No More Miracles at Finger Lakes today: “collapsed and expired after a.m. workout.” That’s “collapsed and expired,” at six – the usual age of maturity for a horse.

This is horseracing.

At Parx on September 6 of last year, True Upgrade fell in the 12th race. Here is what that looked like:

The then-five-year-old mare, however, did not die that day. So, of course, owner/trainer Bryant Taylor had her back on the track in November (in a $5K claiming race). Five more races followed, then True was sold prior to an April race; new people: Breezer Racing, Anthony Carango. Over those seven races (after the fall), True finished at or near the bottom each time, a combined 89 lengths back.

Then came yesterday, once again at Parx. It was her 51st turn under the whip (all, by the way, in Pennsylvania). As you will plainly see, the “acting-up” True had to be forcibly – almost violently – loaded into the gate. It’s a good bet that something was wrong, and it being her own body, she knew it. But instead of listening to her, the horse, the show went on, with this as the result shortly after the start: “True Upgrade suffered a catastrophic injury and was subsequently euthanized.” My disdain for this industry, and the people within, grows with each passing day.

The NYS Gaming Commission has belatedly confirmed the death of Cozy Dancer at Belmont April 30: “injured in stall after getting cast.” While the Commission has his age as two, he was in fact still just a year old the day he died. Imagine that.

On June 8, 2019, Jess Dale First, five years old at the time, came in 9th of 10 in a race at Arizona Downs. His trainer in that race was Jorge Duarte-Noriega. Jess then disappeared from the charts for over 2 1/2 years, presumably “retired” – or, given that he was a gelding with negligible “earnings,” dead/slaughtered. But ’twas not the case.

Jess resurfaced at the death pit known as Rillito this past February – again, after being away for over 2 1/2 years. Under owner Luis Diaz-Barriga and trainer Pedro Urias Soto, Jess finished dead last. A new pair, Luis Fernando Diaz and Umberto Belloc, sent him out at the Cochise County Fair (still Arizona) in April. Once again, dead last.

A little over a week ago, May 7, it was the Santa Cruz County Fair. This time, Duarte-Noriega was back as trainer (with Diaz still owning). It was to be Jess’ final race – final anything. While the chart said nothing (save for “never a factor”), after the wire – and, yes, Jess finished last again – the now-8-year-old broke down and is dead.

If, after viewing this video, you are not at once sickened and seething with anger, then there’s nothing I can do to reach you.