Last Saturday (Apr 8), Sarcastic Tone won a stakes race at Fonner Park, garnering over $12,000 for owner/trainer Mark Hibdon in the process. Of course, there was a “Winner’s Circle” celebration, with photos, broad smiles, hugs, and triumphant gestures by the jockey. Problem is, the 4-year-old Sarcastic was clearly hobbling on three legs throughout – and no one on the track showed the least bit of concern.
But it’s even worse. Sarcastic, it turns out, was showing signs of lameness after the race immediately prior, Mar 18, also at Fonner. After that race, he was (briefly) placed on the Vet’s List – which quite obviously did not have the intended effect. I will be calling the Nebraska Commission on this, but given how nonresponsive they’ve been on FOIA requests over the years, I anticipate zero satisfaction. Meanwhile, it would appear that Sarcastic Tone is a dead horse walking. That poor, poor animal.
Well Mark Hibdon is one useless piece of shit – what owner doesn’t know when his own horse is lame – or just doesn’t give a shit – apparently that would be you. What did you just pay off the vet so nothing would be done about this poor horse – probably without a doubt. But by all means make sure that you have the god damn picture taken of you in the “LOSER’S” circle!!!! You are a despicable person and not a person that cares about the horse. Shame on you and your god damn jockey as well.
What heartless POS that NO-ONE even bothered to look at the horse, all they cared about was their five minutes of glory and the prize money. I expect the ‘vet’ in question was given a nice fat brown envelope to ‘look the other way’ and allow the horse to run anyway.
What would be the excuse that the Nebraska Racing Commission would use for allowing a lame horse to compete? Did they make any exceptions to the rules in this case, or is this the standard operating procedure in Nebraska?
One of the rules is that the jockeys must wear “clean” clothes/costumes. Just what is considered more important than the other?
Who do these people answer to?!
The answer is NOBODY!
Who is looking out for the horse?
We know the answer is the same.
The lack of integrity with no accountability at every level of racing is disastrous for the horses.
We are witness to blatant cruelty daily. I shudder to think of what we don’t see.
The lawmakers and society have abandoned the voiceless horses to the lawlessness and evils of racing.
PS I’ve seen the word stupid used to describe those in the racing business.
I disagree. They are not stupid, they lack a moral compass and many are just plain evil.
Since signing on to this site, I’ve learned that many more horses die in this “sport” than I had thought. (I don’t, by the way, mean that a lower number would make it okay.) I’m wondering how often a stadium full of spectators sees a horse go down, either breaking down and led off the track, or being euthanized right there in full view. The numbers of injury situations would seem to suggest that a lot of viewers see these atrocities. Does that not cut down on audience attendance? Am I naive for even asking this question? And Rose Smith, I vote for the word “evil.”