As Triple Crown Season rolls along with the Preakness Stakes tomorrow, I offer this as a reminder of the law of unintended consequences. As I wrote of the Derby, even if you only bet (or watch) once (or thrice) a year, your support goes to support the whole thing – racing at all tracks, on all days. And here are some of those consequences, just in Maryland, just last year. Please share on social media, and challenge anyone who still defends horseracing to closely read each of these deaths – and to look at those faces.
Amani’s Eagle, Jan 12, Laurel R (euth Jan 13)
“Horse pulled up lame near the 1/2 pole and was vanned off. Radiographs the next day indicated a comminuted fracture, severe fraying, and [two] ruptured ligaments.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Then this: “The degenerative joint disease that is present in the fetlock joints is common in racehorses this age.” What age? Amani’s, below, was six – about the age a horse reaches full musculoskeletal maturity.
Tuna N Stamps, Jan 13, Laurel R
“Broke down around 3/8 pole: LF fetlock open and completely disarticulated, with [multiple] comminuted fractures and complete disruption of intersesamoidian ligament; RF fetlock also open with a very deep rundown. Euthanasia performed on the scene.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Tuna, below, was four years old.
Federal Offense, Feb 16, Laurel R
“Horse pulled up grade-4 lame past the wire. Radiographs showed catastrophic comminuted fracture of MT3, four large pieces.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs]; stomach ulcers.” Federal, below, was four years old.
Going to the Lead, Apr 7, Laurel S
“On Apr 6, [horse] was being treated throughout the day for symptoms of colic. Later that night, he was showing signs of severe pain and distress. Euthanized.” Necropsy confirmed: “GI rupture, hemorrhagic jejunitis, colitis, and typhlitis.”
Attending vet: “At 10:30 pm, I was called back to the track as the groom reported [Going] was down thrashing and rolling. Upon arrival, he was sweating, nostrils flaring, and in distress. [After administering meds], I took him for a trailer ride for 30 minutes. Upon arrival back to the barn, he was unable to move. It took 10 minutes to get him off the trailer and he proceeded to collapse in the shed row. I [tried] to give him some pain relief but realized it was pointless. This was about 2:30 am, and the decision was made to euthanize.” Going, below, was seven and had been raced 51 times, most recently Mar 24.
Betabcool N, Apr 9, Rosecroft R
“After completing the race, [horse] collapsed in the paddock and died. Severe hemorrhage in the lungs is supportive of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.” Also: “cartilage ulceration [all four limbs].” Beta, below, was 14 years old. 14.
Mr. McMahon, Apr 14, Laurel T
“The colt was galloping and was badly injured near the 5/8: catastrophic comminuted fracture of the MC3. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Mr. McMahon, below, was just three years old.
West Star, Apr 24, Pimlico S
“Laminitis, all four feet; sepsis induced by severe lung abscesses.” What happened to the 4-year-old West Star (below) is particularly horrific – and, in my opinion, criminal – so I gave it a separate post: here.
Lucky Sophia, Apr 29, Laurel T
“[Horse] was near the 3/4 pole when the rider heard/felt a pop: catastrophic fracture of the LF humerus. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “right ankle surgery about a year ago.” Lucky, below, was three and being prepped for her first race.
Quiet Boss, May 11, Laurel T
“[Rider] heard a loud pop: fractured humerus, hemorrhage, muscle fraying. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs]; high density of tapeworms, too numerous to count.” Quiet, below, was just two years old and being prepped for his first race. What’s more, he had just been sold at auction a week earlier.
The Skinny, Jun 22, Pimlico T
“Horse worked three furlongs then collapsed and died while jogging home. Severe, regionally-extensive subcutaneous head/neck and pulmonary hemorrhage – cause undetermined.” There was also this: “chronic ulcers; a six-cm diameter cluster of bot fly larvae is adhered to the squamous portion of the stomach.” And listed under “equipment” being used that day: “d-bit, nose band, tongue tie.” The Skinny was but two years old – a baby – and she was being prepped for her first race. (No photos were included.)
Diane, Jun 24, Laurel S
“Horse was being treated for approximately 14 days for severe RH cellulitis with fistulating abscess and extensive subcutaneous fibrosis. Subsequently developed severely dropped pasterns on both hind limbs and early laminitis in both front limbs. Euthanized.” Also: “degenerative osteoarthritis in fetlock and shoulder joints; moderate-severe gastric ulcers.” Diane was five and had last been raced a month prior at Pimlico. Her legs…
Earley Rose, Jun 27, Pimlico T
“Mare was pulling up from a gallop when she suddenly collapsed, [started] twitching, and died a few minutes later. Definitive cause of death not apparent.” Also: “chronic gastric ulcers.” Earley was five years old. (No photos were included.)
