4-year-old First Empress going down in the 2nd at Delta yesterday:

3-year-old American Eagle V going down in the 1st at Lone Star yesterday:

I will update on their respective conditions as information comes in.

Feller – yes, that’s his name – in the 4th at Delta yesterday:

I’ve yet to receive confirmation, but by the look of it – and the fact that he was “vanned off” – Feller will probably be landing on this list sometime soon.

In the 8th at Mahoning yesterday, says the chartwriter, Go Estrella “wouldn’t load at the gate…stopped in the stretch, and was vanned off.”

Again, “wouldn’t load – stopped – vanned off.”

Do you suppose this poor filly was trying to tell her exploiters – most recently, owner/trainer Johanna Urieta – something? In fact, it would appear she has been “speaking” from the very beginning. Her seven prior races, none of which, of course, she “won”:

9/6/20: 13+ lengths back
10/3/20: 14 lengths back
11/5/20: 16 lengths back (“hit the starting gate”)
12/19/20: 8+ lengths back
1/4/21: 16+ lengths back
1/16/21: 14+ lengths back
11/2/21: 5 lengths back

This is horseracing.

Once again, it’s not just those injured/killed out on the track. Here are the three California tracks in the first week of November – covering just 10 total racedays.

Del Mar
Nov 3: 7 horses scratched, at least 3 for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 4: 4 horses scratched, at least 2 for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 5: 10 horses scratched, at least 7 for being sick/injured/unsound/cast in gate
Nov 6: 12 horses scratched, at least 7 for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 7: 3 horses scratched, at least 1 for being sick/injured/unsound

In all, 33 horses were put on the “vet’s list” during the week. In addition, there was a voided “claim” (sale) because the horse was “unsound.”

Golden Gate
Nov 5: 5 horses scratched, at least 4 for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 6: 5 horses scratched, at least 3 for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 7: 3 horses scratched, all for being sick/injured/unsound

Los Alamitos
Nov 6: 4 horses scratched, all for being sick/injured/unsound
Nov 7: 4 horses scratched, at least 2 for being sick/injured/unsound