Through a FOIA request to the Louisiana Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following kills on that state’s tracks thus far this year. Please note, however, that as usual the response came with this: “The Louisiana Racing Commission does not track or maintain a list of deaths that occur during training hours as those are more often than not handled between the trainer and their private veterinarian.” Neither, of course, did we get stall deaths. So, the victim roll is surely much greater than the 25 reported below.
(Note: Flatter Me Avery, though not on the FOIA docs, was indeed killed at Evangeline May 2 – video here.)
“comminuted”: bone shatters into several or many pieces
“open/compound”: broken bone has torn through the skin
“displaced”: ends of the snapped bone no longer align
“disarticulation”: bones are separated at the joint
Blesseduponastar, Jan 2, Fair Grounds R
“Severe, acute fetlock fracture.” Blesseduponastar was four.
Play the Trumpet, Jan 3, Delta R
“[Multiple] comminuted, displaced fractures.” Trumpet was four.
Zivory, Feb 9, Louisiana R
“Trauma – euthanized.” Zivory had just turned three.
Valid Deelite, Feb 11, Delta R
“Compound, displaced fracture.” Deelite was four.
Quinnsaltyofficer, Feb 13, Delta R (video here)
“Fell: compound fracture.” Quinn was three.
Gatsby’s Fortune, Feb 13, Delta R (video here)
“Fell over fallen rival [above] – died of trauma.” Gatsby’s was four.
Guitar Guy, Feb 19, Delta R
“Comminuted, displaced fracture.” Guitar was two.
De’ Ans Eighty, Feb 20, Fair Grounds R
“Fetlock disarticulation.” De’ Ans was five.
Cr Hammer Down 440, Feb 24, Louisiana R
“Compound, comminuted fracture.” Cr had just turned four.
Duke of Carthania, Mar 7, Fair Grounds R
“Fell past wire: [multiple] compound fractures.” Duke was nine.
Guaguarero, Mar 14, Fair Grounds R
“Lost action late: open fracture.” Guaguarero was five.
My Boy Blue, Mar 14, Louisiana R
“Pelvis fracture [in gate].” My Boy had just turned two and this was to be his first race.
Honor a Wild Train, Mar 19, Louisiana R
“Bad step late: [multiple] acute, displaced fractures.” Wild Train was five.
Ice’m Up Boys, Apr 4, Evangeline R
“Multiple compound fractures.” Ice’m was four.
Shake of the Reins, Apr 17, Evangeline R (video here)
“Took a bad step, fell: [multiple] displaced fractures.” Shake had just turned three.
Doctored Deal, Apr 17, Evangeline R (six races after above)
“Open, severe disarticulation.” Doctored was six.
Fast Lil Rogue, Apr 30, Delta R
“Multiple comminuted fractures.” Fast had just turned two, and this was her first race.
Jess My Dash, May 7, Delta R
“Compound fracture.” Jess was six.
Michelle’s Prayer, May 8, Evangeline R (euth May 9)
“[Multiple] acute fractures.” Michelle’s was three.
Ooo Baby Baby, May 14, Delta R
“Multiple fractures.” Baby was three.
San Lorenzo Cocoy, May 22, Delta R
“Fell: pelvis fracture.” San Lorenzo was three.
Eternal Dragon, May 27, Delta R
“Open fracture.” Dragon was two.
I Have an Idea, May 27, Delta R (three races after above) (video here)
“Fell: displaced femur fracture.” I Have an Idea was three.
T Flying Whicha, Jun 27, Delta R (video here)
“Fell: displaced skull fracture.” T Flying was three.
Girvin had a very easy much better life than the overwhelming majority of all of them. It’s an evil scumbag industry. The people who are in this industry are in it because they never got an education…so this is what they do.This applies to scum like Bob Baffert …etc. It applies to ALL of them.
Patrick, Girvin dropped dead this morning age 12. So young for a beautiful horse to leave this world.
The racing industry in Louisiana is not going to stop being sadistically cruel to horses anytime soon, but the fact that they cheat the gamblers by fixing races might be something that the Louisiana Attorney General would be at least a little bit concerned about as long as she could see the proof. Any pushback about the fixing of races in Louisiana might have a somewhat positive side effect for some of the horses.
I think it is reasonable and logical to assume that at least 25 racehorses were killed in morning training on the racetrack and that several horses suffered and died or were killed in their stalls.
If there were a documentary to expose the levels and degrees of the abuse, brutality, and cruelty inflicted on horses being exploited for gaming/gambling at Delta Downs, it could be eye-opening for many people.
It would be eye-opening to see the actual trainers and their actual private vets doping injured horses with the various substances the racing industry people have been known to use to get horses to perform as racehorses and gambling objects.
The videos of the horses breaking down during the races really do bring home the destruction of live equine flesh.
In reality, there are certain types of people who enjoy the morbid and sadistic mistreatment of horses (and other types of animals) and those people need to be tracked down and locked up.