Buckin’ Simple, Aug 11, Laurel T
“Compound [through skin], comminuted [many pieces] fracture of LF pastern with extensive skin, tendon, and soft tissue damage. Euthanized on the track.” Buckin was two years old and being prepped for her first race. The destruction…
Mia Cadanchi, Aug 25, Laurel T
“Pulled up lame. Started showing signs of distress [back in stall]. Pelvic fracture – three large pieces – massive hemorrhage. Euthanized.” Also: “early degenerative joint disease [all four fetlocks].” Mia, below, was three years old and being prepped for her first race.
Gingersraceday, Sep 7, Laurel R (euth Sep 23)
“As she cooled down, she started limping. Next day, x-rays revealed comminuted fracture. Multiple incidences of swelling and lameness [ensued]. Euthanasia due to bilateral [both front limbs] degenerative joint disease of the carpus with a chronic slab fracture in right carpus.” Then this: “The filly was reported to have significant problems in both carpi. She raced Aug 2 and reportedly had right carpus swelling the next day. She raced again Aug 16 and did not cool out soundly, and this time did not respond to oral medication. Her carpus was injected Aug 22 [and she was] raced again Sep 7.” Then this: “The trainer attempted to find other connections for long-term care and possible breeding, but this did not pan out.” Criminal. Gingers, below, was but three years old.
Into the Sauce, Sep 13, Laurel T
“Gelding collapsed and died on the backside after training – cranial hematoma and intracranial hemorrhage extending into the guttural pouches and sinuses.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Into the Sauce, below, was four years old.
Night Cap, Sep 14, Laurel T
“Comminuted [multiple pieces] fracture. Euthanized due to the severities of her injuries.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Night Cap, below, was six years old.
Poggibonsi, Sep 20, Laurel R
“Mare was pulled up lame and vanned off. Radiographs revealed multiple displaced fractures. Euthanized due to poor prognosis.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four fetlocks].” Poggibonsi, below, was five years old.
Leo, Sep 27, Laurel S
“Used to pony that morning and was noted to be sweating profusely on the track. Extremely painful despite all treatment and was thrashing around in the stall. Went down and could not rise. Presumed fracture of back or pelvis. Euthanized.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Leo, below, was seven years old.
Singalong, Oct 10, Laurel R
“Stayed at the back of field and around 3/8 pole jockey Hindt started asking her to pick up the pace, but she wasn’t responding. Around 7-furlong, she started wobbling…and collapsed. Dr. Daniel quickly arrived, but unfortunately she was already dead.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Singalong, below, was five years old.
Ganado, Oct 18, Laurel R
“[Multiple] fractures, multiple fragments palpable, joint collapsing. Euthanized on course.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Ganado, below, was four years old.
Itty Bit of Luck, Nov 8, Laurel T (euth Nov 9)
“Lame after [training], ankle and pastern filled and swollen. Radiographs confirmed fracture. Euthanized.” Itty, below, was two years old and being prepped for his first race.
Calle de Oro, Nov 17, Laurel R
“Colt broke down in the 4th race: [multiple] fractures; fetlock was dislocated dorsally and stuck in this position. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Calle, below, was two years old.
Overwish, Nov 22, Laurel T
“Broke down near 1-mile pole and fell: open [through the skin], comminuted [multiple pieces] cannon fracture. Euthanized on the track.” Overwish, below, was three years old.
Inevtabl Conection, Nov 27, Laurel T
“Horse broke down near the 1/8 pole: open, comminuted MCIII fracture – numerous fragments; ligament completely ruptured. Euthanized on the track.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Inevtabl, below, was five years old.
Joya Del Sur, Dec 14, Laurel R
“Complete tear of flexor tendon. Euthanized on backside due to the severity of her injuries.” Also: “degenerative joint disease [all four limbs].” Joya, below, was six years old.
I too have been on the inside and seen first hand that it’s as bad if not worse than people realize.
Bill Dwyer (Dwyer? Dwier? , whatever, doesnt really matter).
If he has been around the horse racing for decades, then he absolutely knows the truth, and is just making a last ditch effort to save a game that the world called bullshit on a long time ago.
His name is spelled, oddly enough, ‘Dwyre’ as opposed to Dwyer. Since he gets paid to write about sports, and the USA is allegedly still a free country in some aspects, he has a right to his own opinion no matter how childish and ignorant his opinion may be.
Bill Dwyre obviously doesn’t concern himself with the anatomy and physiology of horses especially regarding the horrendous abuse that horses exploited for racing must tolerate, absorb and endure.
As far as saying that SOVEREIGNTY was not injured, that is a blatant lie. It shows that he was not paying attention to all of the facts and just made up his own story. This is an example of very bad “journalism” if you can remotely categorize Bill Dwyre’s opinion as journalism. He established himself as one not to be taken seriously when it comes to facts.
