From the stewards at Churchill over the three-day period Jun 26-28:
“D Day suffered a post-race heatstroke; horse placed on See Vet List.”
“Montauk Point suffered a post-race heatstroke; horse placed on See Vet List.”
“Overstatement was injured in the starting gate and was scratched.”
Also, the claims (sales) of Where Is She and Vino Veritas were voided for compromised bodies of one kind or another.
In last week’s harness rulings, among the many whipping violations – including several for “excessive use” – there was this at Oak Grove (Kentucky) Jul 8: “Carson Conrad is hereby fined $100 for leaving welts on the left side of the horse.”
$100 for leaving welts. For context, that’s the same fine that was levied on others for things like “late driver change” and “failure to drive when programmed.” Vile.
Nancy, I think you’re correct in assuming the track veterinarians are supposed to make a determination and then tell the stewards or the racetrack management and they abide by the vets recommendation (supposedly, allegedly).
In the Paulick Report, September 5, 2015, “Handling the Heat: Racetrack Policy and Running During the Dog Days of Summer” by Sarah Coleman.
When the Heat Index (sum of the Fahrenheit Temperature and the Humidity Percentage MINUS the Wind Speed) is 130 the horses can be “compromised” and at 150 it is advised “to use caution”.
When the Heat Index is 160 it is “problematic”.
The “Racetrack policy” (at least at some tracks) is generally 180. (Can you freaking believe that?!)
The article says that some (people) think it should be more like 170.
It sounds to me like they want to kill their horses on purpose if the horse can’t withstand this ridiculously high Heat Index. Of course, they allegedly are standing by with water hoses and/or buckets of water to help cool the horse.
For someone in the know..aren’t the on-site vets supposed to make the call???
Were amazed that no horses suffered heat strokes during the last days of racing at Prineville`s Crooked river meet. The temps were `100F even though they held the races at night the majority of the races were run under high heat conditions, In addition we have many fires here in Oregon making the air environmental conditions terrible to breathe in. Some hwy.s have even been closed at times. Now those same poor horses are going to go to the Tillmook meet where the temps will be at most 70F with humidity much higher than what they have been racing with. Terrible shock to these poor horses systems with no gradual transition as there should be in any changes.
They are allowed to police themselves.
I will ask this question again…why, oh why, oh why is running horses in excessive heat not animal cruelty? Why is absolutely nothing these people do to horses subject to cruelty laws? Why is the racing industry allowed to legally report “heat stroke” and face no repercussions? This makes me sick.