Through a FOIA request to the Montana Board of Racing, I have confirmed the following kills there last year. Note: Montana had only 12 days of live racing in 2024.
El Centenario, May 19, Miles City R
A statement from the attending vet: “During the race, the gelding suffered a catastrophic injury to his left forelimb. The injury was a comminuted fracture of the long pastern bone. Euthanasia was recommended and agreed to by the trainer’s representative in person and by the owner over the phone. The horse was sedated and loaded into the horse ambulance. After being taken a short distance off the track, humane euthanasia was performed with intravenous administration of 200cc of ‘Fatal Plus,’ pentobarbital.”
Western Charm, Jul 20, Great Falls R
“Fractured ankle – euthanized on track.” Western Charm was five years old.
Hot Memories, Jul 21, Great Falls R
“Fractured ankle – euthanized on track.” Hot Memories was four years old.
RIP.
Wanda we have saddled horses in the paddock for another trainer & we were not a licensed asst. trainer! We were told to act like a trainer! The cheap, leaky roof type trainer could not afford to have a licensed asst. saddle the horses for him while he was saddling another horse in the same race. The whole time this occurred we were on the similcast network being videoed. Sometimes it amazes us how many weird things were done. Many horses that break down are euthanized laying down at the track or sometimes standing if horse is able to stand. Afterwords the poor horse is winched on the ambulance & then dumped at the maintaining barn awaiting pickup by the rendering plant in Sherwood Oregon as was the case for when Portland Meadows was still operating. Seen this done too many times to count. So glad the track is gone & now developed as an Amazon warehouse / distribution center.
After EL CENTENARIO was sedated, was he able to stand? Or was he lying on his side on the ground?
Did they force him to walk onto the ambulance? Or, did they drag him onto the ambulance with a winch and haul him that “short distance off the track” while he was upside down riding on his back with all four hooves in the air?
It’s rich that they consider themselves “humane” at the end.
The horse profile on Equibase for EL CENTENARIO has the same person listed as trainer and owner. It sounds very strange to say “the trainer’s representative in person and the owner by phone” and even more strange since there is only one name listed as both trainer and owner on Equibase.
After this horse was raced on May 19, 2024 and Did Not Finish, a Workout is listed under the Workouts tab; at Horseshoe Indianapolis on 1/2/25. Equibase made a goof on either the date or maybe that workout belongs to a different horse?