As previously reported, Yes Sir Colonel collapsed and died at Parx Sep 20. This video not only shows Yes Sir “acting up” in the gate but also the jockey administering three whip strikes immediately prior to the collapse. (This is a better version of the video we posted last week. You can clearly see the lashes absorbed by Yes Sir – all while far behind the rest of the field. After watching, please keep reading below.)
I believe this warrants an outside (the racing commission) investigation of animal cruelty under PA law; at least one of our readers contacted the Bucks County DA to say as much. That office in turn asked the county’s SPCA police officer to investigate. I had a very nice conversation with the officer and can tell you that she (and the DA) cares. But we both know this is a very high hurdle as whipping a horse during a race is seen as “common industry practice.” Still, I see an investigation as a good thing.
Our staff found this additional video of Yes Sir. Be forewarned, it is difficult to watch…
Thanks, Seth, but she’s definitely on it. Unfortunately, as mentioned, it’s a very high hurdle.
It always appears that they cross their fingers and hope for the best. If it’s not the best oh well. It’s hard to fully understand how any human with a soul and conscience can see the aftermath of these events and not leave it and condone it. SICKENING and rotten to the core and this is a mild statement compared to what I’d like to say.
The American public has already said a big hell no to this.
The people that approve the 100 percent bonus depreciation and subsidies for racehorses bear much of the responsibility.
This does not happen without them.
Cruelty funded by taxpayers is not what we signed up for.
This deliberate abuse of YES SIR COLONEL reminds me of the deliberate abuse of MONGOLIAN GROOM at the Santa Anita racetrack in November of 2019.
There was an evaluation done by the pro-racing doctor of veterinary medicine, Dr. Lawrence (Larry) Bramlage. There was a downloadable pdf of his evaluation and in that pdf, it shows Before & After X-rays. The horse had micro fractures BEFORE the Breeders’ Cup race!!!!! It was a no-brainer that he never should have been entered in the race at all. Not scratching him was the second time there was a major blunder or DELIBERATE PREMEDITATED DECISION to cause the horse to breakdown catastrophicly on the racetrack during the race!!!!!!
It was a no-brainer that the horse should have been retired from racing or at least taken off the track and given a chance to heal.
But, no, why actually care about a Thoroughbred gelding with micro-fractures in hind fetlocks when in this inhumane abomination the owners and trainers CAN AND DO SEND INJURED HORSES OUT TO THE RACETRACK TO DIE.
For some reason this hits me harder than most of the injusticies in horse racing, perhaps because the horse clearly did not want to be there and was raced anyway. I hope action is taken against both the jockey and his trainer. Also would like followup on this incident. Patrick, is this a situation where you need multiple people contacting the DA office?
Per X: ” Patrick Moquin
@DRFMoquin
·
Sep 20
Yes Sir Colonel, an 8-year-old gelding trained by Eli Betancourt, suffered a cardiovascular incident before collapsing in the fifth race at Parx Racing Saturday. Apprentice rider Bryan Torres was okay, per his agent, and managed to pull up before the horse fell.”
I will be contacting the DA this morning.
This is just awful! He had earned $325,000 in 66 races. At 8 he should still be a living horse in a herd like ours are. This year alone he earned more $$ than our limited income. The riders in that race were some of the worst we have ever seen! Even here in Oregon which is the kingdom of 1/2 mile bush league tracks the race riders here are better. This industry cannot disappear fast enough due to the economics. This has us very sad for that horse. Perhaps the shock of seeing a horse die right in front of the people videoing this tragedy will get them to thinking.
Yes, Wanda we think its a violation to whip a horse in succession 3 or multiple times without letting the horse respond 1st. At least in most racing jurisdictions that`s the rule.
Q. Is the fact that the jockey hit the horse named YES SIR COLONEL three times in succession a violation of the whip rules for Pennsylvania Racing Commission and racing at Parx???
(Just thinking that if it is, the individuals attempting to prosecute could at least point that out in addition to the obvious. Of course the ‘obvious’ being that the general idea that you can force horses to race and send them out to the race track to die is a common practice in horse racing — as if that is not abuse! 🤬)
#EndHorseracingNOW