Through a FOIA request to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, I have confirmed the following kills on that state’s tracks in 2017. Unless otherwise noted, immediate cause of death was limb break of one kind or another – underlying cause, of course, horseracing itself. (“chart” refers to official Equibase race-chart)
White Coco, January 2, Parx, race 3
Playmetheblues, January 3, Parx, race 2
Erase the Deficit, January 5, Penn, race 1
Water Tower, January 6, Parx, training
Wild Thing, January 13, Penn, training
Discreet Duke, January 13, Penn, race 4
Uncle Hen, January 17, Parx, race 5
Northern Mine, January 17, Parx, race 8
Kinghorn, January 18, Penn, race 4
Bold Deed, January 27, Penn, race 7 (euthanized February 16)
(last four races: combined 98 lengths back; trainer/owner, Stephanie Beattie)
Downhill Dale, January 30, Penn, training
Pin and Win, January 31, Parx, race 9
Sharp Stick, February 1, Penn, race 2
Edzactly, February 2, Penn, race 3
Onelastgoodbyekiss, February 3, Penn, training
Papa Archie, February 4, Parx, training
Crafty Gizmo, February 4, Parx, race 9
Surfside Chic, February 11, Parx, race 6
“fractured neck” in addition to fractured leg – died without euthanasia
Your Turn, February 15, Penn, race 7
BCF’s Victory, February 17, Parx, training
Not a Love Song, February 18, Parx, training
Small Boy Jr., February 23, Penn, race 7
after describing fracture, document remarks: “poor body condition” – at three
Tribal Journey, March 3, Penn, training
“pulmonary artery rupture”
Aleander, March 4, Parx, race 3
“fully ruptured suspensory ligament” (chart said “did not travel well”)
Niigani Coyote, March 6, Parx, training
was raced twice in five days in February
Ifimlyinimdyin, March 13, Penn, training
It’s a Process, March 18, Penn, training
Miss Anteas, March 22, Penn, prior to race 8
“reared straight up and landed hard on her head on the road”
Hawk Will Never Die (probably sic), March 28, Penn, training
Evelyn E, April 3, Penn, training
Snap To It A, April 9, Harrah’s, racing
“horse collapsed after the race of a heart attack”
Warrior’s Dance, April 11, Parx, race 9
(chart said “went bad”)
Bridle Me, April 17, Penn, training
(was raced five days prior)
Barker, April 19, Parx, training
“heart attack” (three years old)
Ammo, April 27, Penn, race 5
I’m the Lucky One, April 28, Parx, training
“heart attack”
Belated Gift, April 28, Penn, training
Slick William, May 11, Penn, race 7
Finding Candy, May 16, Parx, race 1
“heart attack” (55th race, second in nine days)
You Know Juneau, May 27, Penn, race 3
“profuse hemorrhage from both nostrils” – died without euthanasia
She’satoughbroad, May 29, Parx, race 1
Cali Sue Boo, June 3, Penn, training
broke both knees (coming off last-place, 33 back May 19; trainer, John Conner)
Jailhouse Jessica, June 6, Pocono, race 6
“collapsed in paddock post-race – died naturally”
Tsm Money Dragon, June 6, Pocono, race 7
“injured leg during race”; “track surface: sloppy”
Tiger Bourbon, June 9, Penn, training
National Trust, June 10, Parx, race 4
(chart said “went bad”)
Northern Rail, June 13, Parx, race 9
“heat stroke – [broke] shoulder”
Templeton Rye, June 16, Penn, training
Tunnel Beach, June 20, Presque Isle, training
Stone Cross, June 27, Presque Isle, race 8
“broken sesamoid, torn suspensory” (third race in June)
Mo Ebo, July 3, Parx, training
“fractured pelvis” – died without euthanasia
John’s Afleet, July 3, Parx, race 2
Browneyed Bachelor, July 3, Parx, race 5
Blue Martini, July 4, Parx, race 10
Trueville, July 4, Presque Isle, training
“heart failure during practice – died instantly” (two total races: last, combined 33 lengths back; “DNF”; owner/breeder, Donald Ming)
Adonaki, July 22, Parx, training
“heart attack” (three years old; raced five days earlier, finished last 32 back; three total races: combined 142 back – trainer, Elias Tapsas)
