I have confirmed that 3-year-old Put It Back Martha is dead after breaking down in last night’s 3rd race at Charles Town. She was trained by Juan Vazquez, owned by Liorah Stables, and bred by Bridlewood Farm. She leaves behind…
2-year-old Giant Hearted Lee is dead after snapping a leg Monday at Belmont (race 5). It was her second start. She was ridden by Javier Castellano, trained by Rudy Rodriguez, and owned by Sunrise Stables. 97 horses have died at…
At first blush – which is typically the only blush we get – the only thing extraordinary about last night’s 8th at Indiana Grand is the busy ambulance: “PLATITUDE chased the early pace then was injured at the top of…
6-year-old Beautiful Mimi, a 46-race career claimer, died yesterday at Finger Lakes. According to the Gaming Commission, the Wayne Sparling-trained/owned mare “flipped in [her] stall and hit [her] head.” In the last 6 months of her life, Beautiful Mimi was…
3-year-old Ashado Cat, fresh off a last place, 20-lengths-back finish on September 27th, broke down in last night’s 5th at Mountaineer. With the rarest of exceptions, the death of a racehorse is a non-story – a vague note on a…
Belmont Park lost its 33rd athlete of the year when 3-year-old Grand Arrival broke down in a practice session Friday morning. The Linda Rice-trained gelding had been last raced three weeks ago (at Belmont); his line: “GRAND ARRIVAL broke open…
I have confirmed that 3-year-old Bee Boppin Along was euthanized after “pulling up lame” in the 7th race Thursday at Charles Town. The filly – under the care of trainer/owner Gerasimos Moschonas – had three last-place finishes this summer: June…
After 62 races – all but two, claiming – over five years, 8-year-old Funky Country was scheduled to be retired. Problem was, he had one more race left on his sentence – a cheap run on Suffolk Downs’ final day.…
Yet another horse who was merely reported as vanned off has turned up dead. Yesterday, 3-year-old Stenson fractured sesamoids in the 1st race at Belmont. Today, he is gone. As a young, promising colt, he no doubt received a little…
I have confirmed that 4-year-old Dave’s Cutie – a “pulled up lame…vanned off” in a $4,000 claiming last Saturday at Thistledown – is dead. The filly had just been raced eight days earlier. Trainer, Shane Meyers; owners, Meyers and Bonnie…
The NYS Gaming Commission has finally confirmed the death of 4-year-old G W’s Hammer in last Friday’s 5th at Finger Lakes – “went down at finish” with a fractured cannon. The gelding was ridden by Jamie Rodriguez, trained by James…
Dead horses are bad for business. So, out of self-preservation – and despite calls for transparency, some from within – the industry does all it can to hide its dead, a truth further illustrated in a recent Erie Times-News article…
