In a recent U-T San Diego article, the president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California called the Del Mar summer a “Murphy’s Law meet.” And Joe Harper of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club described it as “a strange thing, weird.”…
Santa Anita has announced a new whipping rule for its upcoming Fall meet – no more than three consecutive strikes, then wait for a “response” before whipping can resume. Santa Anita’s president says (DRF, 9/2/14), “It’s good for the horse,…
I have confirmed that 3-year-old My Kinda Girl is dead after breaking down in Saturday’s 4th race at Charles Town. This was her fourth start, all under trainer Clovis Crane and owner DASL Stable. She was ridden by Arnaldo Bocachica.
In promoting its product – exploiting horses for gambling – Saratoga Race Course cynically targets young families, hoping, of course, to lure and condition the next generation of “fans” (bettors). Toward that end, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) offered…
I have confirmed that 5-year-old Posh Acres, trained and owned by Ernest Haynes, is dead after breaking down in last Thursday’s 1st race at Charles Town. Prior to his fatal run, the 19-start veteran was being offered for $4,500. This…
Forced – by media reports – to respond to 12 dead horses in Saratoga, NYRA issued the following statement Friday: “Although New York State has made significant progress in reducing injuries and preventing the inappropriate use of medication in racehorses,…
Virtually without exception, “broke down” is racing-speak for dead; “vanned off” translates to a better-than-even chance of dead. Broke Down: Be a Pro, Aug 25, Presque Isle 3 Makari, Aug 25, Saratoga 1 (reported “fell fatally”) Run for Papa, Aug…
According to equine advocate Deborah Jones, 6-year-old Washington’s Rules (below), who was initially reported as “displayed bad action…vanned off” yesterday at Suffolk (6th), has been euthanized. In his penultimate start on August 4th, the gelding finished last of 8, 30…
The California Horse Racing Board has disclosed the deaths of the following three horses – two from the same race – all originally reported as merely “vanned off”: 3-year-old Zuni Tunes (“lateral condylar open fracture”) in the 8th race August…
3-year-old Kitagal is dead after “falling after the wire” of the 3rd race at Louisiana yesterday. Being raced for the sixth time, she had yet to “break maiden.” (She was “for sale” at $5,000 on her death day.) Kitagal was…
2-year-old Divine Guidance, reported as “vanned off” in her racing debut Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga (5th race), was euthanized yesterday due to her injury. Divine Guidance is the 12th athlete to die this summer at “one of the world’s greatest…
Career claimer 3-year-old Vanessa Halo fractured her pelvis while training at Finger Lakes Tuesday and was euthanized. She is trainer Pablo Torres’ sixth dead athlete in two years. Finger Lakes has now lost 21 horses since April; NY’s 2014 Dead…
