With the Stakes looming, another death at Belmont. Speed Alley was euthanized Saturday after suffering from “colic symptoms and large colon torsion.” He was three and being prepped for his first race. Speed is the 27th dead horse at Belmont (and 35th at all NYRA tracks) this year – with still over six months to go. Media: Where is your coverage? Over the past three years and five months, 174 horses have perished at this, one of America’s premier tracks. Is not what’s good for Santa Anita, good for Belmont? Simply put, do your job. (Again, if possible, please join us Saturday.)
NYRA’s 2022 Victims, Thus Far:
Viking Zim, Jan 2, Belmont S – “laminitis”
Dunph, Jan 5, Belmont T – “fracture, lameness, euthanasia”
Cara’s Daydreamer, Jan 8, Aqueduct R – “injured past the wire”
Obsessed, Jan 8, Aqueduct R – “suffered an injury approaching the 3/4 pole”
Winetastic, Jan 20, Aqueduct R – “suffered an injury, euthanized on the track”
Devils Dare, Jan 21, Belmont S – “found in stall unable to stand…euthanized”
Derby Kisses, Jan 25, Belmont T – “suffered a complete P1 fracture”
Minit Maus, Feb 1, Belmont T – “pulled up lame…euthanized”
Pepe’s Pride, Feb 15, Belmont T – “humeral fracture”
Dazzle Time, Feb 18, Belmont S – “inoperable colic”
Happy Medium, Feb 24, Belmont T – “pulled up, splint, ambulanced, euthanized”
Johnny Fontaine, Feb 26, Aqueduct R – “suffered an injury nearing 1/8 pole”
Geno, Feb 26, Belmont T – “suffered an injury while galloping – euthanized”
Herecomesangelina, Mar 14, Belmont T – “collapsed and died” (two years old)
Steadfast Love, Mar 22, Belmont T – “humeral fracture, muscle atrophy”
A Colt Named Susie, Mar 25, Aqueduct R – “suffered an injury…euthanized on track”
Cazilda Fortytales, Mar 26, Aqueduct R – “collapsed fatally” (five years old)
Noble Thought, Mar 26, Belmont T – “injured…euthanized on track”
Five Alarm Robin, Apr 2, Belmont T – “collapsed and died breezing” (five years old)
Lord Licorice, Apr 10, Aqueduct R – “fell heavily, euthanized on track”
Dario’s Angel, Apr 11, Belmont S – “to [hospital] via ambulance, euthanized”
Sister Luck, Apr 14, Belmont T (euthanized Apr 17) – “suspected pelvic fracture”
Green Light Go, Apr 22, Belmont T – “unsalvageable injuries”
Baby I’m Perfect, Apr 28, Belmont R – “sustained an injury at the five-furlong pole”
Cozy Dancer, Apr 30, Belmont S – “injured in stall after getting cast”
Not So Grimm, Apr 30, Belmont R – “vanned off, euthanized in barn”
yet-to-be-named 2-year-old, May 5, Belmont S – “died in his stall”
Fast Getaway, May 5, Belmont T – “injured, ambulanced, euthanized”
Boca Kitten, May 21, Belmont R – “went wrong, struck by foe, euthanized on track”
Life Is Great, May 24, Belmont S – “sudden death [while] recovering from surgery”
Daddy Frank, May 25, Belmont T – “collided with rail”
Didi’s Destiny, Jun 2, Belmont R – “got vanned off, x-rayed, euthanized”
Range War, Jun 3, Saratoga T – “injured while breezing” (being prepped for first race)
Speed Alley, Jun 4, Belmont S – “large colon torsion”
Gold Panda, Jun 4, Belmont T – “suffered unknown injury at 1/8 pole”
SPEED ALLEY was forced into servitude long before his mental/emotional and/or physical faculties were mature.
Then he was rushed for the infamous 2-year-old in training sale at OBS in Florida.
I watched the replay of his “breeze” for potential buyers and even then, before he was 2, he was exhibiting signs of forced stress.
In fact, his actual birthday was May 10. 2019 which is a late foal according to industry standards, but didn’t deter the parasites wanting to make a buck off of him.
Essentially, he was broke at just over 1 years old (imagine that?), sent out into hard training at 1.5 years old and actually breezed several times 2 months prior to his 2 year old birthday!
Unimaginable forced suffering and stress on a living being not even close to being prepared for what was bestowed upon him.
A beautiful gray/roan colt whose many hours of suffering in the stall became too overwhelming and too much for him as he succumbed to what was long term chronic issues most likely due to the stress.
Another beautiful life snuffed-out by the parasites in horse racing with zippo repercussions or accountability.
I was just thinking about the name “Belmont Park,” that automatically invokes a beautiful and serene place when really it’s just a corrupt killing ring financially supported by New York taxpayers and casino subsidies.
Your comment would make an excellent letter to the editor, or with a picture of him included I would like to add it to my Facebook story. Would you mind if I did that?
Thanks for everybody’s support of my comment herein.
Yes Lisa go ahead and use my comment.
I will post it on my FB page as well.
Racehorses have been my life and, as long as I’m alive, they will not die in vain like the industry hoped they would.
They have always been and will always be my passion.
I’ve spent thousands of hours, alone, bent underneath a thoroughbred at all stages of life learning everything I could about them and, for me, there’s a connection there that I can’t convey.
It’s my meditation, my form of mental therapy and I’m not ashamed to admit that.
This site serves a critical purpose to expose the facts and I thank Patrick for his tedious work as well garnering the FOIA requests and exposing the facts that are needed to shut this killing show down.
Gina, thank you for doing the tedious task of looking up his history and sharing it with us, even though it is obvious that this is your passion. There are so many abused and killed race horses with so much information to research. It’s extremely overwhelming, besides it is so depressing to know that these young, underdeveloped colts and fillies are so ROUTINELY ABUSED and their breeders, owners and trainers will continue to do the same sadistic things over and over regardless of the outcome.
Gina, your well-written comment is appreciated very much!!!!!
Gina, This post moved me (as do many). Thank you for doing all you can to dignify the lives of horses that most often are relegated to the scrap heap of anonymous racing “casualties. ” By giving us a glimpse of Speed Alley’s short life and his cruel, unnecessary death, you have made him real.
Thanks to you, and to Patrick and others on this site, who spend extraordinary time and effort to find as many horses as you possibly can who have been victimized by a barbaric, soulless, industry, and then to call out every horse’s name and age and cause of death.
That is so hugely important, to name them! It gives them the respect they each deserve. They aren’t just statistics. They are beautiful, unique individuals, sentient beings with a generosity of spirit that they would willingly share with humans, given the chance. These race horses are so seldom given the chance. Their beauty and their individuality and their generosity are squandered. It is unspeakably sad. It’s sick. It’s a disgrace to this country, to all humankind, and it has to end.
In about 21 weeks
TWENTY-SEVEN (27) HORSES HAVE BEEN KILLED by the horseracing industry at the Belmont racetrack where the final race of the triple crown will be run this Saturday when racing will be glorified by its participants.
The carnage continues unabated whilst the industry unashamedly parties on.
And shame on the media for turning a blind eye on this inexcusable number of 27 horse deaths at Belmont from 2 January to 4 June (two horses died on the same day).
Or does the media regard innocent horses being sickeningly sacrificed as part of the entertainment in the racing game.
One of the unforgivable wrongs committed against horses is starting colts and fillies under saddle and rider as yearlings. People who ride yearlings and promote and perpetuate this type of degenerate ABUSE of young colts and fillies are not playing with a full deck. Period.