If he were to do his homework and report on the injury that SOVEREIGNTY “received” when he was scraped by another horse, that would be useful.
Jdoe:
I read the article by Bill Dwyer – thanks for the link.
Y’know, for a guy who has been writing articles about horse racing for over 25 years, he seems to be pretty well ill-informed about the sport, not to mention downright idiotic.
Let the fans decide? Demand that a horse run, against the advice of his (her) trainer, in any particular race?
Are ya KIDDING?
Perhaps Sovereignty was not injured in the Derby (although he did have a bruised foot) it makes absolutely the most base common sense that the trainer is the most logical person to decide where and when his charges will run.
While horse racing trainers are not, shall we say, the most morally ethical persons in the world, they are, as always, motivated by money – and a Kentucky Derby winner is worth a fortune at the stud farm, something that Sovereignty’s trainer, Bill Mott know all too well. Mott undoubtedly assessed the risks to Sovereignty’s well being, and decided against running him in the Preakness. Obviously he didn’t want to take any chances of killing his enormous stud fees if something happened to the horse during the race.
I could go on and on, but Dwyer’s article is so ridiculous in so many ways, why bother?
The guy’s a jerk. Plain and simple.
=Joe
Jdoe, thanks for the link. Could the author of that article be more delusional! We have groomed horses for some of the riders of these trainers. Those riders had no empathy for any of the horses they rode. There is a write up done we about D. W. Lucas in around the late 1980`s by Sports Illustrated we think that was most enlightening at the time. That`s when we started thinking about this industry & especially finding out about about what happened to Ferdinand the Ky. Derby winner of 1986.
Fans, you can rest assured from this article by horse racing insider Bill Dwyer that the horses are 100% sound and can race as often as possible with no downside, (and Baffert’s vet doesn’t dope horses). LoL
I bet there are some people based out of Santa Anita that think otherwise.
Hopefully someday these guys will do the right thing and tell the public the truth.
https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/horse-racing/preakness-derby-triple-crown-sovereignty-2AVHMW5BV5HGBF32D3R2BCX4I4/
None of these horses deserved this end. It’s sickening and beyond comprehension how anyone can look at these necropsy pictures and not be mortified. As the regulars here know I do follow Race Horse Death in the UK. For a civilized country it is just disgusting how this happens on a daily basis. Please start pulling on your humane heartstrings and end this barbaric horror.
*used*
Everyone of these horses is a victim of criminal activity even though the case of WEST STAR may stand out as more heinous because proper veterinary care was willfully and deliberately denied to WEST STAR. It takes a very sadistic person to deny emergency medical treatment to a sick horse!
However, everything that is done to all and any of the horses above, as well as racehorses anywhere and everywhere, is done deliberately and willfully. The human beings in this cruel industry knowingly subject their horses to these horribly painful conditions which eventually leads to the death of so many horses. The conditions such as ulcers, degenerative joint disease and other types of lameness and unsoundness are knowable. It’s not a secret. These types of conditions are caused by the daily routine mistreatment and repetitive stress that is inherent to horse racing. It’s been proven over and over. There is no excuse for anyone to claim they didn’t know because it’s common knowledge.
If anyone participates in supporting this sadistic abuse and torture of horses with their head in the sand, it doesn’t make them innocent; it makes them guilty. There is no excuse for supporting this sadistic and heinous cruelty to horses! There is also no excuse for supporting the criminal activity of people trafficking in illegal substances which are usehorsed to inject into the bodies of racehorses with the intent of fixing the outcomes of horse races.
Aiding and abetting this cruelty should also be subject to fines even though Pari-mutuel gambling is so far still legal.
Sorry, typo: “Take it from one WHO knows”
-Joe
Speaking as one individual who is not an animal activist, not an active protestor, and not a social justice warrior, but rather, a grizzled old veteran who enjoyed wagering on horse racing for many years, (I have since quit) I have one simple statement to anyone reading, anyone who is still considering betting on horse races:
Don’t.
Don’t bet on a horse race.
Once interest in wagering falls to a certain point, where the industry can no longer justify government sponsored subsidies, the tragedies that appear in this post will finally end. And for those of you who may have stumbled onto this site and are still “up in the air” about participating in horse racing, remember this: you can’t win. You’ll never find out about the rampant cheating and amount of illegal drugging that goes on everyday which, essentially, renders your handicapping useless. Take it from one how knows.
So, please, take my advice:
Quit.
Don’t bet on the horses.
Find another hobby.
If you enjoy gambling, there are numerous options that DO NOT involve the destruction and abuse of sentient beings. Casinos. Slot machines. Lottery. Sports betting. Card games.
All of these gambling options are on the rise; horse racing is, inevitably, on the way out.
Let it die, so the horses can live.
-Joe