Through a FOIA request to the Maryland Racing Commission, I have confirmed the remainder of kills at that state’s tracks last year (earlier ones here).
Quality Art, Jul 9, Pimlico S
“On Jul 8, Quality Art ran in race 1 at Laurel Park, finishing last. The next day his trainer and owner made the decision to castrate him due to enlarged testicles they felt were interfering with his performance. [After administering several drugs] into the testicles and spermatic cord in preparation for castration, Dr. Delp went to his truck to get more supplies, and before he returned, Quality Art suddenly collapsed and died in his stall.”
Dr. Daniel (commission vet): “I have concerns that the castration was planned for the day after the horse raced (in the event of any tissue inflammation).”
Quality Art was three years old.
Left Hand Thread, Jul 18, Laurel S (euth Sep 11)
“Castrated Jul 18, [then] developed an abscess that ultimately led to laminitis in both front feet. Treated with antibiotics for a long period of time. Euthanized Sep 11.”
Dr. Daniel: “The abscess found at the surgery site obviously caused further problems and eventual rotation and separation of the coffin bone.”
Left Hand Thread was three years old.
Ramadhaan, Jul 30, Laurel S
“The horse sadly died when her stall caught on fire [bad electrical outlet] and she was engulfed in flames.” The first to arrive on the scene, groom Antonio Amaro-Garcia, was asked, “How has this affected you emotionally?” His response: “I was very sad about the horse because it was all burned up and she was crying in the stall.” He also added, “there are no fire extinguishers.” And, no sprinkler systems.
According to a summary of the interview of the second groom to the scene, when he arrived “the horse was on the ground barely moving, and dying. He did not want to keep watching the horse suffer, so [he] went about caring for his other horses.”
Track foreman Matt Dillon was asked what the scene was like when he arrived: “The horse was down in her stall and all burned up but still alive and in distress. I saw that the horse’s hoof appeared to be pulling away from her foot due to the heat. The horse died about 10 minutes before [the vet] got there.” When asked how he’s been affected, Dillon said: “I’m very emotional and feel like crying right now. … I can’t stop thinking about it and also dream about this at night.” Asked if there’s anything the Maryland Jockey Club can do to prevent this from happening again, he replied, “Build better barns….”
The 4-year-old Ramadhaan died of her “severe burns” a full half hour after the fire was discovered and put out – but before the vet arrived. She suffered terribly.
Yes, these photos are difficult to look at, but seen they must be…
Brigid of Kildare, Sep 20, Pimlico T
“Ran through the inside rail and became trapped. Shipped to New Bolton for treatment. Once there, it was determined she had blood in her abdomen and thorax as well as a diaphragmatic hernia. Euthanized.”
Brigid was two years old.
Cloudy Night, Oct 21, Laurel R
“[Fell after wire]: complete, displaced intraarticular fracture; abundant muscle hemorrhage; damage to joint capsule.”
Dr. Daniel: “After reviewing the race several times, it appears that…the radius and ulna fractured on impact. [It was] necessary to euthanize the filly on the racetrack.”
Cloudy, below, was two years old.
Foxy Curl, Oct 24, Laurel T
“Started limping on her LF [after training] – condyle fracture. Sent for surgical repair that day. During surgery, a sesamoid fracture was also discovered. Due to the severity of her injuries, [she] was euthanized during surgery.”
Dr. Daniel: “I still am not sure of the reasoning behind the euthanasia at this point. This horse may have never raced again but could have had another purpose. The only reason we found out about this fatality was because Foxy Curl was actually entered to run. When we went to perform the prerace exam, we were told the horse was scratched. When the trainer called the stewards, the scratch reason was that she was dead.”
Foxy was two years old.
Malibu Rumble, Oct 25, Laurel T
“Horse suffered a catastrophic injury galloping: [multiple] fractures, [one] comminuted into five fragments; extensive hemorrhage in the surrounding soft tissues; [multiple] torn tendons. Fracture is open [through the skin].” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs]; stomach contains multiple areas of ulceration.”
Dr. Daniel: “[Malibu Rumble] broke down in the turn and was recumbent. The fact that this was an open fracture made the euthanasia on the track necessary.”
And this comment in the necropsy: “Degenerative joint disease is common in racing horses; however, his seemed more severe for a three-year-old.”
Geothermal, Nov 5, Laurel R
“Horse appeared to take a bad step about 75 yards from the gate. Jockey had a very difficult time pulling the horse up. Upon approaching the scene, the RF fetlock was severely dropped – displaced fracture with multiple fragments, significant soft-tissue damage. Euthanized on the track.” (The chart merely said, “injured, vanned off.”) Also: “lining of stomach contains multiple areas of ulceration; degenerative joint disease, cartilage erosion [all four limbs].”
