Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on some of that state’s kills in 2025 (previous ones here).
Goatski, Oct 22, Santa Anita S
“Acute sign of colic at racetrack; horse became agonal and died.” Goatski was three years old and had last been raced – and sold – in August.
Esmeray, Oct 30, Del Mar R
“Multiple open [through the skin], displaced, comminuted fractures; complete ruptures of multiple [I counted at least seven] ligaments; rupture of joint capsule; complete tears of [multiple] tendons.” They added: “Injuries resulted in fetlock failure [obviously], open luxation, and degloving [skin torn away].” In addition: “osteochondral disease [both limbs that were examined]; stomach ulcers.” Esmeray was five years old.
These two horses were victims of daily routine mistreatment and sadism. Anyone who says racehorses are well treated are blatantly lying. Racehorses are exploited. Being exploited by greedy people is a recipe for disaster for the horses.
Esmeray’s chart says she was vanned off.
Hopefully she was not vanned off alive, looking at all that horrific destruction. Her leg looks like it exploded. But I wouldn’t put it past them to have done the vanning off alive in the attempt to preserve optics, as it was a big stakes day at the track.