Through a FOIA request to the Illinois Racing Board, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks last year (this is part 2; part 1 here).
That’s a Bird, Jul 4, Fairmount R
“There is an open fracture of the right forelimb with soft-tissue damage such that the distal limb hangs by the caudolateral ligaments and skin. The exposed metacarpus is covered in dried blood and dirt, and there is regionally-extensive subcutaneous and periarticular hemorrhage nearby. [T]he metacarpal fracture is complete and comminuted with formation of eight distinct, irregularly sized and shaped fragments. The medial branch of the suspensory ligament is torn and ruptured.” That’s a Bird was five years old.
Luke Attack, Jul 6, Fairmount S
“Found dead in stall. Cecum is perforated with an irregular-shaped, round-edged tear.” Luke Attack was five years old and had been raced 13 times.
Wicked Wow, Jul 9, Hawthorne T
“Horse dropped dead on track after training.” Wicked was three years old.
Red Eye Express, Jul 15, Hawthorne S
“Thursday, horse collapses, starts thrashing in the stall, and hits head multiple times. Saturday morning, horse is tranquilized in order to clean the eye (corneal perforation with iris prolapse) and head wounds. Saturday evening, horse is down and thrashing again. Unable to get her up, horse is euthanized.” Red Eye was two years old and was being prepped for her first race.
Max a Milli, Jul 30, Hawthorne R (euth Jul 31)
“Horse struggled in the stretch and was pulled up lame past the finish. [Next day], radiographs showed comminuted fracture. Euthanized.” Max was three years old, and this was his first race.
Shelona, Aug 15, Hawthorne S
“Respiratory illness for 4-5 days. [Subsequent] foundering [for several weeks]. Both front hooves separating from coronary band, euthanized.” Shelona was two years old and was being prepped for her first race.
B G Attack, Sep 11, Fairmount S
“Found dead in stall. [Had been] treated for colic symptoms and a respiratory infection over the last week.” B G was five years old and had been raced 15 times.
I’m Fedup, Sep 12, Fairmount S
“Flipped, hit head, died acutely. The accident likely led to severe epistaxis [bleeding from nose], which drained into the trachea and lungs.” I’m Fedup was four years old and was coming off an unexplained one-year layoff.
W W Lights Out, Oct 7, Fairmount R
“Catastrophically injured during loading [into gate].” W W was two years old, and this would have been her first race.
Border Star, Oct 14, Fairmount R
“The entire metacarpus is fractured into dozens of shards. The diaphysis is shattered into many fragments with red, ragged soft tissues and clotted blood.” Border Star was four years old.
Magical Thinking, Oct 31, Fairmount T
“Sudden death during training – acute pulmonary hemorrhage.” Magical Thinking was three years old.
Ghaaleb’s Appeal, Nov 14, Fairmount R
“[Right forelimb]: both the medial and lateral sesamoid bones are fractured, with the proximal 10% of the bone completely separated from the body of the sesamoid. The suspensory ligament directly overlying the sesamoid bones is friable and multifocally perforated. [Left forelimb]: the distal 1.5 cm of the fourth metacarpal bone is fractured from the bone and freely movable within the fascia of the limb.” That’s two broken legs. Ghaaleb’s was eight years old.
Cartoon Caper, Dec 7, Fairmount S
“Meningoencephalitis; colitis.” Cartoon was three years old and was last raced Nov 14.
Rave On, Dec 8, Hawthorne S
“Found dead this morning, stall gate off the wall. Severe, diffuse, chronic pleuritis with tracheal hemorrhage.” Imagine the pain this poor boy, just five, must have been in – “stall gate off the wall.”
It is absolutely necessary to make known to the uninformed public just how inherently cruel and sadistic exploiting horses for racing and wagering actually is to the horses who were “bred for” this neverending and insane cruelty and subsequent dying. It’s extremely disturbing to read and attempt to visualize the horrendous injuries to these horses, but it is necessary to inform the public and to take action to help put a stop to this abomination called horse racing.