Cuadrante, July 25, Parx, race 2
(chart said “went bad”)
Strawberry Bomb, July 26, Presque Isle, race 3
(chart said “went wrong, pulled up in distress”)
It Is Back, August 2, Penn, race 8
(chart said “went bad”)
Joe Franklin, August 3, Parx, training
Pass the Dice, August 8, Parx, race 9
(chart said “went wrong”)
Cornerback Sack, August 10, Presque Isle, race 1
Mc Hottie, August 11, Penn, race 5 (euthanized August 14)
Cams Director, August 12, Pocono, race 5
Maze of Stones, August 19, Parx, training
Unclear, August 26, Pocono, training
“collapsed while training on main track and died”
Wise Heart, August 31, Parx, training
(had been raced once: last, 21 lengths back)
Darlene’s Vision, September 8, Parx, training
The Schwam, September 9, Parx, race 8 (euthanized September 10)
“fracture with severe joint disease”
Little Miss Avery, September 9, Penn, training
Combee, September 9, Penn, race 5
(brought up rear in previous four races – all claiming; owner, Kathleen Willier)
Olivia My Girl, September 10, Presque Isle, race 7
“died on track” – without euthanasia
Clear Status, September 15, Penn, race 4
“dislocation of fetlock, rupture of SDFT and DDFT” (was raced just eight days prior – last; trainer/owner, Bernard Dunham)
Aziah’s Good Girl, September 16, Penn, race 4 (euthanized September 21)
Frisky Business, September 26, Penn, training
Retrade, September 27, Presque Isle, race 2
“broke both front legs” (chart said “collapsed” – yes, collapsed from two broken legs)
Hocus Pocus Cat, September 28, Presque Isle, race 8
(going in, four races – combined 84 lengths back; trainer/owner, David Wallace)
Station Wagon, October 1, Parx, race 3
(chart said “went bad”)
Shake Things Up, October 2, Parx, race 7
“fractured shoulder” (must have been bad as race was declared a “no-contest”)
Big Gally’s Answer, October 23, Parx, race 2
“laceration into carpal”
Tildeath Do Uspart, October 28, Parx, race 1
(chart said “in distress”)
Honest, October 28, Parx, race 3
Jump Shot Johnny, October 31, Penn, training
Groupthink, November 5, Parx, race 5
Golden Glint, November 5, Parx, race 7
“fracture sesamoids, suspensory tear, disarticulation fetlock”
Cosmic Destiny, November 6, Parx, race 8
“cardiovascular event”
Friesani, November 11, Penn, race 2 (euthanized at Parx November 13)
Aspic, November 17, Penn, race 6
Blu Moon Ace, November 22, Penn, race 4
Courageous Sadie, November 24, Penn, race 3
Campeona, December 2, Penn, race 4
“horse expired in stall shortly after leaving test barn”
Ransom Day, December 6, Penn, race 4
(two years old, second race; first one: 11th of 12, 22 lengths back)
Lee’s South, December 7, Penn, training
(nine years old, had already been raced 84 times)
Ari’s Turn, December 23, The Meadows, race 3
“broke down (broken leg), euthanized in barn”
In addition, these still-very-much-active racehorses died on track grounds from what the industry craftily calls “non-racing” causes. Technically true, perhaps, but morally they are no less casualties of this vile business than the ones above.
Benanti, February 4, Penn
“colic” (last raced January 28)
Oakley, March 31, Penn
“fractured vertebrae”
Floyd Hanover, May 3, The Meadows
“[trainer] found horse dead in barn” (last raced April 11)
Tootsiswild, June 18, Penn
“went down in stall, could not rise” (three years old, last raced November 30)
Big Otter, June 29, Penn
“chronic undiagnosed lameness” (three years old)
Like A Prayer, August 18, Penn
“founder”
Harlans Belle, November 9, Parx
“cardiac event in stall” – died without euthanasia (five years old, last raced October 22)
Platinum Sensation, December 15, Penn
“found dead in stall” (four years old; final four races: 55 back and a “DNF”; trainer, Mario Rodriguez; owner, Gilberto Rivera)
Creating Mischief, December 26, Penn
“colic” (two years old; had been raced twice – combined 36 back)

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