Derby and Preakness-winning trainer Doug O’Neill, known as “Drug” O’Neill in some circles, has been suspended twice (Illinois 2010, California 2012) for elevated TCO2 levels in his horses, a condition commonly achieved via an illegal (on race day), fatigue-fighting concoction…
On Friday, a federal judge halted, at least for the time being, the opening of horse slaughterhouses in New Mexico and Iowa. While this represents a small victory for equine advocates, the larger issue – where the slaughterbound come from…
Imagine a world without horseracing. Imagine the racehorse as extinct. No whips, no dope, no snapped sesamoids, no slashed carotids, and…no stables (where, as an aside, horses are kept penned and isolated for the vast majority of their day). If,…
This summer, Saratoga Race Course marks its 150th anniversary. Proudly billing itself the oldest sporting venue in the country, the august track, and indeed the entire region, is waxing nostalgic and celebrating the racing elite who trod (trotted) over those…
Melodeeman was a seasoned veteran who had amassed over $250,000 in earnings when he entered the gate at frigid Penn National on January 21, 2010. Running for $18,000 (thanks to racino money) in a $4,000 claiming race, the Thoroughbred, who…
There is perhaps no better example of Saratoga (Race Course, that is) ostentation than that annual bit of track pageantry, the “Saratoga Hat Contest.” But beyond the folly lies a serious issue. While the participants, judges, and media see good,…
Horseracing Wrongs is proud to present the first in a series of guest posts from two of the most respected equine advocates in the country, Joy Aten and Jo Anne Normile. Both on their own and through their rescue, Saving…
This site holds that horseracing, being exploitation of the weaker, is inherently cruel, and no matter the supposed number of “welfare initiatives,” racehorses will continue to suffer and die. All, for $2 bets. But to be fair, there are some…
According to the Equine Welfare Alliance (from USDA statistics), in 2012, 176,223 American horses were shipped to Mexico (110,202), Canada (59,812), and Japan (6,209) for slaughter. 176,223. That’s a 32% increase from 2011 and the most American horses slaughtered since…
This much should be clear: Horseracing people are involved in horseracing for money, fame, and glory. They race horses for themselves, not out of some sentimental attachment to equines. The opening sentence in Ray Paulick’s recap of the recently departed…
Monzante, a former Grade 1 winner and half million dollar lifetime earner, is dead after breaking down at Louisiana’s Evangeline Downs on July 20th. He was nine. A onetime celebrated champion, the gelding, “talent” eroding, had descended to the lowest…
Saratoga Race Course recorded its first equine death of the season when four-year-old Black Rhino broke down while training on the Oklahoma Track July 18th. He was euthanized two days later. Last raced at Belmont on June 2nd, this beautiful…
