Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at Golden Gate Fields. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)

Driveroff Thedeck, Jan 5, Golden Gate R
“Catastrophic breakdown of right front fetlock. Fracture of the proximal sesamoid bones. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Full thickness, transverse and longitudinal rupture of the intersesamoidean ligament. Complete, short, transverse rupture of the deep digital flexor tendon. Complete, short, transverse rupture of the superficial digital flexor tendon. Severe fraying of fibers, short, incomplete rupture and extensive, complete splits of the lateral branch of the suspensory ligament. Complete, transverse rupture of the medial branch of the suspensory ligament. Severe, focal, full thickness cartilage loss of the medial condyle of MCIII. Mild transverse ridge arthrosis accompanied by fibrillation and cartilage pitting.” (speaks to chronic grinding of this 3-year-old’s body)

unidentified, Jan 6, Golden Gate T
“Catastrophic breakdown of left front fetlock. Fracture of the proximal sesamoid bones. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Full thickness, transverse and longitudinal rupture of the intersesamoidean ligament. Severe fraying of fibers and complete transverse rupture of the medial short and cruciate ligaments. Severe fraying of fibers and complete longitudinal rupture of the collateral ligaments of the proximal sesamoid bones. Severe, complete, transverse rupture of medial extensor branch of the suspensory ligament. Severe, multifocal, full thickness cartilage loss of the distal articular surface of MCIII. Both front limbs were affected by moderate to severe osteoarthritic changes within the fetlock joint, including severely advanced, bilateral palmar osteochondrosis of cannon bones. Furthermore, the medial branch of the suspensory ligament of the right front limb was approximately 3 times enlarged in comparison to unaffected lateral branch, probably as a consequence of the excessive stress affecting the suspensory apparatus.” (speaks to chronic grinding of this 6-year-old’s body)

unidentified, Jan 16, Golden Gate
“This horse had cardiac arrest following recovery from anesthesia…right dorsal caudal thoracic wall, acute brusing and hemorrhage.” (she was three years old)

Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at that state’s tracks so far in 2019. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)

Big Ceas, Jan 20, Golden Gate R
“Catastrophic breakdown of left front fetlock. Complete luxation of the fetlock joint with lateral displacement of the distal MCIII. Complete, longitudinal split with severe fraying of fibers of lateral branch of the suspensory ligament. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Full thickness, transverse and longitudinal rupture of the intersesamoidean ligament. Complete, transverse rupture of the collateral ligaments of the fetlock. Gastric ulceration, severe.”

Tiz Willow, Jan 25, Golden Gate
“The gross findings in this mare confirm a markedly thin body condition with serous atrophy of fat. Additionally there was a large impaction observed in the transverse colon and proximal small colon. The bone marrow fat percentage…was 2.3% which is considered very low with a reference range between 62-99% in an healthy adult horse. This finding along with the serious atrophy of fat support a negative energy balance with mobilization of fat stores in the bone marrow of this animal. It is reported that this horse was not euthanized and had died. 800 lbs [at death].”

Grace Bay, Feb 15, Golden Gate
“Horse flipped and struck head on the way to…race. Bled profusely from right ear and unable to rise and then became comatose. Acute skull fractures of basisphenoid, occipital and temporal bones with intracranial hemorrhage.”

unidentified, Feb 17, Golden Gate T
“Horse collapsed while training and then shattered left front cannon after working four furlongs. Cervical vertebrae – C2 (dens) acute, transverse, oblique, comminuted with displacement and severing of the cervical spinal cord. Presumably, the catastrophic left cannon bone fracture was the initial injury. The cervical vertebrae fracture, which caused the spinal cord to be severed and led to death, is presumed to be a secondary traumatic event immediately following the leg fracture.”

unidentified, Mar 10, Golden Gate
“Colic on 3/9 treated by veterinarian and died [note: no mention of euthanasia] morning of 3/10/19. …hemorrhage of the entrapped section of intestine and hemorrhage in the ruptured stomach. Gastric rupture with transmural hemorrhage.”

Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at that state’s tracks so far in 2019. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)

unidentified, Jan 5, Los Alamitos T – “catastrophic right front fetlock breakdown”
“Severe, complete failure of the suspensory apparatus – fibers of medial and lateral branches are severely frayed and the lateral is completely ruptured. The body and the suspensory origin are also severely frayed and hemorrhagic, especially the lateral aspect/lobe. Fracture of the proximal sesamoid bone. Complete, displaced, comminuted, avulsion fracture of the abaxial margin of the medial proximal sesamoid bone, avulsed with medial branch of the suspensory ligament. Massive hemorrhage extending from the proximal third of MCIII to the coronary band. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Severe fraying of fibers and hemorrhage of the deep and superficial digital flexor tendons. Severe fraying of fibers and complete transverse rupture of the lateral and medial short and cruciate ligaments. Severe fraying of fibers and complete transverse rupture of the lateral collateral ligament of fetlock. Moderate fraying of fibers and incomplete transverse rupture of the medial collateral ligament of fetlock.”

