Recent notes from the stewards at Churchill.

Apr 30:
“The claim of Vasilevskiy was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

May 3:
“The claim of Regal Retort was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“Laynlomakndough finished third and suffered a post-race heatstroke.”

May 4:
“Tulane Tryst finished second and bled.”

May 5:
“The claim of Estilo Peligroso was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“The claim of Cove Blue was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

May 6:
“Grael was a late scratch on advice of Commission vet.”

“Maggie E ducked in and knocked down temporary rail; placed on Stewards’ List.”

May 7:
“Abscond finished last and bled.”

“Kentucky Ghost trailed the field, was distanced, and required the horse ambulance.”

“Top of the Charts was injured in the paddock.”

May 12:
“The claim of Drena’s Star was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

May 13:
“The claim of Battle Creek was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“Shesthebiggame was a late scratch on advice of Commission vet.”

“Bernie’s Weekend was a late scratch on advice of Commission vet.”

Jun 2:
“The claim of Heston was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“The claim of Tangled Emotions was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“The claim of Lookinforexcitemen was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

Jun 3:
“The claim of Princess Renee was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“West Love was injured in the paddock.”

“Vicki Rose returned lame and required the horse ambulance.”

“The claim of Casey was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

Jun 5:
“The claim of Cole Spur was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“Life Is Hard pulled up lame and required the horse ambulance.”

Jun 8:
“The claim of J Zertz was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

Jun 9:
“Kigali fell over while fractious behind gate.”

“The claim of Bitter Vixen was voided when horse bled and was placed on Vet’s List.”

“The claim of Fire On Time was voided when horse was placed on Vet’s List.”

“Close Knit was a late scratch on advice of Commission vet.”

Salt On the Rim was made on January 30, 2010. Her first time going under the whip came three years later, in March 2013. 100 – yes, 100 – races have followed, all at cheap tracks: Tampa Bay, Presque Isle, Thistledown, Hazel, Mahoning, and most recently, Mountaineer, the bottom of the barrel. With those cheap tracks, cheap races: In over 90 of her starts, Salt was “For Sale” prior to, and in fact she’s been going for the price of a rundown used car ($4,000) for quite some time now.

Salt’s last race was at Mountaineer June 5. Her current exploiters, Country Acres and Lois Meals, have her scheduled to race tomorrow night, again at Mountaineer. She is 12 years old, and this will be her 102nd race – and, to make it more egregious, her second in just 11 days. Knowing what we know about the effects of horseracing – 4-, 3-, even 2-year-olds suffering from osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease; upward of 90% of active racehorses suffering from ulcers – imagine what this poor, old (for racing) lady’s body must look and, more important, feel like.

Given the audience – Mountaineer Racetrack; West Virginia, the last state in the union defiantly clinging to dogracing – I’m afraid our entreaties in behalf of Salt will fall on deaf ears. Still, they should hear and feel our anger.

Jim O’Brien, Mountaineer chief steward: 304-387-8371; jim.o’brien@wv.gov
Bret Smith, investigator: 304-387-8530; bret.smith@wv.gov
WV Racing Commission ED Joe Moore: 304-558-2150; joe.k.moore@wv.gov
Commissioners Ken Lowe, JB Akers, Tony Figaretti: 304-558-2150

The unremitting and practically unfathomable abuse of Fox Rox continues, as the 11-year-old is set to go under the whip for the 117th time in the first race at Presque Isle today (1:30). This time around, Mark Hoffman is doubling as trainer, with Dennis Ward removed. Should you be interested in a bit of venting, the Presque Isle racing office can be reached at 866-374-3386 (option 2).

The “Radnor Hunt Races” were run in Malvern, PA, May 21 – which, as you’ll see, was a very hot day. Here are some notes from the stewards.

Race 1: 6-year-old Tom “collapsed on the course,” revived with “lots of water and ice.”

Race 2: Five horses “pulled up, DNF.”

Race 3: “This race was shortened from 3 1/4 miles to 3 miles due to the heat.” Apparently, not shortened enough: 8-year-old First Friday “was pulled up after the 6th fence and transported by the horse ambulance.”

Race 4: “This race was shortened from 2 3/8 miles to 2 1/8 miles due to the heat.” Again, not enough: Four horses “pulled up, DNF.” One of those was 4-year-old Baltimore Kid. His rider, Parker Hendriks, “was asked to explain his use of the whip…when the horse clearly was not in the race. He thought the horse was being lazy and had better form than he was showing…. He was cautioned but not fined or penalized.”

Race 5 (final race): Four more “pulled up, DNF.”

Finally, say the stewards, “It is recommended that a source of electricity for cooling fans be supplied for future meets, especially when there are excessive heat warnings.”

This is horseracing.