Some updates from the NYS Gaming Commission:
Yesterday at Saratoga for Data Capture: “[Horse] was euthanized Aug 13 due to a training injury – leg fracture Jul 20 – resulting in laminitis.” This poor girl was but two years old and being prepped for her debut. And they made her suffer for over three weeks with a fracture that eventually led to one of the most painful ways a horse can die. Bastards.
Tuesday at Finger Lakes for Frankie R.: “After a.m. training, horse experienced unresolved neurological issues that resulted from a possible heatstroke. Due to poor prognosis, horse was euthanized the following day [Wednesday].” Heatstroke. Frankie was four years.
The Commission also relays:
Saratoga, Aug 13, 5-year-old Roja Redemption: “Suffered severe heat exhaustion while transitioning from the turf course to the dirt course.”
Finger Lakes, Aug 12, 4-year-old Tomaki: “After finish of race, horse seemed to exhibit signs of heatstroke.”
Belmont, Aug 12, 2-year-old Charging Charles: “Pulled up lame near 7/8 pole. Removed via ambulance and transported to Barn #24.”
Saratoga, Aug 10, 3-year-old Big Brown Delivers: “Upon completion of race, colt was treated for heatstroke.”
Saratoga, Aug 10, 3-year-old Arch’s Assault: “[After race – same one as above], colt was treated at its barn for heatstroke.”
Saratoga, Aug 10, 2-year-old County Kildare: “Suffered a RF injury after completing a workout…transported to Rood & Riddle for further treatment.”
On those four “heatstrokes” and one “severe heat exhaustion”: We’ve been experiencing uncomfortable weather – not only high temps (into the 90s some days) but oppressive humidity – here in Upstate NY pretty much all summer. If forcing horses (via a whip) to run at breakneck speeds in those conditions doesn’t qualify as animal cruelty, what does?
Starving horses to near death off track evidently qualifies as an Animal Cruelty complaint in West Virginia. A “licensed trainer” named Toschia Spriggs failed and/or refused to comply with orders to take care of her eight horses on private property; not at a racetrack.
Evidently, “licensed trainers” can abuse, brutalize, torture and kill horses all day long for weeks, months and years and get a free pass to do so at the racetracks. It seems especially so if they send them to Rood & Riddle for additional torture because there are “licensed veterinarians” there that evidently collectively make millions of dollars practicing on horses that have been abused, brutalized and mutilated at a racetrack. Isn’t this “white collar” Animal Cruelty? Is it because of the billionaire horseracing lobby that they get away with brutalizing, torturing, and killing horses at racetracks and at Rood & Riddle?
Animal Cruelty is Animal Cruelty at the racetracks and at Rood & Riddle where they use horses as “guinea pigs” to line their pocketbooks and bank accounts. It’s evil and sick!