According to the charts for Lone Star yesterday, Good Heart was “vanned off” after the 1st race. His trainer/exploiter, Steve Roubion, subsequently confirmed that the 4-year-old was euthanized for a “catastrophic leg injury.”
In California, Zees Empire, says the CHRB, was euthanized for a “musculoskeletal” injury at Los Alamitos Thursday. Technically, Zees was “ponying” at that track, having last been raced in Aug 2021. But make no mistake, he was still very much in servitude (in fact, still under the yoke of his last racing trainer, Patricia Harrington), and is an industry casualty.
So sad to hear of these poor horses dying. Don’t these racehorses need to be checked by a vet on the days they race? Are the vets being payed off,to okay the horses to run?
These gentle souls also end up at auctions to be sold for meat,then exported to Europe and Japan. The industry has to make some major changes for the health and safety of these horses!
Every time I read the name Good Heart I cry a little! All my present Thoroughbreds have good hearts! They all are sweet loving & affectionate equines who we have had perfect strangers come & hug & scratch on when we were not here! Those people later comeback & are surprised when told they`re horses of the Seattle Slew line crossed with In Reality.
There should be more than just a voided claim! There needs to be a full investigation as why a 4 year old could have a catastrophic injury. Our 1st horse who we rode tens of thousands of miles never ever had a severe leg injury despite enjoying brisk gallops & impromptu jumping over natural obstacles we would encounter when riding in the mountains, Turk lived until 30 years old! We had him since he was a 3 1/2 year old. Later taught him to harness with NO blinders used. Do not believe in the use of blinders! Want the horse to be able to see us behind him & respond to any signals we might need to give them. Turk would initiate the gallops himself. We never forced him to. Any horse we have taught to be ridden we have never used whips, spurs to gallop or be ridden. We have taught many kinds of horses to be ridden. Belgians, Feral horses from BLM, Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Percherons, 1/4`s etc.
Good Heart jockey was Eric Asmussen. His brother Keith riding Singsational had a fall. His horse according to multi reports survived the accident. Keith was seriously injured. Both are sons of trainer Steve Asmussen.
It’s a crying shame that these people who are literally abusing horses to literal death are not held accountable for their crimes. There needs to be “teeth” in the laws against this abusing and killing of horses.
Good Heart also was claimed (bought) for $10,000 out of the race. The claim does not appear to have been voided.