As fully expected, Goin to the Show, a “took a bad step, went wrong, vanned off” at Keeneland six days ago, is dead – “catastrophic injury to right foreleg,” says the Racing Commission, “humanely euthanized.” He was five days shy of turning four. But all was not lost for Goin’s exploiters – Michael Puhich, Mark DeDomenico, et al. – for in crossing the wire, Goin won them $863 on his way out the door.
The Commission also disclosed the following:
Apr 13: “The claim [sale] of [2-year-old] Goodbetterbest was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List while in test barn.”
Apr 14: 4-year-old Close Knit “finished last and suffered a post-race heatstroke, requiring treatment from vets.” No word on how that treatment went.
Apr 15: “The claim of [3-year-old] Please Be Kind was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List while in test barn.”
Apr 15: “Emperor’s Appeal hit the front door of the starting gate and popped it open, but the assistant starter held the horse in place.” The 3-year-old was raced anyway, finishing 10th. The chart, by the way, said that he “was a bit reluctant to load.”
Apr 15: Same race as above, 3-year-old Myredwhiteandblue finished but then “required the horse ambulance – injury to left foreleg, released to the care of private vet.” (The chart said absolutely nothing about injury or ambulance.)
Apr 15: One race after above, 3-year-old Oldest Sister also finished but then “required the horse ambulance – injury to left foreleg, released to the care of private vet.”
And finally, the Commission reports that trainer Aveory Faircloth has been suspended for “possession of contraband.” Nothing on for what or how long.
It would not surprise me one bit if the Commission decides to suspend the trainer’s suspension. It’s just a formality to “suspend” a trainer who is in violation of the drug/contraband laws. The Commission must make it look like they are doing their job, whatever that is.
…”for, in crossing the wire, Goin’ won them $863 on his way out the door.”
These “participation trophies”, i.e.. getting an award, or money, for simply showing up is counterproductive to healthy competition in any athletic event, because, particularly in horse racing, as one can see, a horse can literally walk across the finish line, lame or otherwise, and still collect a check.
Further, the term ‘In the money” in horse racing always meant to finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
“Also rans” was a good term to indicate that a horse was non-competitive.
While I won’t begin to claim how well (or poorly) each trainer treats the members of their own stable, sadly, it’s human nature to surmise that the connections of these animals would run even poor, sick, lame or otherwise infirm horses if they can still earn money for the stable – a process which, surely lends itself to the further maltreatment of the horse.
In my betting days, I met a lot of trainers and owners, and I knew some of them personally. I always felt they loved their horses – that was the impression I was given. [note: I was never privy to the back stall shenanigans – as I am now -, so I can’t comment on that] But, in a very twisted sense they did – but only as you or I might love a favorite toy which, when it would no longer offer sufficient “play value”, or was broken, it would simply be discarded.
Clearly, there is no love among these characters for their charges as living, sentient, beings – only as objects of desire and further financial gain.
-Joe
“They’re babies.” “They’re not pets.” These things were said to me in person by human participants in the horseracing industry in the 1970s. I didn’t know then how many babies were crippled and disabled, maimed and killed by these people.
These are horrible people to allow such abuse of the poor horses. They should be punished for cruelty of animals and held accountable,
I think what speaks volumes about the true mindset of the owners and trainers is the sheer number of sick, lame, or injured horses that are sent to the track to race – and I don’t believe for half a second that their condition isn’t known or noticed by the trainers and/or jockeys.
I had a supporter argue that it’s just like sending your kid to school with a cold……um, no. Your kid isn’t being forced to run at breakneck speed around the playground while carrying a backpack full of weights and being hit with a stick.
Keeneland race 6 today. Horse went down bad.
Pre-race interview with Goin to the Show’s “trainer,” Mike Puhich, is still up on TVG’s stupid Twitter page. In it, Mr. Puhich acknowledges his moments-from-death equine victim had been INJURED last year(?), and that they “had to give him a lay-off.”
Good thing for Mikey that the Keeneland (and HISA) teams of veterinary “professionals” cleared poor, pre-injured Goin to be run to death…
Because if they hadn’t, he couldn’t have collected his share of that sweet, sweet $863. (Spend it wisely, you monster.)
And, (surprise!) many chartwriters don’t report all racing van-offs. Makes me wonder about their reasons for excluding such obvious public events. Do they think loading the equine ambulance with mangled victim(s) isn’t worthy of mention in the death race record? Do certain owners/trainers slip the chartwriters hush money in return for not reporting their horses being vanned? Or is it the track officials themselves who buy their silence? I suppose I could ask Equibase, or The Jockey Clubbers, or even HISA for these answers…
Hahahahaha! Just kidding, of course. All three are related — and essentially identical in their horse-killing secrecy needs. So they ain’t talking.