Gulfstream Park fancies itself one of the elite tracks in the country. Yesterday, four horses were injured there and unable to walk off the track under their own power (i.e., required the horse ambulance): Collective Choice in the 1st, Octane in the 3rd, Beechnut Trophy in the 10th, and Dash of Lemon in the 12th. Sadly, because Florida is now denying my FOIA requests (using HISA as the excuse), their ultimate fates may remain unknown.
Then this from the Far Hills Steeplechase website:
“Far Hills Race Meeting is New Jersey’s premier social and sporting event. For nearly a century, this annual gathering has attracted a large and loyal fan base who return, year after year, to watch the world’s finest steeplechases, reconnect with family and friends, network, support worthy causes and make memories to last a lifetime.”
Wondering if those “memories to last a lifetime” will include watching no fewer than five horses – Pebbly Pour Toi, Exculpate, Clara Belle, Jimmy Dan, Doesn’t Sting – go down yesterday. How can anyone who considers himself/herself a sensitive, compassionate person attend one of these events?
Witnessing the Far Hills 2024 tragedies was a sickening wrong. These events must be brought to a close . I will refuse to accept this risk as a vehicle for entertainment, my family has a respect and admiration of these noble equine lifeforces , I no longer can accept this excuse for spectacle.
HISA just needs to come right out and say it: “It’s none of the public’s damned business how many horses die on our newly super-safe death tracks. We’re only here to HIDE THE HORSE KILLS. (Now if we could just get those other states to behave like Florida, the public will stop asking and leave us alone.)”
Perhaps what is needed to get racing closed down (forever) is the leadership of concerned citizens and animal rights groups organizing for a March on Washington. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his supporters forced the politicians to do the will of the people – and that is what is needed with this issue of murdering racehorses with drugs. Along with thoroughbreds other breeds of horses are being criminally abused. Mustangs are violently chased to their deaths by government order, Tennessee Walkers are lamed deliberately for their high stepping action, even the Budweiser horses were subject to the loping off of their tails for cosmetic reasons, etc. etc.
Crimes against foals are overlooked. Foals are murdered so that mares who are expensively bred can return to the breeding shed without the lengthy delay of raising a foal to the age of 6 months. Nurse mares are impregnated to get their milk flowing and their foals are ruthlessly murdered so that the expensively bred foal can have a nurse-mare for a Mom. Also overlooked are the mares that are artificially inseminated, the embryo grows to a certain stage, the embryo is surgically removed and implanted in a surrogate mare. I can’t and won’t believe that the conscience of America has died – if it has, May God have mercy on this world.
At Far Hills, 5 horses out of a field of nine were eased in race 2, including one unfortunate horse who ran full speed into a fence on the side of a hurdle. In race 4, Jimmy Dan took a hard fall at a late hurdle and got up staggering on 3 legs. The chart says he “walked off” but I don’t see how after seeing him get up after the fall. Another horse in that race pulled up right and the wire with the jockey quickly dismounting and he appeared to have a major front leg injury. Just watched races 2-4 , it was pretty horrific.
There were several horses from Ireland that were entered in races at Far Hills, New Jersey. This Animal Cruelty is/was a backdrop for a fashion show of sorts.
The description of this event is vomit-worthy knowing that horses will suffer horrific injuries and be euthanized while the people are having a “grand ol’ time”…