This week is the most anticipated of the U.S. Racing calendar, with the Kentucky Derby, the world’s most famous race, slated for next Saturday. It’s an even bigger deal, of course, in host state Kentucky, and most especially at Churchill Downs. Yesterday, Churchill reopened for its spring meet. In the 8th, 4-year-old Parents Pride “went wrong and got vanned off.” While I don’t have a firm confirmation yet, the “went wrong/vanned off” combo is almost always Kentucky chartwriter-speak for dead.
Surely this is not the look the suits in Racing want, particularly with what’s been happening in Maryland…
Meantime, our Baltimore Sun op-ed ran in today’s edition – Sunday, the most important of the week…
Great article and exposure! Thank you all for all you do
Perfect photo. “Welcome to the Kentucky Derby. Now go home and try to erase from your mind the hideous horror you just witnessed. Best of luck!”
The Kentucky Derby: where the daily routine INHUMANE treatment of horses is celebrated as a sport. (Hey, millions of dollars are involved and you know tourism is great for the economy of any community!)
Let’s, no, let’s not, also “sweep under the rug” the use of nurse mares AND their foals born only to be DISCARDED by this despicable industry. Untold numbers of mares and their foals are exploited basically in much the same way as the cows and their calves in the commercial dairy industry. These MARES AND FOALS are treated with the same SADISTIC INDIFFERENCE as the young, underdeveloped 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds that make it to the racetrack.
IF ONLY people could see the abuse and carnage that goes on behind the scenes and back at the breeding farms as well as the actual breaking down of the colt or the filly running for his or her life on the track. There is no end to the cruelty of the animals exploited by human beings for the money and ego trips.
You people have a demented and morbid outlook on life and especially in regard to horse racing. Let’s outlaw cars, trucks and buses because they cause tragedy and death. Let’s outlaw pet owners who let their animals run free destroy property or other animals. How about we outlaw women who chose to slaughter babies or drug dealers who make a dime poisoning people. You all need to get your big girl or boy panties on and quit bashing people and a sport. Ignorance is bliss among the likes of you and your ilk.
Leslie, we know about people like you. Your comment speaks to the moral depravity of die-hard horse-abusers, horse-dopers and horse-killers in the racing industry.
It’s too much for you to express empathy for the horses.
Having understanding and compassion for the horses is beyond your capacity. You are incapable of compassion for the horses.
The suffering that horses must endure because of the SADISTIC ABUSE that morally depraved people like you inflict on horses is unacceptable.
While you are denying and deflecting, we see the evil in you and your kind.
LOL. Been a while since the Leslies of the world have spoken directly here. And this “You People” comment is particularly entertaining. Especially the last line: “Ignorance is bliss among the likes of you and your ilk.”
Keep ’em coming, please;)
Thanks, Kelly; and speaking of ignorance — that line by ‘Leslie’, “How about we outlaw…drug dealers who make a dime poisoning people.”
There have been numerous reports of drug dealers within an approximately 150 mile radius of the town where I live who have been caught with the deadly fentanyl pills and other street drugs. It’s somewhat mind-boggling how many different people have been arrested for drug trafficking and possession of these deadly pills within the last several months in this local area. Also, there are commercials on the local television station educating the public about just how deadly fentanyl pills are! There is one individual in this town where I live who is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter connected to the drug trafficking/dealing charges in addition to the drug trafficking, possession and dealing charges..
How ignorant of Leslie to say anything so very not-smart-at-all…!!!!!
Derby-bound Wild On Ice was all over racing news when only his injury was confirmed. But NOTHING from them about Parents Pride when she was injured on the Derby’s track?
Oh they drive home their TRUE selves and what is important to them by constantly – day after day – and completely ignoring the vast majority of dead racehorses while pretending to “care” when an “elite” horse dies on one of their “killing fields”. What’s important to racing and to those who benefit from its existence? – their paychecks and keeping the facts about dead and injured racehorses hidden from the general public.
So you (and you all know who “you” are) think leaving roses in a pail by the empty stall of Wild On Ice is evidence someone CARED about him? Seriously, stop already – you show yourselves to be even more obtuse than we already knew you were.
Isn’t it all about “putting on a show” especially for the uninformed who are not wise to the modus operandi of racing industry people?! Yes, it’s vomit-worthy for them to pretend to care about a horse they brutalized on purpose and subsequently killed as a matter of routine.
You bring up a good point about these vile pseudo-horsemen with their selective showing of pseudo-grief of a horse they brutalized and killed on purpose.
I equate “thoughts and prayers” with “condolences to the connections” it’s all the same vapid bullshit after UNNECESSARY deaths.