One of the more repugnant chart notes I’ve yet seen. In the 1st at Charles Town Friday night, Big Boy Ovi “took the lead leaving the chute and rated a slim lead most of the backstretch, drew clear toward the 5/16 pole, extended his lead at the rail on the turn but appeared lame mid-stretch, just lasted and was euthanized on the track.” “Just lasted,” that is, to finish first and “earn” almost $10K. Big Boy was three years old, and this was his 7th time under the whip. The complicit: breeder Mark Becraft, owner Patricia Becraft, trainer Michael Sandoval, jockey Christian Hiraldo.
I don’t know enough to say the jockey could have done anything differently, but this is absolutely horrific…
But that’s not all. Next night (yesterday) at Charles Town, this for Grandiosely in the 4th: “engaged in close early chase toward the inside but was pulled up lame approaching the head of the lane and had to be euthanized on the track.” Grandiosely was seven years old, and this was her 23rd time under the whip. The complicit: breeder Hronis Racing, owner/trainer Michael Jones, jockey Carlos Lopez.
Anybody with any sense of shame or compassion for the horse would have jumped off as soon as the horses behind him/her had passed. That would eliminate the possibility of an accident and shown an ounce of compassion for the lame horse. This is one example of why I don’t love to see horses run on the track. It’s cruel to run horses at top speed for a prolonged length of time plus the whipping.
Horseracing is such a despicable business.
The dumb s** of a ***** could have jumped off when he knew or should have known that the horse was lame. That’s worse than disgusting that stupid jockey stays on as if nothing is wrong. This whole shit-show needs to be shutdown and these people should be charged with felony Animal Cruelty.