Through a FOIA request to the Kentucky Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks thus far this year (because of the volume, I will be posting in installments).
open fracture: bone broke through the skin
comminuted fracture: bone shattered into multiple pieces
displaced fracture: bone snapped out of place
Add More Lipstick, Feb 10, Keeneland T
“Complete, displaced, comminuted MC3 fracture; sesamoid fracture; sesamoid cartilage is excoriated, with fragmentation of the subchondral bone.” Add More was two years old.
Baytown Vegas, Apr 12, Turfway T
“Horse was galloping when it went down on the track: complete, comminuted fracture of the scapula; large amount of hemorrhage.” Also: “stomach ulceration.” The necropsy added: “The presence of a preexisting periosteal callus associated with the acute fracture line in this case is consistent with a repetitive stress injury leading to a catastrophic musculoskeletal failure. A similar callus is noted on the contralateral limb.” “Repetitive stress” – Baytown had just turned two and was being prepped for his first race.
Baytown Triobloidi, Apr 13, Keeneland R
“Pulled up with catastrophic injury to LH limb: open, displaced, comminuted tibial fracture; tearing of flexor tendon; severe laceration.” Also: “stomach ulceration.” And again: “The presence of a preexisting periosteal callus associated with the acute fracture line in this case is consistent with a repetitive stress injury leading to a catastrophic musculoskeletal failure. A similar callus was identified on the contralateral limb.” This Baytown was two weeks shy of his second birthday. Yes, he was still one.
Baba Voss, Apr 30, Churchill R
“Flipped and died: complete, comminuted, severely displaced basisphenoid [skull] fracture; the brainstem and cerebellum are lacerated and the calvarium is filled with blood.” Also: “stomach ulcers.” Baba was five years old.
Best Seller, May 7, Keeneland T
“Horse was breezing when she suffered a catastrophic injury and fell: RF – open, severely comminuted fracture; LF – comminuted fracture. That’s two broken legs. Also: “severe soft-tissue damage; stomach ulcers.” Best Seller was five years old.
Call Protection, May 31, Churchill R
“Pulled up at 1/2 pole with catastrophic injury to fetlock: [multiple] fractures.” Then this: “Soft tissue damage is extensive with tearing of the digital arteries and vein; the flexor retinaculum; the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons; the suspensory ligament; the medial and lateral branches of the annular ligament; the straight and oblique sesamoidian ligaments; and rupture of the medial aspect of the annular ligament and the intersesamoidian ligament.” Take all that in. Call Protection was four years old.
Rick, sorry to say that the timed workouts/ breezes/ under tack shows for “2-year-olds” in training are not a thing of the past. They appear to be very popular in Ocala, Florida but still happen in other parts of the United States and also in Europe.
Supposedly, Fasig-Tipton has stopped having such demanding workouts for the underdeveloped colts and fillies in the under tack shows in Maryland; but I think it was more about one filly being killed (with more scrutiny than in the past) and too much rain to fit into their pre-programmed agenda of putting on the timed workouts/ breezes for “2-year-olds” in training in the spring of 2025.
Some people call them”suicide races” but the racing industry prefers not to give these under tack shows such a name. An “official” suicide race would be the Omak Stampede race in Washington state.
Once again Wanda, you are exactly right in pointing out the cruelty and abuse especially in racing so called 2 year olds.I don’t follow sales much anymore, but I hope those 10 second workouts are a thing of the past. As I’ve said many times before, horseracing should have no part in a civilized and humane society.
Forcing underdeveloped colts and fillies to gallop under the weight of a rider carrying a whip (and most likely an illegal electric shock device) is CRIMINAL & SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE!
The members of the Kentucky Racing Commission are guilty of multiple crimes against the horses!