Adroit, Jan 6, Los Alamitos R – “catastrophic left front fetlock breakdown”
“Open, comminuted, complete, displaced, articular, parasagittal, lateral condylar fracture of the MCIII. Open, comminuted, complete, displaced, articular, oblique with transverse component fracture of the P1. Suspensory apparatus failure with severe fraying, multiple complete splits and rupture of medial branch of the suspensory ligament, resulting in complete tear of the lateral aspect of the body of the suspensory ligament. Severe fraying of fibers, incomplete longitudinal split and hemorrhage of the body of the suspensory ligament. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Full thickness, longitudinal rupture of the intersesamoidean ligament. Complete transverse rupture and severe fraying of fibers of the medial and collateral ligaments of fetlock.”

unidentified, Feb 12, Golden Gate – “purulent cellulitis with secondary laminitis”
“Cellulitis in the right rear leg with multiple abscesses/deep tissue necrosis which affected the deep digial flexor tendon. Laminitis with rotation of P3 and separation from the hoof wall was present in the left rear foot…gastric ulceration.”

unidentified, Feb 19, Los Alamitos T – “catastrophic right front fetlock breakdown”
“Comminuted, complete, displaced, articular, parasagittal, lateral condylar fracture of the MCIII. Complete, articular, axial fracture of the lateral proximal sesamoid bone avulsed with intersesamoidean ligament. Comminuted, complete, displaced, articular, parasagittal, chip fracture of the proximal lateral palmar eminence of P1. Severe, extensive full cartilage loss and severe scoring of the articular surfaces of the proximal sesamoid bones. Suspensory ligament failure with severe fraying, complete splits and hemorrhage of medial branch of the suspensory ligament. Severe fraying of fibers, incomplete longitudinal split and hemorrhage of the body of the suspensory ligament. Full thickness, transverse rupture of the palmar annular ligament. Full thickness, longitudinal rupture of the intersesamoidean ligament.”

unidentified, Mar, Golden Gate R (euthanized Mar 19) – “complications…after racing”
“Multiple ulcerative wounds on the pastern with severe cellulitis and complete sloughing of the hoof capsule.”

Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at that state’s tracks in 2018. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)

Rewired, August 5, Santa Rosa R
“Horse pulled up with catastrophic fracture to LF – multiple sesamoid fractures. Treated with 7 mg Detomidine on track, set Kimzy splint and vanned off. After further evaluation, humane euthanasia was elected.”

unidentified, August 8, Del Mar T
“Fracture of the proximal sesamoid bones complete, displaced, comminuted. Rupture of the annular palmar and the intersesamoidean ligaments. Tear and significant fraying of the deep digital flexor tendon. Tear of superficial digital flexor tendon. Tear of the suspensory ligament. Tear of the distal sesamoidean ligament. Rupture of the collateral lateral ligament. Significant fraying of the cruciate sesamoidean ligaments. Rupture and fraying of the short sesamoidean ligaments. Gastric ulcers.”

unidentified, August 8, Del Mar T
“Rupture and massive hemorrhage of distal sesamoidean ligaments. Rupture and hemorrhage of short and cruciate sesamoidean ligaments. Rupture of the suspensory ligament. Massive hemorrhage on palmar supracondylar surface. Gastric ulcers.”

Through a FOIA request to the California Horse Racing Board, I have confirmed the following deaths at that state’s tracks in 2018. (Please note: The Board redacted the names of the dead horses; any identifications below came via other channels.)

unidentified, August 19, Golden Gate T
“Both sesamoid bones are fractured. Severe soft tissue hemorrhages and edema. Both front limbs demonstrated severe palmar osteochondral disease.”

unidentified, August 24, Golden Gate T
“Right front limb: Fractured sesamoids; palmar annular ligament tear; intersesamoidean ligament tear; intraligament hemorrhaging; subchondral bone disease. Left front limb: suspensory ligament branch hemorrhage; subchondral bone disease. Extensive gastric ulcerations.” (this horse was four years old)

unidentified, August 24, Los Alamitos
“Flipped in stall. Head/neck trauma unable to rise. Severe, comminuted skull fracture involving right lateral and ventral walls of the cranial cavity, was accompanied by marked subdural hemorrhage. Chronic ulcerative gastritis.”

unidentified, August 25, Del Mar T
“Left humerus fracture with possible pre-existing stress fracture. Complete transverse rupture of brachialis muscle. Massive hemorrhage affecting soft tissue.”

unidentified, August 27, Del Mar
“Horse reportedly acting colicky over the last 24 hrs. Palpation revealed distended small intestine. Rectal also had old blood on sleeve. The cause of colic is due to herniation of a 141 cm segment of mid jejunum through a rent in the gastrosplenic ligament leading to torsion and infarction of that bowel segment.”

unidentified, August 30, Los Alamitos T
“Catastrophic breakdown of the right front fetlock – [multiple fractures, multiple ruptured ligaments].”

unidentified, September 1, San Luis Rey Downs T
“Catastrophic breakdown of the left front fetlock – [multiple fractures, multiple ruptured ligaments]. Massive hemorrhage with bone exposure.”

unidentified, September 4, Golden Gate
“Euthanized due to colic – large colon torsion with cecal-colonic displacement and obstruction. Gastric ulceration.”

Valley Child, September 6, Los Alamitos T
“Left front carpus failure, [multiple fractures]. Right front carpus failure, [multiple fractures]. [That’s two broken legs.] Complete, transverse rupture and severe fraying of the lateral collateral ligament. The most significant findings, other than carpi breakdown, was extensive hemorrhages in the sub cutis of the forehead, likely of traumatic origin. Reason for the fractures may be related to extensive sclerosis and focal porosity on the fracture surface of the third carpal bones. This would cause an area of weakness in the bones, consequently making it prone to fracture.” (Valley Child was two years old – “weakness in the bones”)