Over the course of just 11 days (Apr 25-May 10) at Churchill, 35 horses were scratched by the regulatory vet – i.e., their exploiters had every intention of racing them – for being “injured” or “unsound,” another 28 by private vets for being “injured” or “ill,” and 10 horses who were “claimed” (bought) prior to races were subsequently returned to their sellers because they finished said races physically compromised in one way or another.
In addition, say the stewards:
“Summer Dream was injured leaving the paddock and required the horse ambulance.”
“Santiana finished 9th and returned lame.”
“Makes Sense returned lame.”
“Madeline’s Promise was injured when [she] jumped the rail in the post parade.”
“Great White flipped behind the starting gate and was injured.”
And: “An objection was lodged by Jose Ortiz alleging that Ben Curtis struck [Ortiz’s] filly [Daring Madison] in the head with his [whip].” Yes, that would be the same vile Jose Ortiz.
And finally, two sources tell me Instant Impact was euthanized after a “paddock accident” May 13 in Kentucky. This, apparently, came as the 3-year-old was returning to action after a racing injury (presumably last Oct at Churchill) and subsequent surgery. Poor boy.
Our human race needs a giant evolutionary leap to a higher intellectual level of empathy. Our long history of aminal cruelty, animal exploitation for our self-indulgence, greed is so disturbingly inhumane and demoralizing to our humanity.
Supporting horseracing as “so called entertainment” is a VERY sad example of how desentized and accepting of animal exploitation we have allowed and normalized. These magnificent , intelligent animals are cruelly turned into machines, totally unnaturally manipulated against their natural physical and mental endurance and capabilities resulting in too many deaths, injuries everyday, at every track, EVERY YEAR AFTER EVERY YEAR.
This is a mindless selfish arrogant, egotistical industry built on greed and gambling, trying to market themselves as glamorous and entertainment. “They” owners/trainors only value the phoney short-lived ego trip and the money as the HORSES that survive are discarded quickly to fates unknown when they are not earning money. Perverse!!!!
It sounds like Ben Curtis is also a vile person. Anyone who would strike a filly, or any horse of any age, with a whip or riding crop is guilty of Animal Cruelty.
There is no excuse for either one of the Ortiz brothers; they are both enabled by an industry consisting of people who do vile things to the horses. Scamming the taxpaying public to perpetuate the vile exploitation of horses as gambling chips enables Ben Curtis and the Ortiz brothers to have “earnings” in the millions of dollars. Equibase shows that the earnings of Ben Curtis is in the millions of dollars.