Equibase’s account of the 4th at Belmont yesterday: “Deft…fell on the lead suffering a fatal injury…then was subsequently euthanized.” Deft was three years old. He is the 4th dead horse in the first week of Belmont’s fall meet – 26th there on the year. The lie of NYRA’s “demonstrably safer” racing laid bare, yet again.

In the 5th at Delaware Wednesday, 5-year-old Dispel “went wrong…and had to be euthanized.” This is the second “went wrong” kill on the Delaware week.

This is horseracing.

The 3rd at Thistledown yesterday, as relayed by Equibase: “Beltway pressured the winner two wide while between horses for a half, suffered an injury…and was euthanized.” Beltway was five; ’twas his 33rd time under the whip.

The day before, same track (race 6): “Blues Story offered a bid two wide into the stretch, was outfinished, injured after the wire and vanned off.” In fact, I can confirm, he, too, is dead. Blues Story was seven and under the whip for the 32nd time.

The horseracing people have sold what they do as sport, and the horses athletes, for over 150 years. What do you suppose would happen, what would the public reaction be, if any other accepted sport on the planet suffered the death of two athletes at the same venue in back-to-back days? Please. Horseracing is a sport only to the willfully ignorant. (For perspective on how Racing compares – in terms of “tragedy” – to the four major U.S. sports, see this from last year.)

Monday, one of the two quietest (races run) days of the racing week, this:

In the 5th at Belterra, 2-year-old Carol Marie “took a bad step at the quarter pole, lost her rider, and unfortunately perished on the track” (Equibase).

“took a bad step and unfortunately perished on the track”

In the 4th at Delaware, 3-year-old Tricky Rose “went wrong in the right front entering the backstretch, was pulled up, and had to be euthanized.”

“went wrong and had to be euthanized”

Two more dead fillies. For $2 bets. America, are we not better than this?

In the 6th at Los Alamitos Saturday, Free Ricky was said (Equibase) to have taken a “bad step” – “vanned off.” Having done this for six years, I have a pretty good feel for the various styles of the various chartwriters. At Los Alamitos, “injured, vanned off” and “bad steps, vanned off” are, as a rule, ominous. So, I reached out to the CHRB and can now confirm that Free Ricky is indeed dead – euthanized for undisclosed injuries.

Los Alamitos’ 2019 Dead (14, and counting):

unidentified, Jan 5, training – “catastrophic right front fetlock breakdown”
Adroit, Jan 6, racing – “catastrophic injury…euthanized on track”
unidentified, Feb 19, training – “catastrophic right front fetlock breakdown”
Rosiescruella, Feb 24, racing – “vanned off, euthanized”
unidentified (could be Yes I’m Ready), Mar 15-Mar 17, racing
unidentified, Apr 5-Apr 7, racing or training
unidentified (good chance Bos Dream), Apr 26-Apr 28, racing
unidentified, Apr 26-Apr 28, racing or training
unidentified, May 14-May 19, racing or training
unidentified, Jul 8-Jul 14, stall
Cuervo Foose, Jul 20, racing – “shoulder fracture”
Always Checking, Aug 17, racing – “injured, vanned off, euthanized”
Da One Two Special, Sep 1, racing – “injured, vanned off, euthanized”
Free Ricky, Sep 7, racing – “took a bad step, vanned off, euthanized”

And NYRA – “demonstrably safer racing” NYRA – kills another: Saturday morning while training at Belmont, says the Gaming Commission, Mo Moxie “sustained a fracture and was euthanized on track.” Mo Moxie was four and had been put to the whip eight times, most recently at Saratoga August 21. This makes 25 dead horses at Belmont Park this year – 25 dead sentient beings for $2 bets and idle entertainment.