As you’ve probably noticed, I am now regularly reporting all Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses vanned off American tracks after actual races (training accidents are closely guarded secrets). One pro-racing reader took umbrage at the implication, arguing that not every horse…
Bloodhorse reports (10/17/13) that 6-year-old Take Control was euthanized at Santa Anita after, in the words of trainer Bob Baffert, “he took a bad step” while breezing. With only four career starts (and at least two surgeries), his death, I…
Formulaforsuccess, six, died during yesterday’s 3rd race at Belmont Park. The Gaming Commission simply says he “went over inside rail and died.” But Equibase offers a bit more detail: “[Formulaforsuccess] was eased at the quarter pole and in the midst…
In 2006, William Rhoden of The New York Times wrote an article (5/25/06) contrasting two breakdowns in May of that year. The first, Barbaro, received international attention upon shattering his leg in the Preakness Stakes. Four days later, a nondescript…
The NYS Gaming Commission has just announced the death of three-year-old King Wando from an injury sustained while galloping at Belmont Park. With just five career starts and less than $16,000 earnings, the gelding’s passing is of little import to…
The equine ambulances had another busy day Sunday: Silent No More, four, Belmont, race 2 Let’s Rocket, six, Lethbridge (Canada), race 3 Shock Me, five, Mountaineer, race 5 Outright Secret, five, Portland Meadows, race 4 A Spanish Madam (after winning),…
Three horses broke down Saturday at Penn National: five-year-old Lov Tov in the 2nd race three-year-old Round of Applause in the 3rd race five-year-old Call Me Sweetheart in the 6th race In addition, three-year-old Youngwildandfree failed to finish the 4th…
Thursday, during Santa Anita’s 3rd race, Facoltoso “was pulled up into the second turn and vanned off.” Later in the day, Betcee Cash, running in a $5,000 maiden claiming race at Lone Star, “went wrong [and was] vanned off.” The…
Over a two-day span (Oct 8th, 9th), NY lost three more racehorses. Aqueduct, which doesn’t begin its winter campaign until November 1st, reports that four-year-old Unbroken Dream “unseated exercise rider – ran loose in barn area hitting stationary object –…
King Keene, four, has died at Finger Lakes from post-surgery “complications.” This marks the 33rd death at Finger Lakes this year, making it the state leader. It is also the track’s third “non-racing” death in a row. Is anyone at…
Monday at Parx (Pennsylvania), five-year veteran (55 starts) Radio Relay “pulled up in apparent distress…and was vanned off” in the 8th race. Distress. Two races later, Elegant Heart “broke down in her right front.” She had yet to finish puberty.
During Keeneland’s 5th race Friday afternoon, three-year-old Order of Magnitude “went wrong nearing the furlong marker, was pulled up and vanned off.” Racehorse Memorial reports that the colt fractured sesamoids and was euthanized. Saturday at Delaware Park, Paskha, a three-year-old…
