While Racing distracts with its annual two-day orgy, pedestrian horses being whip-run at racino-propped tracks (which defines most of American racing) continue to break and die. Yesterday, two more: In the 2nd race at Aqueduct, 5-year-old Summer Sunset “broke down…
The CHRB has confirmed that 3-year-old Soar Home was euthanized Sunday after fracturing a shoulder while practicing at Golden Gate. The Ed Moger-trained filly was last raced on the 18th (the same race that saw Jennakins perish). In the two…
Here is an active “For Sale” ad for a 5-year-old gelding named Qu: “A gorgeous, well balanced horse with a great shoulder, neck and topline. He is also super friendly and quiet. This guy is lightly raced but has not…
Back in September, I wrote about a 3-year-old gelding who had been raced on back-to-back days – in two separate states. Since then, life has not improved for Irish-born Floating Ballerino. Still in the hands of trainer Janet Elliot and…
“Oh no!” And so exclaimed the track announcer when 3-year-old Cloud Cutter broke down (he can be presumed dead) midway through the 4th race Sunday night at Mountaineer. He went on: “There’s a bad fall there. Cloud Cutter, the odds-on…
An unnamed 2-year-old filly “collapsed and died” while training at Belmont Saturday morning. 2-year-old horses – the rough equivalent of 2nd-grade children – should not, of course, just collapse and die, but fret not – the Gaming Commission assures that…
Rulings from the Indiana Horse Racing Commission: For abuses committed against QuarterHorses: 5/31/14, Aron Hunt, “Whip-excessive” – $200 fine, no suspension 6/13/14, Christian Esqueda, “Whip-indiscriminate” – $250 fine, no suspension 7/11/14, Julian Serrano, “Whip-excessive” – $200 fine, no suspension For…
Virtually without exception, “broke down” is racing-speak for dead; “vanned off” translates to a better-than-even chance of dead. Broke Down: Chase This Bandit, Oct 24, Belmont 10 (reported euthanized) Cloud Cutter, Oct 26, Mountaineer 4 Vanned Off: Quiet Dinero, Oct…
Last Saturday at Golden Gate, 3-year-old Jennakins was a “pulled up lame…vanned off” DNF in the 5th race. In fact, the Michael Larson-trained, Kenneth Waters-owned filly is dead from a fractured pelvis. This is horseracing.
2-year-old Chase This Bandit – barely more than a baby – broke down (“tragically,” says the chartwriter) and was euthanized after finishing 2nd in yesterday’s 10th at Belmont. The Linda Rice-trained, John Witte-owned colt was being whip-raced for the second…
Two more horses have perished at Belmont Park, bringing that track’s 2014 Kill Total to 36: 4-year-old Zaikov, who hadn’t been raced since last December, went down – fractured humerus – while training yesterday morning. For trainer Todd Pletcher, that’s…
In its most recent meeting (September 30th), the Ohio State Racing Commission disclosed that through September 29th of this year, 35 horses – 28 Thoroughbred, 7 Standardbred – have died racing or training on Ohio tracks. (And there was no…
