The final races of Akuna Matata:
5/24/20: last, 16+ lengths back
6/14/20: last, 34+ lengths back
1/15/21: second-to-last, 19+ lengths back
2/11/21: second-to-last, 10+ lengths back
3/5/21: last, 24+ lengths back (“trailed throughout”)
3/24/21: last, 30 lengths back (“trailed throughout”)
Then, nothing for two years. One would have hoped Akuna had been retired, especially with that record. But no. She resurfaced this year, racing at Sam Houston Feb 24, where she finished 6th of 8. Then on Mar 19, the now-six-year-old was killed in training: “fell,” said the Racing Commission, “unable to stand, euthanized on the track.” Her abusers throughout: breeder/owner Ken Pullen, trainer Alan Love Sr. (Needless to say, Pullen/Love had this poor girl “For Sale” before each and every one of the above races.)
On Mar 4 of this year, 7-year-old All the Best was killed in training at Mahoning: “hit pole, fracture, vanned off, euthanized.” Here are her final five (of 54 total) races, all under the yoke of owner Mark Yagour and trainer Stephen Trevino. Not coincidentally, all of these races were run at Ohio tracks, which are flush with taxpayer subsidies. So, despite ATB’s poor finishes, Yagour and Trevino laughed all the way to the bank.
7/5/22: 5th of 8, 13+ lengths back, “connections” won $340
8/4/22: last, 13+ lengths back, “connections” won $174
12/19/22: last, 12+ lengths back, “connections” won $171
1/4/23: last, 18+ lengths back, “connections” won $342
2/13/23: second-to-last, 20+ lengths back, “connections” won $171
Vile. Horseracing.
I’ve heard of Ken Pullen before. And what I heard was not favorable.
All the best paid for the Tito’s and Blanton bourbon.
It’s extremely disturbing that horses are being abused and brutalized by people! How many people are aware that this cruelty to horses is being subsidized?
From reading the reviews on Maps about places like Northfield in Ohio, it appears that people are oblivious to the heinous abuse of racehorses and that the casino subsidies are keeping it propped up. Would they care if they knew???
Like I have said many times, the horses have stories to be told and most of them involve abuse before they they are killed.
Their suffering ends in the dirt many times but for the tough survivors it continues on at the track, the breeding shed or in the kill pens waiting for the final ride!
Patrick, thank you for showing how these horses are abused before they are finally killed. It is one more black eye for this ugly business.