Dr Daniel: “The combination of the disarticulation of the fetlock joint, a comminuted, compound condylar fracture, massive soft-tissue damage with torn tendons and ligaments, and small fractures of the sesamoids resulted in euthanasia on the racetrack.”
Lucky Double Don, Nov 11, Laurel T
“Broke down near 1/2-mile pole: complete, displaced fracture of humerus – two large pieces; tremendous amount of soft-tissue damage. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].”
Jockey: “When I started to slow down to pull him up, I heard the snap.”
Lucky, below, was two years old.
Cosmicality, Nov 16, Laurel S
“[Horse] had an arytenoidectomy a month prior. MD Vet Group aggressively treated for airway inflammation. A tracheostomy tube was placed due to respiratory distress. Euthanized due to the severity of his compromised airway.”
Cosmicality was five years old.
Mr Wirth, Dec 21, Pimlico T
“The colt was galloping…and then broke down: complete, comminuted (in three pieces), displaced humerus fracture; extensive hemorrhage in the surrounding soft tissues. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].”
From the necropsy: “Degenerative joint disease is common in racehorses this age.” What age? Mr Wirth was three years old.
Chalk Hill, Dec 30, Laurel R
“The horse fell near the 1/2 pole when injured – RF fetlock joint open with severe dislocation of the joint and displacement of the sesamoids. Euthanized on the track.”
Chalk Hill was four years old.
You’re right, Rose. We will never know what really happened. There are more questions than answers, nothing adds up and that is always a bad sign, a sign that someone is up to no good. We did know that though — that the horse racing people are up to no good.
How all these horses suffered is a disgrace to humanity.
And what happened to Ramadhaan is gut wrenching.
The incident as reported is not adding up for me. It was stated there were no fire extinguishers and no sprinkler system so the fire must have extinguished itself!!
Surely there were hoses available to water the horses?
And the worker that went about tending to the other horses seems a bit strange because we know horses are very alert to danger.
I doubt the horses were calmly waiting in their stalls smelling smoke and listening to the horse scream as she burned alive in her tiny prison cell.
We will never know what really happened. All we know is that a poor horse burned to death while trapped at a race track and the report of such a horrific incident has as many holes as Swiss cheese.
In healthcare settings, I’ve personally cared for human burn patients. In regard to the horrific stall fire: “According to a summary of the interview of the second groom to the scene, when he arrived ‘the horse was on the ground barely moving, and dying. He did not want to keep watching the horse suffer, so [he] went about caring for his other horses’.”
I have no words to describe the complete wretchedness of the Horseracing Industry, as a whole, but most particularly, …………………… the sadistic ~ i.n.h.u.m.a.n.i.t.y. ~ of how SHE, 4-year-old Ramadhaan, was left to suffer.
Within the quote in the initial paragraph, (way Above), if you change the first “the horse” to >>> “she,” and the second “the horse” to >>> “her,” it sounds SO much more awful, i.e., because every-single-thing about it truly *IS* …………………… just awful.
These pictures and explanations of these horses’ deaths should be broadcast on national news channels! Show the public these shocking results of horse racing’s neglect and abuse!
I have a hard time stomaching the majority of photos on this site, but that poor horse laying burnt to death in her prison actually made me vomit. And the fact that she lay there in such agony before succumbing to her wounds without any kind of attention from ANYONE around her makes it all the more sickening. Everyone I think these people can’t be more cruel and heartless they turn around and dig themselves a new moral sub-basement.
Every one of these are horrific. I can’t imagine how much these horses suffered. I am soooo deeply saddened. My heart aches for these beautiful horses. They deserved so much better.
What these modern day barbarians do to horses is so sadistic and heartless and stupid and incompetent, I don’t know where to begin.
For one thing, the attempted castration of a three year old colt was hideously unprofessional in my opinion.
Dr. Delp sounds like a veterinarian that should have his license to practice veterinary medicine revoked.
Since this industry would not exist if it were not for the industry-wide “accepted practice” of sadistic handling and everyday abuse and mishandling of horses, I don’t expect Dr. Delp will lose any paychecks from this egregiously cruel industry. 😢🤬🤮
How can anyone with a conscience or moral compassion see/hear these incidents and just pass it off? This includes everyone associated with the barn area?
Seems like poor poor Ramadhaan was murdered. How awful. Was there a criminal investigation?