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According to the chart, Bootdaddy Justice fell and was “vanned off” in the 5th at Horseshoe (the rechristened Indiana Grand) yesterday. While the chart did not make mention of it, the announcer relayed that Bootdaddy was “fractious” while being loaded. Perhaps he was already injured/sick/compromised? (Since Horseshoe is one of those tracks that gives nothing up, confirmation will have to wait till my FOIA.)

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Fox On the Run at Thistledown yesterday: “had good early speed inside, suffered an injury at the half mile marker, was pulled up and euthanized.” This one line is a perfect microcosm of general industry callousness – a fully sentient being is killed (for gambling), yet the chartwriter still sees “had good early speed inside” as relevant information. Sick. The Jevon Crumley-trained Fox was six.

More from Thistle yesterday: Two other horses, Masterofthehounds and Country Club Bobby, bled, the latter “bilaterally” (through both nostrils). Again, this type of bleeding originates in the lungs. And, “Maracuja suffered an injury to her left front in deep stretch and was vanned off.” Sounds bad, probably was (I will of course update).

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At Ruidoso last evening, two horses “bled” and were “vanned off” in the same race. Nolans Moon (who “won”) and Max Talker are each but two years old, equine babies. The former was under the whip for the very first time; the latter, for just the second. A reminder: “bled” is “exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage” – i.e., they bled from their lungs. And yes, both were on Lasix – so much for that.