The NYS Gaming Commission has just disclosed this for Perfect Queen in the 10th race at Saratoga Harness Jul 21: “Perfect Queen did suffer a front leg injury that resulted in the horse being vanned off by ambulance [and euthanized].” She was seven years old. The complicit: trainer Tiffany Barrett, driver Jacob Cutting.
Staying with harness, among the many whipping violations posted Friday, these:
Marshall-Putnam Fair, Jul 12: “Driver/trainer Jerome Daniels was observed excessively urging his horse, [3-year-old] Tvs Tia Wind, following the warm-up for the 10th race.” Again, “excessively urging [whipping] following the warm-up,” or before the race. Daniels, who has appeared here before, was fined $500.
Scioto, Jul 25: “Marvin Luna was the driver of [3-year-old] Myboypank, [who] was reported by the State Vet to have welts on him while in the test barn. Mr. Luna is fined $750 [but] the penalty will be reduced to $500 if not appealed.” They added: “Mitigating circumstances were considered in this penalty.” “Mitigating circumstances” for leaving welts? This scumbag, by the way, is a serial welter – here, here, here, here.
Some context: In the same weekly rulings, under “Major Penalties,” one person was fined $500 for using “offensive/profane language” at The Red Mile, and another was fined $500 for being “rude and disrespectful toward commission employees” at Harrah’s. (At Red Mile, they added: “Actions of this nature will not be tolerated and any further occurrences…will result in escalated penalties.”) In other words, the exact same fine was meted out for “offensive/profane language” and being “rude and disrespectful” as for leaving welts and “excessively [whipping]” pre-race. Only in horseracing.
The horses versus the commission employees is equivalent to the slaves versus the slave traders and slave masters. Excessive abuse of the horses is basically acceptable as long as you are willing to pay a fine which is basically adding money to the control of the slave traders/masters.
This is a horribly corrupt system that relies on inflicting pain and suffering on horses for money. All of these depraved people should be charged with the crimes they have committed and stop letting the foxes feast on the hens.