Through a FOIA request to the Kentucky Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks last year (this is part 2; previous posts here). (Due to the high number of dead horses, I will be posting in installments.)
Morethananyone, May 11, Keeneland T
“There are biaxial [multiple] comminuted sesamoid fractures with marked soft tissue damage. The superficial and deep digital flexor tendons are torn, the intersesamoidian ligament is ruptured, and there is extensive tearing of the branches of the suspensory, the straight, and the oblique sesamoidian ligaments.” Also: “focally severe, acute stomach ulceration.” Morethananyone was three years old.
Im a Modest Man, Jun 24, Ellis R
“Horse pulled up after the wire: open, comminuted P1 fracture with [multiple] torn tendons and ligaments.” Im a Modest Man was three years old.
Madaraat, Jul 24, Keeneland T
“Displaced condylar fracture; soft-tissue damage is extensive, with rupture of the intersesamoidian ligament and tearing of the straight and oblique sesamoidian ligaments.” Madaraat was two years old and being prepped for his first race.
Ideal Union, Jul 28, Ellis T
“Filly was breezing when [she] weakened, collapsed, and died on the track.” Also: “The squamous mucosa of the stomach is extensively ulcerated, with crateriform ulcers that measure up to 3cm x 2cm.” Ideal was but two years old – sudden death, ulcers.
Intoxication, Jul 29, HighPointe Training Center T
“Horse stumbled several times, went down: complete fracture of the humerus; connective tissues of shoulder and forearm expanded by a massive amount of hemorrhage.” Intoxication was two years old and being prepped for his first race.
Ode, Oct 7, Keeneland T (euth Oct 12)
“Horse presented 4/5 lame during routine gallop Oct 7. Treated with anti-inflammatories. On day four, horse non-weight-bearing. Day five, horse stood up and fractured tibia – complete, comminuted, displaced.” Also: “degenerative joint disease; stomach ulceration.” Ode was two years old and being prepped for his first race.
Off the Clock, Oct 12, Keeneland R
“Horse pulled up with catastrophic injury: [multiple] comminuted fractures; severe, extensive tearing of associated tendons and ligaments.” Off the Clock was three years old.
Home Run Hank, Nov 1, Churchill T
“Horse suffered catastrophic injury 1/4 mile into 1/2 breeze: open, comminuted fracture with rupture of all associated soft-tissue structures and small fragments of embedded bone. Horse was sedated and euthanized due to poor prognosis.” “Poor Prognosis.” Also: “extensive ulceration of the stomach.” Home Run was three years old.
Mount Up, Nov 11, Churchill T
“Horse suffered catastrophic injury near the 1/8 pole; horse [then] ran loose to near the finish line. [Four] open fractures; ligamentous and tendinous damage is severe.” Mount Up was three years old.
Nyte Theory, Nov 13, Keeneland T
“[Horse] was performing a routine gallop on the synthetic track when she became acutely lame: open, massively comminuted fracture of the first phalanx; extensive tearing of the sesamoidian ligaments. The degree of comminution was so severe as to preclude detailed examination.” Too many shattered pieces of bone. Also: “History of previous fracture repair [other front limb] in February.” Nyte was two years old; she was being prepped for her first race. Oh how this poor girl suffered. For $2 bets.
Thank you for continuing to publish these horrific lists of misery and suffering. I force myself to continue to read them so I stay aware and alarmed and armed with information to speak up at every opportunity when I hear someone comment about how they love horseraces, or when the riding club here is so excited to be going to visit the local breeding farm for running quarter horses and meet all the new crop of foals who will soon be training at Santa Anita! The stories of these awful injuries and the accompanying severe ulcers so many of them have are heartbreaking and gruesome.
Already had a fracture and then another one months later. Poor horse should have never been allowed to train again. Sick
Treated cruelly from the outside in and the inside out. Beyond shameful. These poor babies.
This barbaric cruelty to horses is unacceptable!!!!! These diabolical people continue to cause harm and death to horses as a matter of routine.
Any breed of horse would breakdown under this daily routine abuse. These heartless people practicing their daily routine abuse of horses and starting them out as yearlings and entering them in races as 2-year-olds is egregious cruelty to horses.
These racetracks must be shutdown! They should not be supported with any kind of subsidies. No new racetracks should be allowed in Texas or anywhere. Racing should be banned by 2030 or sooner.
The people of Kentucky should be ashamed, not proud, of their heritage of abusively exploiting horses for purse money and wagering.
I think for the majority of the public, when they hear of horses dying on the track, it’s a sanitized concept: it sounds quick and painless because the horses are whisked off and the show goes on. Then its forgotten. If people were to read these detailed, horrific reports, I think things would change. These injuries are just gut wrenching to read about.
Euthanize Horse Racing
If the industry was a racehorse it would have been euthanized long ago. From a purely financial perspective it have been costing the public more than it has taken in for many years, although the public is largely unaware of this. This fact will never change due to the plethora of alternatives to gamble away one’s money these days in hopes of getting something for nothing. Yes, the industry is permanently hemorrhaging cash. And what do they do with a racehorse that will never earn its keep?