Video of Breakdown at Penn
A clip of 4-year-old Awesome Harry at Penn Thursday. The chart said, “sustained injury, transported off in ambulance.” Dead? Probably. We’ll know for sure in short time.
Patrick’s Blog
Read MoreVideo of Breakdown at Penn
10 Days at Churchill: 65 Horses Scratched for Injury or Illness
Over the course of just 10 days at Churchill (Nov 9-22), 29 horses were scratched by the regulatory vet (i.e., their exploiters had every intention of racing them) for being “injured” or “unsound,” another 36 by private vets for “illness”…
Wonder of You Confirmed Killed at Churchill
This from the Kentucky Racing Commission Nov 19 at Churchill: “Wonder of You was pulled up abruptly near the 1/16 pole and required the assistance of the horse ambulance. It was later reported that the filly had suffered a catastrophic…
10-Year-Old Killed at Parx in Her 87th Race
In the final race of the day yesterday at Parx, Bucks Some, said the chart, “was injured and transported off the track via ambulance.” In my long experience doing this, that combination – “injured, ambulance” – almost always translates to…
Two More Kills in Cal, Including 6th at Los Alamitos in November
Yesterday, says the CHRB, Clemson Cutie died at Santa Anita; details will have to wait till our FOIA. She was two years old and being prepped for her debut. Also dead, Apollitical Maverick, Thanksgiving Day at Los Alamitos. He was…
2-Year-Old at Belmont: “Catastrophic” Neck Injury, Dead
This for Five Bars at Belmont Saturday, according to the Gaming Commission: “Horse fell near the 7/8 pole injuring her neck – catastrophic.” She was but two years old. Because of the ongoing rebuild, Belmont Park has not held a…
No Fewer Than Six “Fell, Vanned Off” Last Week
The following horses were injured in U.S. races last week and had to be removed from the track by “equine ambulance.” While fates remain unknown at this time, we will eventually get death confirmations on many, if not most, through…
Progress: B.C. Shuts the Subsidy Spigot Off; Hastings Likely to Close
Friday, the province of British Columbia posted a public letter announcing an end to the subsidies for Hastings Racecourse as of Jan 31, 2026. Apparently, the decision was precipitated by the industry’s request for even more public money than it…
“Catastrophic RF Fetlock Failure” (x2)
Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have obtained the following details on some of that state’s kills last year (previous installments here). Sweet Sonny, Oct 27, Los Alamitos R (euth Oct 28) “Catastrophic RF fetlock…
Horror at Mahoning
The chart note for Ten Reflect in the final race at Mahoning yesterday said, “fell just before the wire…escorted off in ambulance.” Those words, however, hardly do what happened justice. There is the inherent, matter-of-course animal cruelty of horseracing, and…
Los Alamitos: Three 2-Year-Olds Killed Racing Sunday; 9-Year-Old Dead at Yonkers
Gamblingterror, says the NYS Gaming Commission, was killed in the 2nd race at Yonkers last night – no other details other than “euthanized.” Complicit in the 9-year-old’s death: trainer/driver Pat Lachance and the state of NY for allowing this moribund…
Kills in Back-to-Back Races at Los Alamitos Sunday
Two horses I reported as “vanned off” at Los Alamitos Sunday have been confirmed (CHRB) dead: Backside Ace in the 7th; Champions Run in the 8th. Both were but two years old – equine babies. For Los Alamitos, this makes…