Starting Over, an “injured/ambulanced” at Monmouth Saturday, has been confirmed dead. We did not have to wait for our FOIA on this one as it was reported by the racing press. Why? This was a stakes race on Haskell Day, and Starting Over was a half-million-dollar “earner.” Meanwhile, those same racing rags utterly ignore the hundreds of other, more-pedestrian horses killed around the country every year. Disgusting. But no more so than this quote from trainer Brittany Russell in the Thoroughbred Daily News:
“He [Starting Over] did not make it. We are devastated. We thank Umberto for getting him pulled up quickly and the on-track veterinarians for rushing to his aid. It’s been a tough 24-hours for the team.”
Yes, I’m sure you are devastated, Ms. Russell – all that money left on the table.
The fact that money is bet on harmless animals to win can open the door for abuse. An addiction to horseracing by the bread winner often results in sad things for the family I.e. lack of money for food and bills. It is hard to break.
Wanda, I agree with Nancy: you’ve got Like #6.
Wanda, all your entries are enlightening but this one really is amazing. If I knew how to do the like button it would be #5.
The regulars here know my love for the gray horses. I saw Umberto pull him up and I just knew it wouldn’t be a good outcome. Another sacrifice for what? Sad and sickening.
A tough 24 hours for the team?? How about for poor Starting Over!
This horse, STARTING OVER, was “a raced product” in this crooked gambling game. It never stops being barbaric and morally depraved how these people continue to cause harm and death to the horses and act as though they have no responsibility for the carnage. They are completely at fault for what they do to these horses and the daily routine mistreatment of horses.
Saying the jockey “expertly pulled him up” is too little too late but evidently some people are gullible enough to fall for that line. The point is they raced him to catastrophic and fatal injuries.