In the 6th at Zia yesterday, “TIZA FINE FELLA…was stricken with what appeared to be an injury to the left front about the five-sixteenths pole, pulled up, euthanized on track and vanned off” (Equibase). Euthanized, then vanned off – for…
The Equibase account of the 6th at Parx yesterday: “GREED IS GOOD tragically suffered a catastrophic injury to his left front about thirty yards from the finish. GREED IS GOOD’S momentum allowed him to cross the wire, he was pulled…
According to the NYS Gaming Commission, Charnley River “died after the finish line” of the 5th race at Finger Lakes yesterday. Since there was no indication of injury on the chart, it would appear that this was one of those…
There were at least five kills on U.S. tracks yesterday. (I say at least because multiple others were “vanned off” and many if not most of them will surface as dead when I begin filing my FOIA reports in January.…
Aqua Bel Sar, three, is dead after “collapsing” while training at Belmont Sunday. Although the Gaming Commission provided no other details, it does assure (wink) that the “investigation continues.” Aqua Bel Sar was raced five times in 2018, finishing last…
When Bobby Abu Dhabi died while training at Del Mar in July, the cause was generally assumed to be of the “sudden cardiac event” variety (because, you know, pubescent animals drop dead of heart failure all the time). Still, the…
At Gulfstream yesterday morning, two horses, being trained in the five-o’clock hour (still dark), were killed after an on-track collision. In an attempt to identify the dead, I called Gulfstream; after several transfers, I was ultimately put through to a…
In the 3rd at Charles Town last night: “CATEGORY TWO gave chase well back, then pulled up in distress past the five-sixteenths pole and was euthanized” (Equibase). “Pulled Up In Distress” – Dead Category Two was four years old; ’twas…
The fate of Kieran Street in the 8th at Finger Lakes Thursday is yet another exhibit of industry subterfuge. On Equibase, the 3-year-old was a mere “fell at the top of the lane.” Nothing else. In fact, she is dead;…
“Broke Down,” of course, is the racing industry’s euphemism of choice for dead. But Churchill Downs, apparently hoping no one would notice, prefers the even more euphemistic (and downright nebulous) “went wrong.” Beginning last Thursday, four horses “went wrong” there…
On the chart (Equibase) for the 6th at Mountaineer Monday, Obscene Britches was said to have “[taken] a bad step, falling near the three eighths pole, vann[ed] off after the race.” In fact, she is dead – euthanized, according to…
Saratoga Race Course, one of U.S. Racing’s crown jewels, has moved closer yet to its historical average of 14 dead “athletes” per season as Forbade, a 2-year-old being prepped for his first race, was killed training there Monday. NYRA, you…
