Chart notes from U.S. Thoroughbred and Quarterhorse races last week.
Luna Mia “returned bleeding from the nostrils” at Mahoning
Ascot Storm “bled, vanned off” at Turf
Mambacitas Legacy “vanned off” at Sunland
Icy Storm “bled” at Aqueduct
Bourbon Bay “vanned off” at Aqueduct
Justkissmygrits “vanned off” at Charles Town
Caramelito “pulled up in distress, vanned off” at Turfway
Merci Road “fell with fatal injury, euthanized on track” at Charles Town
War of Ages “bled, vanned off” at Gulfstream
Merit Song “vanned off, [euthanized]” at Santa Anita
Sierra Pass “vanned off” at Santa Anita
Decorated My Life “vanned off, [euthanized]” at Santa Anita
Linda Tee Fire “vanned off” at Sunland
Loving My Storm “vanned off” at Sunland
Flying to the Top “vanned off” at Sunland
Stubbornkindafella “vanned off” at Turfway
Defend Yourself “vanned off” at Tampa Bay
While not all the “vanned off” end up dead, most do, as borne out by our subsequent reporting. “Bled,” “Returned Bleeding From Nostrils”: pulmonary hemorrhage.
When I saw my daughter-in-law this weekend, we had a discussion on horse racing. She didn’t realize that we had been involved in it. My son told me she didn’t realize there were any tracks in our state. Then she asked me- “do the women always wear the big hats??” My son told her no- that’s only on “big days”, and only some women do it for fun around here. I told her most days there’s no one even there- and what is there often looks more like homeless people. She wrinkled her face and her response was “ew”.
She’s 23. I think that is probably the response of 99% of her generation, thank goodness
Several years ago, the national news media did a piece on the grooms in horseracing and exposed how they had to go six months without a bath and what the living conditions were like for the grooms such as sleeping in a stall.
The news report emphasized the contrast between the horses being so “well cared for” and that the horses get a bath everyday while the grooms have to go 6 months without a bath. The contrast between the owners of world class level horses in world class level races and the vast difference between their lifestyle and the way the grooms had to live was eye-opening.
Decorated My Life in the Santa Anita race. This race is a barbaric downhill race where they start at the top of a hill and wind around bends. Then the grass knoll turns to dirt and back again. It is very very dangerous. This is the same course where a while back ArmsRunner and LA sardane fell when the grass turned to dirt. That was the race where the 2 jockeys just unloaded the saddles and left the poor scared horses shift for themselves(Armsrunner with a broken foot). So danger with a horse running at 100 percent and a disaster with a horse that’s not fully healthy.
Nancy, did you read the TDN article regarding this? It is sickening to read that Jeff Blea, of all people, says that one death is too many while they are willfully and deliberately putting horses lives at risk of fatal injuries every day and every week.
Wanda, yes late yesterday. I couldn’t believe it was being said by whom and was appalled by every word.