Through a FOIA request to the Virginia Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks last year. Please note, however, that two of the horses below – Machenbank and Song for Someone – were not on the Commission’s list (they were confirmed elsewhere). So much for thoroughness.
Rylees Rose, Aug 3, Colonial S – “acute colic that lasted 4 hours…euthanized; there were severe signs of abdominal bloat, with rectal tissue extruding from the anus; gastric rupture could explain the extreme pain the vet described” (three years old)
Ready Edge, Aug 10, Colonial R – “disarticulation of fetlock, severe; superficial digital flexor tendon was ruptured and deep digital flexor tendon was partially shredded; medial proximal sesamoid was shattered in four pieces”
Ansel, Aug 16, Colonial R – “complete fracture of MC3, comminuted fracture of sesamoid, suspensory ligament partially shredded”
Lil Alma, Aug 30, Colonial R – “collapsed, got back up and ran 1/8 mile on three legs before being euthanized: tibia fractured into several pieces, surrounding musculature severely shredded, multiple hemorrhages throughout” (two years old, very first race)
Tipsy Seagull, Sep 7, Colonial T – “trauma to ligament/musculature” (two years old)
Machenbank, Oct 8, Middleburg R – “broke leg, [euthanized]”
Hurtgen Forest, Oct 22, Great Meadow R – “[multiple] fractures, euthanized on course”
Song for Someone, Nov 5, Montpelier R – “within 30 seconds he was expiring”
Isn’t Machenbank a Steeplechase horse? Of course they wouldn’t post the Steeplechase as deceased. Heaven forbid they dirty the reality.
The last 3 listed were steeplechase horses
I’m wondering if it’s because US Steeplechase oversees their races, but, seems to me, should still be listed under the state racing commission anyhow.
How sickening. Stop this madness.
LIL ALMA, a 2-year-old in her first race, and it turns out to be her last race, was traumatized beyond belief to have gotten up from such severe injuries after collapsing and, out of utter fear and instinct as an animal preyed upon, continued to run. Her human predators and abusers should be punished by law.
There are so many things in this world that are hideously gruesome and the forcing of horses to run in a group as though their lives depended upon it is just absolutely sadistic! (Their lives are cut short no matter how fast they run.) The consequences of horseracing are gruesome injuries to the horses. It is predictable! It is not rocket science. This sadistic indifference to this filly was preventable. It could have been prevented by not forcing her to race. What was done to this filly was egregiously barbaric and cruel. This inhumane treatment of a 2-year-old filly was callous and sadistic. It should not be allowed. A 2-year-old filly should never be forced to be a racehorse.
This inhumane treatment of horses must be stopped and punished by law at Colonial Downs racetrack and every racetrack in Virginia as well as the entire USA.
I agree with you, Wanda, but I would go further and insist that the public is entitled to have all concerned with the outcome of this race barred for life….the trainer for putting an incompetent rider on this filly, the owners for hiring a trainer that retained a mucksack to be her pilot, the stewards for not revoking the jock’s license and telling him no re-instatement as he is unfit and incompetent a danger to other riders and their mounts.
That’s an interesting concept, Sharon, except the whole idea of running 2-year-olds is wrong.
The whole industry is flawed even though not all Thoroughbreds are killed by catastrophic injuries at the age of two years.
It seems like almost every day that a two-year-old Thoroughbred is killed either in racing or in training. It is absolutely sickening.
It is the fault of more than the owners, trainers, jockeys and stewards (even though it would be a great carriage of justice to have them put behind bars) that two-year-old colts and fillies are used for racing and FORCED to perform as though they are/were fully developed horses. It is the fault of the whole racing industry.
This cruel treatment of horses must be stopped. The only solution to this problem is to end the racing of horses for good.