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).
Big Nash, Oct 6, Santa Anita T
“Collision with another horse, fell, unable to rise: complete, catastrophic fractures of the T6, T7, T8, and T9 vertebrae with impingement and compression of the spinal cord; [multiple] displaced rib fractures; multiple muscular hematomas.” Oh the pain this poor boy, just three, must have experienced.
Starry Heavens, Oct 19, Santa Anita T
“Open, displaced, severely comminuted, biarticular P1 fracture – at least 46 bone fragments [with] several fragments missing; extensor tendon completely torn; joint capsule completely torn; extensive hemorrhage/edema on all sides of the leg.” Or, leg destroyed. Then, “likely incidental finding”: “gastric ulcers.” Starry was five years old.
Inspirational, Nov 20, Santa Anita T
“Rider said [horse] was off. Found dead in stall [next morning].” Cause: “Severe muscular damage consistent primarily with rhabdomyolysis. The trigger of the myopathy appears to have been exercise after a period of resting.” Inspirational was seven years old.
It sounds like all of the horses listed above were subject to being tortured by their human connections in particular and the racing industry in general. Horse racing is Animal Cruelty!