8-year-old Vader Grade, trained by Harlan Bird Rattler and owned by Wesley Edwards, was killed in Sunday’s 5th race at Great Falls (Montana State Fair). Equibase originally reported this as a mostly non-event: “clipped heels, lost rider,” DNF. But in…
To those new to the site – and without a working knowledge of horseracing – “vanned off” may not sound particularly ominous – football players, after all, are occasionally carted off the field. But here’s the reality: A horse who…
The Daily Racing Form’s Jay Privman reports that Peter Miller-trained Chilled Mousse is dead after breaking down yesterday morning at Del Mar. He was two. The kill brings Del Mar’s weekend death toll to five. That’s right, five horses have…
A reminder: Virtually without exception, “broke down” is racing-speak for dead; “vanned off” translates to a better-than-even chance of same-day euthanasia or shortly thereafter. Monday Ferarri Cartel, Ruidoso 1, bled, vanned off Tuesday Ithink I Can Dance, Mountaineer 6, broke…
Yesterday at Del Mar, two more horses were killed, bringing the “Where the Turf Meets the Surf” track’s two-day death toll to four. 5-year-old Lil Swiss Echo (trainer Vladimir Cerin) broke down in the 5th. (DRF’s Jay Privman: “Lil Swiss…
3-year-old Chichita snapped a leg and was killed in Saturday’s 1st race at Finger Lakes, her first under Sal Iorio. Chichita’s five career starts before yesterday, all under Andrew Lakeman: Finished last of 9 April 11th at Aqueduct, 17 1/2…
Snapped bones (and a spine) and pentobarbital cast pall over Friday at the races… At celebrated Del Mar, two horses died in successive contests: 4-year-old Yes She’s Unusual went down in the 6th. In her most previous start – May…
All week, I’ve been attempting – with several (unanswered) calls and voice messages – to secure kill confirmations on horses at Charles Town, Mountaineer, and Parx. As we know, transparency isn’t a hallmark of the racing industry. When a star…
Saratoga Race Course recorded its first kill of the summer meet when 4-year-old filly Lifeguard On Duty broke a pair of sesamoids while training today. Anthony Dutrow was her handler. NY’s 2014 Death Toll stands at 59.
I have confirmed that 2-year-old Washington Dacat is dead after breaking down in the 7th race Sunday at Canterbury Park. Pity trainer McLean Robertson and owner Barbara Kelley, for they are left with a zero return on their investment: This…
In a French steeplechase (Saint-Pierre-la-Cour) this past Sunday, 10 horses started, 3 finished. The video tells the story far better than I ever could:
A 3-year-old filly named Missy Zelliott collapsed and died while training at Belmont Park Sunday; the Gaming Commission believes the collapse a “cardiovascular” event. At three, the rough equivalent of a human pubescent. By the way, this horse had but…
