The Equibase chart for the 1st race at Parx yesterday: “DASH dueled outside, broke down in her left front and fell at the 7/16 pole and was subsequently humanely euthanized.” Dash was a 3-year-old filly, still very much in equine…
From the most recent Del Mar Stewards Minutes: August 26 – “Exercise rider Jelani Grant received the following penalty issued in a ruling. It involved Mr. Grant hitting a morning galloper in the head twice with his hand. He said…
There is, of course, practically zero accountability in the racing world: A horse who shatters his leg while heading for home is said to have “taken a bad step”; a horse who snaps his neck after colliding with another is…
5-year-old Walk the Tango was killed in the 1st yesterday at Louisiana Downs – Equibase: “taken up entering the drive and euthanized.” In all, he went under the whip 29 times; his last five – 7th, 8th, 6th, 7th, dead.…
Saturday at the Maryland State Fair (Timonium), 5-year-old Lagi Lagi “pulled up lame” in the 3rd race and was subsequently “vanned off” (Equibase). Tuesday, I received this email from an eyewitness at the track: “I watched the race and then…
In anticipation of NYRA’s annual Saratoga-was-a-rousing-success recap, I offer this reminder of what “success” in the racing world costs. Saratoga’s dead athletes, 2015 (an incomplete list, no doubt, for surely there are others we will never know about): You Gotta…
The line on 5-year-old Wild Hardships’ run in the 7th yesterday at Finger Lakes (Equibase): “broke awkwardly, trailed, appeared in distress…pulled up…vanned off.” Turns out, the career claimer with five different trainers in less than two years was vanned to…
The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that 5-year-old Divine Tale was euthanized after suffering “multiple fractures to her pelvis” in the 10th Sunday at Del Mar. According to the Stewards Minutes, this makes at least 15 dead horses at Del Mar…
According to multiple sources, Au Moon (photo here), who was a “vanned off” August 8 at Monmouth, is dead, unable to survive a post-injury surgery. The gelding had just returned to the whip after being raced just once (Sep ’14)…
The following horses were casualties on American racetracks last week: “Broke Down” – racing-speak for dead The Mooche, Presque Isle Acceptance Letter, Charles Town Divine Tale, Del Mar “Vanned Off” – carted away by ambulance, better-than-even chance dead In Da…
Two and a half weeks ago at Saratoga, 2-year-old Country Muse was raced for the very first time. Yesterday morning while training at that same track, she died – fractured sesamoids, euthanized (NYS Gaming Commission). This makes 12 kills there…
I have confirmed that 6-year-old Acceptance Letter was euthanized after breaking down Friday night at Charles Town. The gelding’s last six races (all cheap claiming): June 14, 2013 – last of 8 June 29, 2013 – last of 8 July…
