3-year-old Ashado Cat, fresh off a last place, 20-lengths-back finish on September 27th, broke down in last night’s 5th at Mountaineer. With the rarest of exceptions, the death of a racehorse is a non-story – a vague note on a…
Belmont Park lost its 33rd athlete of the year when 3-year-old Grand Arrival broke down in a practice session Friday morning. The Linda Rice-trained gelding had been last raced three weeks ago (at Belmont); his line: “GRAND ARRIVAL broke open…
I have confirmed that 3-year-old Bee Boppin Along was euthanized after “pulling up lame” in the 7th race Thursday at Charles Town. The filly – under the care of trainer/owner Gerasimos Moschonas – had three last-place finishes this summer: June…
After 62 races – all but two, claiming – over five years, 8-year-old Funky Country was scheduled to be retired. Problem was, he had one more race left on his sentence – a cheap run on Suffolk Downs’ final day.…
Yet another horse who was merely reported as vanned off has turned up dead. Yesterday, 3-year-old Stenson fractured sesamoids in the 1st race at Belmont. Today, he is gone. As a young, promising colt, he no doubt received a little…
I have confirmed that 4-year-old Dave’s Cutie – a “pulled up lame…vanned off” in a $4,000 claiming last Saturday at Thistledown – is dead. The filly had just been raced eight days earlier. Trainer, Shane Meyers; owners, Meyers and Bonnie…
The NYS Gaming Commission has finally confirmed the death of 4-year-old G W’s Hammer in last Friday’s 5th at Finger Lakes – “went down at finish” with a fractured cannon. The gelding was ridden by Jamie Rodriguez, trained by James…
An update on the March 2014 American horseracing casualties. 86 horses were “vanned off”; 5 of whom were later confirmed dead: Sound of Drums, Mar 1, Aqueduct 7 Tawdry, Mar 10, Mountaineer 8 Candy’s Jewel, Mar 15, Los Alamitos 1…
Virtually without exception, “broke down” is racing-speak for dead; “vanned off” translates to a better-than-even chance of dead. Broke Down: G W’s Hammer, Oct 3, Finger Lakes 5 Tangible Assets, Oct 3, Thistledown 8 Stormy Henry, Oct 4, Parx 6…
Dead horses are bad for business. So, out of self-preservation – and despite calls for transparency, some from within – the industry does all it can to hide its dead, a truth further illustrated in a recent Erie Times-News article…
I have confirmed that 4-year-old Tangible Assets – trainer, Nabu Morales – is dead after breaking down (leg) in yesterday’s 8th at Thistledown. The gelding had been steadily worked – all at the claiming level – in 2014. And, overworked:…
I have confirmed that 3-year-old Run Albert Run is dead after breaking down last weekend at Penn. The gelding had been under his fourth different trainer/owner team in nine months: Michael Pino/Run Horsey Run for two races, Robert Mosco/Jack Armstrong…
