2-Year-Old’s First Race: “While galloping out, horse fell suddenly: multiple neck fractures, underlying spinal cord severely fragmented with massive hemorrhage, massive hemorrhage in surrounding muscles.”

Through a FOIA request to the Arizona Dept. of Gaming, I have confirmed the following 19 kills at Turf Paradise last year.

Papale, Jan 1, Turf S
“Sudden death.” Papale was six years old.

Summer Reign, Jan 13, Turf T
“Horse was galloping when the rider heard a popping sound: complete, comminuted humerus fracture.” Also: “gastric ulceration; botfly larvae.” Summer was two years old.

Finnley’s Kitten, Feb 10, Turf R
“[Multiple] fractures.” Also: “ulcerative gastritis.” Finnley’s turned seven the day before.

Public Appearance, Feb 17, Turf S
“Horse was euthanized after it collapsed in its stall and couldn’t rise.” This is but a small part of this poor horse’s story. For the rest, please see this.

Signor Valentino, Feb 25, Turf R
“Horse fell under inside rail; when it got up it broke through the rail – severe, comminuted neck fracture.” Signor was four years old.

Controversy, Mar 2, Turf S
“This horse was found dead – gastric rupture – in its stall. It was just beginning training and had never raced.” They added: “Given the extensive hemorrhage, it is suspected the horse hit its head from falling while dying.” The “it” in question was two years old.

Bet Mor, Mar 6, Turf T
“This horse was galloping when it dumped the rider, ran off the track, and fell into a vehicle: open, comminuted cannon fracture; areas of torn muscles.” They added: “metacarpal at a 90-degree angle.” Bet was two and being prepped for her first race.

Thru My Eyes, Mar 24, Turf R
“[Broke both front limbs], [multiple] ruptured ligaments.” Also: “bilateral, chronic, severe osteoarthrosis; gastric ulceration.” And finally, this from the responding vet: “The horse flipped in the ambulance so there will be some evidence of trauma.” Bastards. Thru My Eyes had just turned six.

One Famous Fire Z, Mar 26, Turf T
“[Multiple] comminuted fractures – multiple fragments.” Then this: “This horse has had off and on respiratory illness with fever spikes.” The necropsy concluded: “Patient had bilateral chronic-active bronchopneumonia.” And, as if not enough: “stomach ulcers.” Now get this: One Famous had just turned two. That poor girl.

Walt’s Ranger, Apr 3, Turf T
“Severely comminuted tibia fracture with extensive intramuscular and subcutaneous hemorrhage.” The pathologist added: “The distal half of the left hindlimb hangs at an unnatural angle.” Also: “chronic stomach ulcerations.” And, almost as an aside: “This was [his] third work and this horse had never raced.” Walt’s had just turned two.

Fools Conversation, Apr 8, Turf T
“Acute, severe humerus fracture with associated severe hemorrhage.” Also: “large areas of gastric ulcers.” They also noted: “It [that would be the horse] was entered Dec 4 but flipped in the gate and was scratched.” Then: “It [that would be the horse] was cleared to race Jan 16 but was scratched for LF lameness and placed on Vet’s List as unsound.” A couple months later – dead. Fools had just turned three.

Ts Kiss My Tail, Apr 8, Turf R
“While galloping out, horse fell suddenly: multiple neck fractures, underlying spinal cord severely fragmented with massive hemorrhage, massive hemorrhage in surrounding muscles.” Also: “gastric ulcerations.” Also: “two large nematodes [worms] identified within the jejunum.” They also noted: “exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage,” which could have caused the initial fall. Ts was two – “pulmonary hemorrhage,” “multiple neck fractures,” “gastric ulcers,” “nematodes” – and this was his very first race.

Seven Kats, Oct 29, Turf T
“As it galloped out, jockey heard a loud popping sound and horse fell and rolled under rail: bilateral [both sides] severe, acute, comminuted scapular fractures with muscle maceration and hemorrhage.” Also: “fracture ends and fragments are sharp…dozens of smaller fragments are embedded within the subscapularis muscle.” They added: “While the fractures may have occurred concurrently, it’s suspected that the second scapular fracture was associated with falling or entrapment beneath the rail.” Also: “acute oral lacerations.” Also: “dozens of stomach erosions and ulcers.” Seven Kats (destruction below) was two and being prepped for his first race. Poor, poor boy.

Miss Double Down, Nov 18, Turf T
“Fell: [multiple] comminuted skull fractures with acute brain lacerations and hemorrhage.” They also noted: “acute teeth fractures.” Also: “degenerative joint disease of right front/hind fetlock joints.” Miss Double was three years old.

El Encanto, Nov 20, Turf S
“Horse developed signs of colic around 9 pm Nov 19 and died [next day].” They added: “No treatment was given.” Final report: “ruptured diaphragm and multiple areas of hemorrhage in the GI tract.” And: “Horse had an intestinal twist in Jan 2023 which required resection surgery.” El Encanto was four and had been entered to race Nov 18.

Threebrothers, Nov 24, Turf S
“Colic – necropsy pending.” Threebrothers was five and had last been raced 13 days prior.

Mojo Mo, Dec 10, Turf T
“As it passed the wire it became lame: acute, severe, comminuted fracture; intramuscular and subcutaneous hemorrhage. Also: “chronic ulceration.” Mojo was two; in four “career” races, he finished a combined 79 lengths back.

Lively Lady, Dec 13, Turf T
“[Horse] was training this morning and was reluctantly galloping counterclockwise when a loud pop was heard: severe, complete humerus fracture surrounded by a large amount of hemorrhage and muscle disruption.” Also: “ulcerative gastritis; fly eggs.” “Reluctantly galloping.” Lively was three years old.

Go Cats, Dec 15, Turf S
“Colic – necropsy pending.” Go Cats was five and had last been raced one week prior.

Since Jan 1, 2014, when Horseracing Wrongs began the unprecedented work of reporting kills in the U.S. horseracing industry, 454 (that we know about) horses have perished at Arizona tracks. That’s 454 beautiful, intelligent, sensitive beings sacrificed for nothing more than $2 bets. Are we not better than this, America?