Through a FOIA request to the Oklahoma Racing Commission, I have confirmed the following 12 kills at that state’s tracks thus far this year.
Jose Can’t Say, Jan 30, Will Rogers S
“Treated for colic Jan 28; found dead in stall Jan 30.” They added: “Hemorrhage in the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, mesentery, and the parietal and mediastinal pleura is likely due to sepsis and shock causing vascular disturbances.” That poor boy. Jose was three.
Chicknfingerfriday, Feb 7, Will Rogers S
“Acute colitis started Feb 5; euthanized Feb 7.” Also: “ulcerative gastritis.” Chicknfingerfriday was five.
Okie Clipper, Feb 9, Will Rogers R
“Multiple complete, open, comminuted fractures; [multiple] complete, open joint luxations; severe ligament and tendon ruptures. Euthanized on track.” They added: “large amounts of sand and gravel are ground into the joint space.” Also: “chronic, severe ulcerative gastritis.” Okie was four.
Wf Slick Chick (likely a misspell), Feb 19, Remington S
“Flipped over: extensive fractures of the base and sides of the skull; severe hemorrhage [in] brain, spinal canal, soft tissues.” Also: “chronic stomach ulcers.” Wf was three.
Merlin the Red, Apr 7, Will Rogers R
“Fell after finish: left forelimb severed at metacarpophalangeal joint with only a small amount of intact skin and connective tissue remaining; [multiple] ligaments/tendons completely torn; lateral digital artery, lateral digital vein, and lateral plantar nerve completely severed.” And, of course: “chronic gastric ulceration.” Merlin was three.
In Lanas Honor, Apr 17, Remington T
“Multiple severe fractures: The central tarsal bone is extensively fractured, with the dorsal half of the bone broken off and displaced cranially. The fourth tarsal bone has a fracture through the cranial third of the bone, which is also displaced cranially. The majority of the third tarsal bone is entirely crushed into multiple small fragments, with only a small portion of the plantar aspect remaining intact.” “Entirely crushed into multiple small fragments.” Lanas was two and being prepped for her first race.
Corazon de Oro, Apr 19, Remington R
“Comminuted, spiral fracture of the distal left radius, three fragments detached and displaced caudally and ventrally; extensive bruising and hemorrhage surround fracture site.” And, of course: “several ulcers.” Corazon was three.
Bm Candi Wish, May 10, Remington R
“[Multiple] catastrophic, complete fractures of the left forelimb, with luxation of the distal limb.” Then this: “Additional changes in the lungs are suggestive of chronic and ongoing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.” And this (which of course we already know): “Gastric ulcers are a common finding in athletic animals and are often related to chronic stress and diets high in concentrate.” Candi was three.
Flat Out Luck, May 12, Will Rogers T (full necropsy not complete yet)
“Pulled up lame: [multiple] fractures, euthanized.” Flat Out was three.
Love U Father, May 14, Will Rogers T (full necropsy not complete yet)
“Pulled up at 1/16 pole: [multiple] fractures, euthanized.” Love U had just turned three.
Gospel Freely, May 15, Will Rogers S
“Found dead in stall, blood in nares, head abrasions.” Primary diagnosis: “severe tracheal hemorrhages.” Gospel was five.
Chicks Tales Wagon, May 27, Fair Meadows T
“Flipped in gate, unable to rise, blood from nostrils: [multiple] comminuted skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage.” Chicks was three and being prepped for her debut.
How in the name of human decency or conscience see/hear of these injuries and not condemn the perpetrators or the industry and take a stand against these atrocities. How can any human see the aftermath of these injuries and have to clean up after the last breath of a living creature so brutalized? I’m sorry but this is just a heartache beyond measure for a living creature to endure.
The report says JOSE CAN’T SAY was treated for colic on January 28; found dead in stall January 30.
Q. Did they refuse to have a veterinarian give him the kind of treatment that would have saved his life?
Q. Did they also not want to/ refuse to pay for euthanasia that would have shortened the length of time that this doomed horse would have to suffer in excruciating pain until he died in agony while UNATTENDED in the stall?
This is one example of the kinds of ABUSE & NEGLECT inflicted on horses for racing and gambling; just another day in horse racing.
And every one of them was racing with stomach ulcers. Preventable stomach ulcers.
And, yet another horse “found dead in stall.” Do tracks have any security at all? Does no one do regular walk throughs of stall areas? Is anyone actually caring for these horses?
Police have told me, there’s a high incidence of domestic abuse in people they arrest for animal abuse. Many police departments now have a social worker come in to question partners and spouses and children of people arrested for animal abuse.
These horses are abused. I wonder what the incidence of domestic abuse arrests is in their trainers , owners, and jockeys is.
Can “Jason” read? He says people in horse racing love what they do and that this site is liberal trash. It sounds to me like Jason is not playing with a full deck.
I wonder if anyone who was watching Merlin the Red at least had the decency to throw up at the sight of his injury? That poor boy indeed!
In the death race, where Merlin the Red very literally snapped his foot off!! This: PER RULING …FROM THE HIWU, MERLIN THE RED HAS BEEN DISQUALIFIED FROM 5th TO UNPLACED DUE TO A MEDICATION VIOLATION.
Ahhh yes, the lovely horse racing folks drugging their horses and then snapping their feet off.