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
Spirit Animal, Jan 18, Turfway T
“Exercise-associated sudden death.” Also: “extensively ulcerated stomach.” Spirit, eight, was also noted to have been “very agitated” before collapsing and dying.
Penny’s Smile, Mar 8, Keeneland T
“Sudden collapse and death following fracture-repair surgery [the surgery, by the way, involved 10 screws].” Also noted: “stomach ulceration, tapeworms in the cecum.” Then this: “Palmar osteochondral disease is a recognized predisposing lesion to condylar fractures in Thoroughbred racehorses, as evidenced in this case. Additionally, repetitive stress lesions are often symmetric, as evidenced in this case.” Penny’s was three. Three.
Home Team, Mar 17, Sandy Ridge R
“Suffered catastrophic injury about 75 yards from finish, went down, struggled to rise, could not use hind limbs.” Necropsy: “Complete, markedly displaced, comminuted fracture of the sixth lumbar vertebra. Spinal cord transected, with severe muscular tearing and tearing of blood vessels. Extensive diaphragmatic hemorrhages.” Also: “grade-2 ulcer disease.” Home Team had just turned three.
She Prefers Gold, Mar 23, Keeneland T
“Pulled up abruptly at 1/16 pole: extensively comminuted, biarticular fractures of the first and second phalanges; marked amount of hemorrhage.” Also: “extensive ulceration of the stomach.” She Prefers was three and being prepped for her first race.
Son of Thunder, Apr 22, Keeneland S
“104 fever, depressed, diarrhea. Began to exhibit seizure-like activity, became recumbent, and died in shedrow.” Cause: “cecal perforation and peritonitis; widespread hemorrhages.” Son was seven and had last been raced Mar 28.
Bo Cruz, May 19, Churchill S
“Colic.” (This one came without a necropsy.) Bo was five.
Extensively ulcerated stomach; stomach ulcers and tapeworms in the cecum; grade-2 ulcer disease; extensive ulceration of the stomach; cecal perforation and peritonitis and widespread hemorrhages; colic… This is Animal Cruelty in itself and then the horror of broken bones added onto the already hideous abuse inflicted on these horses should be enough to charge the owners and the trainers with the crimes associated with animal abuse and neglect and maiming and killing horses.
People have to be morally depraved to engage in this inhumane so-called sport.
This is like reading a screenplay for a HORROR show. These evil scumbags who do this to innocents are pure psychopaths.