Through a FOIA request to the Illinois Racing Board, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks thus far this year.
Russian Cavalier, Jan 19, Hawthorne T – “bowed tendon, suspensory collapse”
Tap’s Lullaby, Mar 16, Fairmount T – “acute hemorrhage in lungs”
Bali’s Back, Apr 13, Fairmount S – “hemorrhagic gastro-colonopathy with melena”
Pretty Gita, Apr 29, Fairmount R – “fetlock fracture”
Fire and Spice, May 7, Hawthorne T – “compound fracture, disarticulated fetlock”
Arneis, May 23, Fairmount R – “catastrophic failure of suspensory apparatus”
Imagine Gold, May 23, Hawthorne T – “carpus injury, intractable pain”
Pirate Bird, Jun 4, Hawthorne R (euth Jun 6) – “lame after racing, radiographs [next day] showed multiple fractures”
Back Beat, Jun 6, Hawthorne S – “horse castrated three weeks ago; began to get laminitis one week ago; went downhill – coffin bone began to rotate and collapse down through hoof” (was a “DNF” in last start, May 6)
Fort Peck, Jun 13, Fairmount T – “metacarpal fracture”
Ambassador Mike, Jun 18, Hawthorne R – “fetlock fracture”
Red Bird, Jun 27, Fairmount R – “pelvis fracture”
Bali’s Back out of Bal a Bali winner of the Brazilian Triple Crown whose sire, Put it Back, shuttled to Brazil for the breeding season and was then “abandoned” there.
Bali’s Back was bred by Calumet in Kentucky and died at Fairmount in Illinois because of “hemorrhagic gastro-colonopathy with melena”?? That is not a diagnosis, per sey. Melena means there was partially digested blood in the manure indicating bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Painful ulcers in the stomach and or small intestine can result in melena. So did Bali’s Back have untreated severe gastric ulceration that eroded blood vessels and caused hemorrhage??
Like Bali’s Back, all these horses have backgrounds and stories to be told even though their lives are cut so short, the suffering endured by them is enough for ten lifetimes
Another testimony of betrayal and abuse. Sad sad sad.
The timeline for BACK BEAT was that on May 6th, he was raced, but, for whatever reason, he Did Not Finish.
On or about May 16th, he was castrated.
On or about May 30th, he developed laminitis which was severe enough to become his death sentence.
On June 6th, he was either euthanized or just died. I assume he was euthanized.
People who exploit horses to perform this way as though they were machines and cause fatal injuries in the horses belong in prison for the rest of their lives!!! The horses deserve humane treatment.
I hate Illinois. It’s a hell hole, nothing but horrible stuff happens there.