Much is being made of the two deaths at Laurel last Thursday. Those kills, in back-to-back races, forced the track to close indefinitely while a power struggle plays out between track ownership and the horsemen. Turns out, however, that it was much more than just Thursday. Through a FOIA request to the Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 13 deaths at Laurel since the beginning of the year:
Goldbar, Jan 14, stall – cause not disclosed, but the 3-year-old had been raced Jan 7
Bullout, Feb 5, training – “comminuted pastern fracture” (two years old)
Celtic Cousen, Feb 10, training – “[multiple] fractures” (three years old)
Auspicious Lad, Feb 23, stall – “sudden death” (three years old)
Lady Macho, Mar 18, racing – “comminuted pastern fracture”
Forth, Mar 25, racing – “comminuted cannon fracture”
Utterly Courageous, Mar 29, training – “sesamoid fracture/laminitis”
We Call Him Clyde, Apr 8, training – “comminuted pastern fracture” (three years old)
Notion Street, Apr 8, training – “sesamoid fracture” (three years old)
Hello Jamrock, Apr 11, stall – “cellulitis, laminitis [different limbs]” (raced Apr 2)
Witty Banter, Apr 18, training – “multiple fractures”
Golden Pegasus, Apr 20, racing – “fetlock disarticulation”
Bigmancan, Apr 20, racing – “comminuted sesamoid fracture”
WTF is wrong with this horse racing. Look at the list of deaths and see how many are bone related – these horses are no where near being sound when they are being exercised or raced – it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that all of these tracks are racing unsound horses and that the owners, trainers, jockeys, vets and racing commissions don’t give a shit about the horses – f*ck people wake up. This is just another case of animal abuse and these bastards are the abusers daily and the poor horses suffer daily because of this and the bullshit $2.00 bet. Pathetic humans!!!
The broken bones and sudden death of the horses listed above are COMMON INJURIES TO RACEHORSES. The veterinarians know this. The so-called horsemen know this. It is SO obvious that the so-called horsemen would want to pass the buck and blame it on the track.
The owners and trainers know that what they’re doing to horses is dangerous to the horses and the jockeys, except this is about the horses who have no voice and no choice.
This so-called sport is so UNSPORTSMANLIKE that when a jockey falls and gets trampled by another horse, nobody stops the race to take care of the fallen jockey. I mean that’s how much they care about their fellow human participants in this game. Human beings have a choice and a voice, even though some people have to continue to fight for their voice to be heard and recognized. How much more do the horses need a third-party to be their voice!!!!!
#HorseracingIsAnimalCruelty
#EndHorseracingNOW