In the 2nd at Mountaineer last night, says the chartwriter, Serenade Soldier “took a bad step,” fell, and was euthanized on the track. Dead, at five.
Same track a week ago Sunday, Slick as Ice brought up the rear, some 29 lengths back. Nothing new there, right? What is newsworthy is that this was the 10-year-old’s 82nd time under the whip. 10, 82. But even worse, he was brought back to the track after his “career” was ostensibly over. Prior to this one, his most recent race was in Oct 2022 – almost two years ago. And, of course, in that race Slick finished last, 27+ lengths back.
It’s not too difficult to figure out the why here. Mountaineer, besides being about as bottom of the barrel as it gets, is taxpayer-subsidized and pays first-last. So as long as a horse crosses the line, his exploiter cashes in. In this case, that would be Shane Spiess. And this is not the first time Spiess has done this (nor, surely, will it be the last). Back in 2020 I wrote about Lady Panther, who at the time was also 10 and had just been run for the 103rd time. Lady would eventually get to 106 – in her final race, she finished last, 38 lengths back – before disappearing. In sum, Shane Spiess is a horrible human being, but just marginally worse than the Mountaineer “officials” who allow these things to happen.
The HSUS is not against horseracing; PETA only calls for hollow reforms. Both have betrayed horses.
Sleaze where is humane society, PETA, state gaming commissions? These deaths are not rare and occasional. Awful sport weak controls, this society here are the ones that have blinders on. Accessories to unnecessary horse deaths must be investigated by impartial people with correct consciences.❤️
Thank you, Joy.
Yes, Horseracing Wrongs supporters came together to rescue Lady Panther…she went to US Horse Welfare and Rescue in Connecticut and was adopted by one of their trainers.
Shoot I would think the legally blind trainer would be the least of my worries there. At least she’s not getting on the horses. It’s the ones we have mentioned here multiple times over the years that worry me more… the well known meat men, the trainer that poisoned 2 of her horses in one day and made another horse run to race # 132 and who’s boyfriend welted the horse from whipping him so hard, the trainer that beats his horses with wooden twitches, the ones who shipped their horses to PR…
We know that bad things happen to horses at Gulfstream as well. Bad things happen to horses in the whole state of Florida as well as world-wide.
If all of the jockeys refused to ride racehorses at Mountaineer for at least one whole day, it could serve to bring some attention to the “safety violations” that you say you know of.
Racing horses anywhere and everywhere that horses are raced puts the lives of the horses at risk — HIGH RISK — of injuries which makes horseracing NOT SAFE at its core.
However, it is completely understood and understandable that there is such a thing as “safety first” even in HIGH-RISK activities especially with horses in this case.
We have taught our horse to properly gallop on a track at our now gone & redeveloped Portland Meadows. Once you actually ride you own well taught horse on the track you will come to the realization that racing is just a ” Crooked, Crummy, Gamboling Game “as was told us a long ago by a well experienced English born & trained jockey who we galloped horses with in the mid-1980`s. Many times the races at our track were entered by others besides the trainer or owner of record! We would recommend you get out now if you have not left already. Before you experience real sad & disheartening experiences such as horses illegally treated with SWT then breaking both forelegs in the 2nd race on the last day of the year we left. We had galloped that horse for the trainer a few times. These experiences as well as the horrible disrespect to many hard working lower grooms were all reasons we left in 2004 after being a participant starting in 1977.
I’m not 100% sure right now but it seems like LADY PANTHER was saved from her exploiter, Shane Spiess, by some dedicated followers and supporters of Horseracing Wrongs. Does anyone remember for certain?
There has been more than one racehorse posted on HW that has been rescued from this egregious cruelty and eventually sent to a sanctuary. When there’s no follow-up or not very much follow up, then it’s like they are lost in a way, even though they could be safe in a sanctuary. Of course, we know this doesn’t happen to the majority of horses posted about on here.
It would be awesome if a follow up post could be done on some of the horses that have been rescued from racing by HW followers and supporters, if that is agreeable to those who do the boots-on-the-ground rescue.
Mountaineer has had a breakdown pretty much every day of racing recently. The turf course this poor guy was on looks like a desert weed patch. I was told years ago, when the turf is dry, it’s like running on concrete. Disgraceful that they disregard the horse’s health and keep running on it, and shame on the trainers for being willfully involved in putting their horses in danger. The desperation is sickening.
I saw beltera’s turf the other day also, and holy moly it looks TERRIBLE! But they still keep putting horses out there on it!
Yes, that track is a over run dump of horrible people who are trying to squeeze every last drop out of those horses..I know for fact what goes on there cause my so is a jockey who rides there.I could tell you so many safety violations that the owner of the track refuses to fix..Fact… You have a legally blind trainer who is not even allowed to drive a car …how in the world can they see to watch the horses train or come up sore or Lame and in need of vet care…It’s a horrible place and why someone doesn’t do an internal investigation is beyond me..I have raced my own horse at Gulfstream and the is absolutely NO comparison to the two differently run tracks..Why won’t someone open their damn eyes and try to save these poor horses already!! .that place is a Hell hole for the riders, jockey’s and mostly the Horses.