Through a FOIA request to the Oklahoma Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks last year. (Note: I struggled over titling this post because I could have used practically any one of these 24 descriptions.)
Speeral Corona, Feb 23, Remington T
“Complete, comminuted radius fracture; complete, comminuted ulna fracture; associated hemorrhage and soft-tissue maceration.” Then this listed as an “incidental finding”: “multiple ulcers.” Speeral was two years old and being prepped for her first race.
Keen Intention, Mar 4, Will Rogers R
“[Multiple] open fractures, [multiple] severe ruptures.” More detail: “The skin overlying the fetlock is lacerated; internal soft-tissue structures and bones are covered in abundant dirt and environmental debris. The fetlock joint is completely disarticulated, and the distal half of the cannon and all surrounding structures are exposed. Phalanx 1-3 remains attached to the limb via the skin and tendons.” Keen Intention was three years old.
Pycfunnspecial, Mar 8, Remington T
“[Multiple] open, comminuted fractures [both front legs]. The skin overlying [both] fetlocks is lacerated. [Both] fetlock joints are completely disarticulated, and the distal halves of [both] cannons and all surrounding soft-tissue structures are exposed and covered by dirt. Left and right phalanx 1-3 remain attached to the limbs via the skin and extensor and flexor tendons.” Pyc was two years old and being prepped for his first race.
Pv Lethal Cartel, Mar 22, Remington R
“[Multiple] complete scapular fractures, severe hemorrhages.” Pv had just turned two.
Shaza Cowgirl, Apr 5, Remington R
“Severe, comminuted sacral and vertebra fractures.” Also: “numerous gastric ulcers.” Shaza was three years old.
Tres Seis Sizziling, Apr 25, Remington R
“Flipped: [multiple] complete, comminuted skull fractures; severe head hemorrhage; brainstem damage.” Also: “several stomach ulcers.” Tres Seis was three years old.
Gray Pearl, Apr 29, Will Rogers R
“[Multiple] complete, comminuted fractures; severe tendon rupture; severe hemorrhage.” Also: “There is evidence of chronic degenerative change in both fetlock joints.” Gray Pearl would have turned seven the next day.
Anuvver Trick, May 9, Remington T
“Horse fell during a work: [multiple] comminuted scapular fractures.” Then this: “The stomach and colon contain thin nematode larvae too numerous to count. Numerous arthropods are adhered to the glandular mucosa. Several thin, approximately 6-9 cm nematode larvae are free within the thoracic and peritoneal cavity (usually associated with vasculature).” Anuvver was four years old and being prepped for his first race.
Runnin Stilettos, May 14, Remington T
“Severe, comminuted scapular fracture with severe regional hemorrhage.” Also: “chronic stomach ulceration.” Runnin was two years old and being prepped for her first race.
Lil Whirlaway Wagon, May 18, Remington R
“Open [through the skin], comminuted fractures [both front legs]; [multiple] ruptures; severe hemorrhage.” More detail: “The skin overlying the left and right cannons is lacerated, and the exposed bones and all surrounding structures are covered in moderate amounts of dirt. [Both] cannons remain attached to the limb via skin and tendons.” Lil was two years old and this was her first race.
Candy Cartels Jess, May 26, Remington R
“[Multiple] fractures, [multiple] ruptures, severe hemorrhage.” Also: “gastric ulcers.” Candy was four years old.
Gospel Musketeer, May 26, Will Rogers S
“Open fracture severely exposing the stifle joint, ligament ruptures, patellar displacement.” Gospel was eight years old.
Goodness, Aug 23, Remington R
“[Multiple] acute, severe, compound [through the skin], comminuted fractures.” Goodness was two years old.
Dramedy’s Blur, Sep 16, Remington T
“The right humerus has a severe, complete, comminuted fracture; the surrounding soft tissue is markedly expanded by hemorrhage, and the adjacent triceps and deep pectoral muscle are macerated.” Also: “There is evidence of degenerative joint disease in all examined fetlocks. Numerous red-brown, 1-1.5 cm long larvae are adhered to the gastric mucosa along the margo plicatus.” Dramedy’s was four years old.
