Through a FOIA request to the Nevada Gaming Board, I have confirmed the following kills at that state’s tracks in 2025. Note: Nevada had just 9 days of racing last year.
One Smokin Moon, Aug 17, White Pine R
“Broke down during 3rd race. Horse was able to be loaded into the ambulance and removed from the track. Due to the severity of the injury, horse was humanely euthanized after discussion with the trainer and owner.” One Smokin was five years old.
Copper N Cash, Aug 30, Elko R
“Broke down after crossing finish line. A brief exam on the track revealed instability of the fetlock joint with palpable fractures. Horse was able to be loaded into the ambulance and removed from the track. Horse was [then] euthanized.” “Palpable fractures” – yet they still loaded this poor boy onto the ambulance. They added: “The State Vet performed a brief necropsy and noted severe cartilage score lines and erosion on the pastern and metacarpus.” Had to be old, right? Nope, Copper was two years old, and get this: He had been raced (his first ever) exactly one week prior. Bastards.
Paint Me Mo Famous, Sep 1, Elko R
“Catastrophic breakdown due to horse being cut off by another rider. Horse was driven straight down into the ground and flipped end over end. Horse had a complete luxation of the RF pastern – which was open and severely contaminated – [and] a secondary injury above the left carpus. Horse was able to be loaded onto the trailer and removed from the track prior to being humanely euthanized.” An open – through the skin – fracture, and, like the two above, was loaded up and carted away before being euthanized. I simply run out of words. Paint Me was three, and this was her third race in less than a month.
It sounds like PAINT ME MO FAMOUS had injuries to both front limbs. Did they administer a shot of some type of pain-killing drug to both areas of catastrophic injuries before forcing the fatally injured 2-year-old to load onto what they call the “ambulance”?
It sounds horrific either way!
What does the “ambulance” in Elko, Nevada look like? Does it look like a run down utility trailer especially made for hauling horses upside down as in dead? Just asking because the contraption I saw at Centennial racetrack in Colorado in 1980 was nothing fancy at all. It was a utility type trailer wide enough for only one horse and made out of wood for the top and sides with open slats on the sides so the horse’s hooves were visible. She had collapsed suddenly during the race and was loaded while dead. It was a sickening sight.
If something cannot exist without this kind of suffering woven into its fabric, then it should not exist at all. To defend it is to defend a system that treats suffering as acceptable collateral. Stating that fact as Patrick does day in and day out plainly keeps the focus on welfare and accountability, issues that are harder to dismiss than anger alone.
Those of us who are against this hideous and heinous cruelty to the horses could think of lots of vitriolic words for the morally depraved actions of the people involved in this inhumane industry in Nevada and every other state and country that exploits horses for racing and gambling.
It is offensive to some people to hear foul language because they say their ears are not garbage cans; so I think of the woman who said that there are lots of words in the dictionary that you don’t have to use the f word.