Details from the Kentucky Racing Commission on two more of the Churchill 12.
Lost in Limbo, killed May 26: “This horse suffered a catastrophic injury to LF fetlock – severe tearing of connective tissues; complete rupture of sesamoidian ligaments; avulsion fractures of both sesamoids.” And (of course): “chronic stomach ulceration.”
A reminder of how it looked…
Kimberley Dream, killed May 27: “This mare pulled up near the 1/8th pole with an injury to the LF fetlock – avulsion fracture of sesamoid; distal sesamoidian ligaments ruptured; severe tearing and marked fraying.”
Kimberley was seven, and this was her 61st time under the whip. In the five races that immediately preceded her death race, Kimberley finished a combined 130 lengths back. 130 – or 26 per race. Her primary abuser, owner/trainer Freddie Winston, told the Commission that “he had plans to breed the mare after her retirement, and had already made inquiries regarding a stallion.” Apparently, he just had to squeeze a few more racing bucks out of her long-beaten body first, and he killed her in the process. (In her penultimate race, May 14 – yes, less than two weeks earlier – Kimberley “won” over a thousand dollars for Winston despite finishing 7th of 8, 19 lengths back.)
This is horseracing.
If someone sitting there in the stands can look at that and stay…my heavens. That poor horse. I saw the whole replay..it was horror beyond belief.
This is beyond disgusting that anyone could do this to any horse and the fact that they can do this to horses continually over and over and not be arrested for VIOLATING Animal Welfare Codes. That these people cause harm and death to horses and call it a “sport” is among the most sickening things! Horseracing is “organized criminally-minded animal cruelty” and the offenders should be punished by law severely. These creeps get off way too easy for what criminal acts they have committed and are committing now.
What is done to these defenseless horses is appalling. And what is really troubling is there are no consequences regardless of the cruelty inflicted. The perfunctory fines and and suspensions for blatant cruelty such as kicking, punching, unmerciful whipping and neglect just verifies this business accepts horse abuse as part of the norm.
There are no standards of care and no oversight. Racing answers to itself, a situation that fosters the worst.
Clark Brewster defends the trainers who get caught for doping violations and then it’s back to business as usual.
“Pure Evil” ….on full display