Camp Custer, Sep 23, Remington S
“Severe laminitis is confirmed…with the coffin bone markedly rotated and impinging on the sole. The hoof laminae are expanded by hemorrhage and necrosis. The coronary band is similarly inflamed and separating from the hoof wall.” Camp was four years old.
Amoureux, Sep 24, Fair Meadows S
“Severe LH injury.” And: “severe, chronic osteoarthritis; chronic ulcerative dermatitis with extensive granulation and fibrosis; severe, chronic, regionally extensive ulcerative gastritis.” Amoureux was three years old.
Prince Klaus, Sep 24, Will Rogers R
“Multiple open [through the skin], severely comminuted [many pieces] fractures; multiple severe, acute ligament and tendon ruptures.” Then this: “Gross examination is supportive of sudden fractures…and consequent trauma associated with being downed at speed.” “Being downed at speed.” Prince, three, also (of course) had stomach ulceration.
Early Spring, Oct 5, Remington R
“Open luxation of the left metacarpophalangeal joint with bilateral sesamoid fractures. Additionally, there was rupture of multiple tendons and ligaments and of the fetlock joint capsule. The proximal phalanx is luxated cranially to the third metacarpal bone with a nearly 180-degree axial rotation of the luxated segment of the distal limb. The joint space, exposed bone surfaces, and surrounding skin are filled/covered with sandy debris.” Also: “gastric ulceration.” Early Spring was three years old.
Neves, Oct 8, Remington T
“Flipped over, hit head on ground: comminuted skull fracture with subluxation and severe hemorrhage.” Also: “gastric ulceration.” Neves was two years old.
Da Prairie Girl, Oct 18, Remington R
“[Multiple] fractures, multiple fragments.” Also: “chronic gastric ulceration.” Da Prairie was six years old.
Tell Knockout, Oct 27, Will Rogers R
“[Multiple] complete, comminuted fractures.” Also: “chronic osteophyte formations [both front limbs].” Tell Knockout was two years old.
Flattering Paavai, Nov 9, Remington T
“Died instantly while galloping.” Flattering was two – “died instantly while galloping.”
Chili the Kid, Nov 18, Remington R
“Comminuted fetlock fractures, shredded tendons.” Also: “extensive gastric ulcerations associated with an infestation of [botfly] larvae.” Chili was two years old.
Jewelstown, Dec 7, Remington T
“Collapsed while galloping: severe amounts of hemorrhage in the lungs, [likely] exercise-associated fatal pulmonary hemorrhage.” Also: “gastric ulcers and erosions, likely due to stress.” Jewelstown was four years old.
Marie, what is done to these poor horses is nothing short of criminal.
How these people can see the suffering of these animals over and over and continue to participate in this torment tells me something is very wrong.
Marie we have had the same experience with a mare in the 2nd race of the last day of racing at Portland Meadows in 2004. One NEVER can forget the experience of a mare who you held in the paddock & groomed & whose stall you bedded never coming back to you because of both front legs having been broken at the top of the stretch! With that experience & several others we left & quit racing forever in the fall of 2004. Glad to see the “Devils Den of Iniquity of People You Can Not Trust” now redeveloped as an Amazon warehousing / distribution center. The quote was from a very good Kentuckian who after helping us after experiencing a VERY traumatic event at the track told us never to return. That person left literally for a different state with his wife after helping us as he was not feeling safe after all that he had seen.
I saw the race that Gray Pearl was in when she broke both of her front legs off. I will never forget her. The jockey hopped off of her, and the outrider casually rode up to her, taking their time. I’m sure there was no sense of urgency, as she no longer had front legs, so not like she could run off. The poor horse just stood there, her nose almost in the dirt. My heart breaks for what she went through
Adding pictures to the text would be even more educational besides even more revolting. There are pictures of some of the kinds of worms and bot fly larvae on the internet if you really want to get educated and grossed out. I wonder if the owners or the trainers of these horses had ever given their horses a dewormer?
The descriptions of each horse indicate unbelievable suffering inflicted on him/her. It’s hard to read through all of them. This kind of exploitation of horses indicates that the people involved have to be very sadistic to continue this abuse and killing of horses.