Merit Song, one of the other two “van-offs” at Santa Anita yesterday, has been confirmed dead by the CHRB. He was two years old.
In a 2022 BloodHorse article, Santa Anita GM Nate Newby said this: “These results highlight the efforts of the entire racing community to put the safety of the horse above all else. The diligence and dedication of the owners, trainers, jockeys, vets, and the hardworking men and women who care for the horses each day are truly revolutionizing the sport.” Spoke too soon, perhaps? With yesterday’s two, SA has now notched six kills this year – this year being, of course, less than six weeks old.
These deaths are being reported on Fox 11 with the whole sordid story.
What does he mean by “these results” when horses are being injured and killed so often and the injuries and killing of horses never stops.
Everything the industry-driven public relations say to deceive the public is false advertising and misrepresentation. They should be sued at least.
Wonder if longtime-CHRB Dinosaur-“Spokesman” Mike Marten is gonna admit a THIRD kill from the SADT yesterday?
Probably not. At this point, I imagine the Stronachs will be doing backflips to keep poor Sierra Pass alive — for a short while, anyway.
Truth is you’re all probably doing back flips in joy with the broken down horses yesterday and getting off to the videos. Sad day indeed and probably the Joe Bravo horse should have been a gate scratch. Someone fucked up. But the truth is, you need horses to die so your plan has a lifeline. No horses break down, you have nothing. I love racing. I love seeing a horse run fast and live life to their fullest.
You guys never keep us waiting for long. Do you, Mr./Ms. “Truth”? I would think you’d at least try to curtail SOME of your inflicted carnage, if for no other reason than to make us less “joyous.” But you can’t. So you spew your hostility at those who SAVE horses from your disgusting game. Nice.
And, YOU sound like one of those uneducated losers that thinks it’s cool to torture animals.
You have proven that you’re incapable of knowing what the honest truth is, whatever your name is. Why do you not reveal your birth name? What do you have to hide?
A LOT of people fucked up, “truth!”! What’s the excuse for the other 2 deaths yesterday?? Horse racing will NEVER, EVER be death free. Tell you what, I loved seeing my horses run too. But the broken sesamoid, the broken cannon bones, the demolished hock, the sore back, the sore stifles, the sore ankles, and the 2 snapped off front legs on one of my babies broke me. Watching my filly STRUGGLE to keep up with the field in the few races she was in broke my heart. Watching my gelding bleed all over his stall like he was murdered because his epistaxis was so bad after a race broke me. Watching the other horses weaving, head- bobbing, and colicking in our shedrow broke me. Scrambling to find homes for the horses other track folk presented to me- the “donkeys”, “rats”, “pigs”, BROKE ME.
Since I have left that life – I am loving watching my horses run in my pastures, I am enjoying quietly riding them, and I have dealt with NONE of those physical ailments! And no- I don’t get off on seeing more death on the track! But if those videos and pics help spread the word about the terror, the destruction, the death these poor horses endure day after day on the track – god bless whoever filmed them and made them public, and I will continue to share them for the cause of stopping this shit show!!
And that, is the HONEST TRUTH!!
Mr. or Ms. “Honest Truth”:
“Truth is you’re all probably doing back flips in joy with the broken down horses yesterday and getting off to the videos.”
What a vile, disgusting and totally repugnant thing to say! Personally, I don’t know ANYONE – and that includes animal activists, jockeys, trainers, owners, bettors, racing fans and non-fans who would wish that on any living being – homicidal, psychotic, criminal maniacs excluded.
Yes, as a former bettor, who has had his eyes opened to the drugs, cheating, and abuse that goes on behind the scenes, and on a regular basis, I might add – I gave up on this ‘sport’. Like you, if, in fact you actually do exist and are not just a phantom poster designed to rile up the readers on this site, I too, loved racing and the majesty of watching a horse run with all his might to hit the finish line first. Especially if I had a win ticket on him. But once I discovered the horrendous treatment and abuse that these animals endure on a regular basis, it was enough to swear me off racing forever.
“Someone fucked up” – well, no SHIT, Sherlock, and this seems to happen quite often these days at the racetrack – with the horses the ones to needlessly suffer.
But let me say I do not wish ill of any of the jockeys, who risk their lives every time they ride a race, and I certainly don’t wish them injuries or death. But remember, they CHOOSE this path in life; the horses have no choice. And if the jockeys take drugs, they also CHOOSE to do so – the horses seem to have no say in the matter about the direction or treatment they get throughout the short tenure of their entire lives.
I, too, thought expensive racehorses were well cared for, and treated like royalty. But they’re not. Look no further than arguably, the top trainer on the planet, Bob Baffert, who had so many drug violations that the powers that be HAD to take down his Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit. Best trainer in the word, but he STILL needs drugs to win?
Doesn’t add up in my book.
“But the truth is, you need horses to die so your plan has a lifeline. No horses break down, you have nothing.”
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and assume that Mr. Battuello, the owner and moderator of this site is NOT in this venture for the money, and I will further assume that he would like nothing better than to see racing terminated for good so he can see his mission accomplished during his lifetime. I don’t know him, I never met him. But he seems to be a person that loads up with the FACTS, not hearsay or innuendo.
You, on the other hand, just seem to want to go off on an obscene, libelous rant with no real facts to back you up. Get a grip, H.T. and read some facts about how horse racing has deteriorated over the past several years and you may change your mind.
-Joe
Well said, Joe.
Your first sentence is one of the vilest, most disgusting things I’ve read, even taking into account that your sole purpose in posting on this site is simply to antagonize us. No person with even the slightest existence of a moral compass would ever rejoice to see an animal suffer and die in agony just to further support their viewpoint. The “honest truth” is that you have the maturity of an eleven-year old and the ethical constitution of a cesspool.
Well said, Rebecca.
Truth is only someone who “loves racing” – who “loves” a forced, dangerous activity that increases the risk of horses being crippled & killed (this acknowledged by even those in racing) – would think of something so bizarre. “Getting off to the videos” – hmm, must be something very familiar to you.
Think about it, Sparky…if we loved watching racehorses getting killed like you do, we certainly wouldn’t be educating the public with the terrible truth, now would we? We’d be defending it and hoping it all continues…like you.
*Get a grip apologists * I’m seeing a few people saying joe bravo ok🤮🤮🤮🤮. No One cares. joe is alive to ride and keep on abusing more horses that didn’t ask to be forcibly born into this corny bull****
Gee, the only living creature that I see and hear doing back flips are the horses “running fast” and breaking their legs, necks,pelvis,etc. And then flip under the railing.