Some miscellaneous notes on this Sunday morning. (All emphases mine.)
According to the stewards at Churchill, on the 17th, “Pam Pam was injured in the paddock and scratched.” Also that day, “The claim [sale] of More Than Five was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”
Same track, last Sunday, “Code Word finished last [some 30 lengths back] and suffered a post-race heatstroke. Horse was placed on the See Vet List.” Also that day, “The claims of Man On the Moon and Rockabillie were voided when horses were placed on Vet’s List.”
At Delaware Wednesday, the stewards say, Lovely Liza was “injured in the starting gate.”
Then this. Aqueduct is a racino, meaning casino revenue that should be going to education is being used to prop up the racing operation there. These subsidies are so substantial – NYRA receives about $130 million annually – they also allow for first-last payouts. So, you get results like these from Friday:
race 1: Tapwrits Temper finished second-to-last, 20+ lengths back; his exploiters still took home $3,600. Dancing Bear finished last, 24+ back; his exploiters still took home $2,700.
race 2: Take Time to Dream finished last, 24 back; her exploiters still took home $840.
race 3: Controlled Temper finished last, 24+ back; her exploiters still took home $1,950. What’s more, according to the chartwriter, the 3-year-old “was recalcitrant in the warm-up,” which to me means she was saying no rather forcefully.
race 4: Wake Up Lauren finished last, 23+ back; her exploiters still took home $5,400.
race 6: Nikki Brainburst finished 5th, 21+ back; her exploiters still took home $3,000. Nikki, says the writer, was “fractious in the gate prior to the start.” Foxy Frances finished 6th, 22+ back; her exploiters still took home $750. Dance On Air finished second-to-last, 34+ back; her exploiters still took home $750. She was “coaxed from the start.” And I’m Kidding finished last, 37+ back; her exploiters still took home $750.
And finally, this from race 5: Alterina finished last, 62+ lengths back. Her chart note: “Alterina was reluctant to load, broke out and was off slow, dropped well behind the rest of the field while taking short strides…was eased but walked off.” But because she technically crossed the line, her exploiters – owner Alan Brodsky, trainer Mark Hennig, jockey Katie Davis – walked away with $420. It’s immoral, folks.
It’s so disgusting and despicable that people abuse their horses and the government subsidies make it possible for them to get paid to abuse their horses.
These casino subsidies are abominable! They all should be stopped. The $$ from the casinos should be used for the betterment of the people. The subsidies should be going to education, health care better infrastructure etc. Allowing unwilling & clearly sore & lame horses to race is cruel & inhumane. This entire industry needs to be stopped shut down.
There are so many different things in the exploitation of horses that are cruel and sadistic, but, at the very least, they could scratch the horses that are afraid to enter the starting gates to reduce the chances of injuries to the horses. The chances of injuries are increased by many times when these greedy people force their horses to do something that is so unnatural to the horses.
There is usually a bad outcome when the horse has a problem with entering the gate and are forced into it against their will. It isn’t looking out for the horses to force them to do something that causes fear and panic in the horse. It’s selfish greed that causes harm to the horses.