly thereafter. I think most people know by now that the track vet will be paid to pass unsound horses to race. The one exception might be that the “uneducated” public can see that the horse should be scratched, but who knows what difference that might make on race day…?

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