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As I’ve written regarding California’s missing “vanned off” horses: Much is being made of California’s lower kill numbers. One of the things the industry, led by The Stronach Group (TSG), is supposedly doing is more surgical repairs. But history says that the equine post-surgery survival rate is very low (think Barbaro). Problem is, the injured who end up being euthanized, with or without surgery, off-site will not, as a rule, show up in public records. The lost dead.

Stronach, of course, also owns the two tracks in Maryland: Laurel and Pimlico. Last year, I reported on the death of 2-year-old Jamerican Feb 6 at Laurel: “Catastrophic bilateral pelvic fractures – comminuted, complete, displaced, with abundant hemorrhage. The horse was medicated…but then went down in the equine ambulance. The horse was euthanized in the ambulance.” And here, I remind, is what the commission’s chief vet, Elizabeth Daniel, said about Jamerican’s death:

“My biggest regret in this case was not euthanizing Jamerican on the racetrack as her condition rapidly declined. I was trying to abide by the wishes of management to save as many of these horses as possible. However, I feel that in doing so I allowed for Jamerican to suffer for longer than needed. For that, I am deeply sorry.”

Obviously, Stronach’s single-minded pursuit of good PR – for that is the reason for this new policy; if it were truly about equine welfare they’d have been doing it years ago – came at the cost of this poor baby’s suffering. And now, another.

4-year-old Rockinhippiechick, says the Racing Commission, suffered a fracture training at Laurel Oct 6 and was subsequently shipped out for surgery. This was her second operation in 18 months (though on different legs). She was then returned to Laurel Oct 8 for recovery. Almost immediately, she developed colic and was treated in her stall over the next three days. Rockin’s vets, however, were unable to bring it under control and recommended euthanasia. The owners, Annette and Daniel Eubanks, agreed. But then TSG’s Dr. Heidi Thomas got the Eubankses to turn Rockin over to Stronach for further treatment – yet another surgery, this one for the colic.

So, the van was called to transport Rockin to New Bolton. Some two hours later, the van arrived and Rockin was loaded. Then, the Commission says, before arriving at the center, Rockin died – “cecal impaction with acute perforation.” She died all alone, in pain, in terror, on the back of a van. And it clearly shouldn’t have happened this way.

In the final report, Dr. Daniel said: “I was very saddened at the course of events leading up to the death of Rockinhippiechick. She had made it back…after a year off from a very traumatic rear limb fracture. Then to have another fracture repair just days before her colic and eventual death. Dr. Delp [one of the attending vets] has stated that he recommended euthanasia due to the very toxic state that the mare was in after several days of her illness.” She closed with this: “I feel that Rockinhippiechick suffered tremendously in her final moments.”

Dr. Walsh, another commission vet, added: “Dr. Delp felt that the filly was so bad she wouldn’t survive shipping for surgery.”

In his statement, Dr. Delp recapped the chain of events:

“Tuesday [Oct 11, the day Rockin died], 2:00 pm: Horse was in severe pain.”

“2:15 pm: Called Annette Eubanks, told her condition had changed…they chose to euthanize. I told Annette I had to contact [TSG’s] Dr. Heidi Thomas and advise her….”

“2:40 pm: Dr. Gillam told me TSG was going to contact the owners and have them release the horse.”

“5:15 pm: The van arrived. During the 2-hour wait, the horse was in severe pain and any treatment I did offered no relief to the pain.”

“7:43 pm: I received a text telling me the horse died sometime during the trip to New Bolton.”

Dr. Delp’s statement closed thus:

“In summary, I am very upset with the suffering Rockinhippiechick had to endure, becoming more painful as time passed. After I had made the decision and received permission…to euthanize the horse, I waited over two hours for the van to arrive. Then to get a text that the horse died on the way to New Bolton was even more troublesome – making the horse suffer 5-6 hours more when I could have stopped the suffering when I received permission to euthanize….”

This poor girl’s extended agony and horrific death is on The Stronach Group. Full stop. In fact, in a different universe – one that took cruelty within animal-based industries seriously – they’d be brought up on charges. Truth is, Stronach, like everyone else in racing, cares about one thing and one thing only: their revenue stream. And because that’s now being threatened more than ever – owing in large part to the exposure provided on these pages – we are subjected to this abhorrent pretense. But worse, horses are suffering (more) because of it.

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Sunday, The Maine Monitor published a piece on that state’s harness industry. It’s good work, and I encourage you to take a look (and not just because I am quoted in it). As usual, the other side gives us plenty of fodder. A couple highlights:

Racing Commission board member and chairman of the local chapter of the U.S. Trotting Association (i.e., a racer insider) Don Marean: “We, the industry, are supporting and regulating, and governing ourselves with our own money.”

Not true, of course. The racing in Maine, like most other states, is being subsidized by the casino located at Bangor Raceway.

Then this on “aftercare” and the giant elephant in the room – slaughter: “Marean said the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association, an organization representing owners, breeders, trainers and drivers of standardbred horses in Maine, allocates $5,000 annually to help care for [retired] horses.” Imagine that. As most of you know, $5,000 barely covers (if it does at all) the annual cost of care for one horse. Last year, the article notes, 669 horses raced in Maine. These people are disgusting.

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Back in August 2021, trainer Orlando Noda was fined $5,000 for an incident at Saratoga earlier that month. After a subsequent hearing, Noda was also suspended 90 days and ordered to complete an anger-management course. He is currently fighting those penalties, and last week received a stay from a NYS Supreme Court judge. So what exactly did he do? From the Gaming Commission’s “Findings of Fact,” which were based on two eyewitnesses (who, the Commission notes, had no axes to grind):

“On August 5, 2021, Respondent struck a horse – Win With Pride – with Respondent’s whip…in a very aggressive manner and in anger, cursing at the horse by calling the horse a ‘piece of shit’ while striking it. The horse was not acting dangerously when Respondent repeatedly struck – at least seven times [for] possibly as long as five minutes – the horse in anger or frustration. Rather, the horse was refusing to train. Respondent’s actions were not to encourage the horse, rather they were meant to punish the horse for its lack of cooperation in training.”

“repeatedly struck the horse in anger or frustration”

“called the horse a ‘piece of shit’ while striking it”

“actions were meant to punish the horse for its lack of cooperation”

In defense, Noda’s lawyer cites hearing officer David Devaprasad’s report arguing that the rules are not clear regarding “how a crop may or may not be used while training a horse or that specify what type of actions qualify as mistreatment of a horse.” To which the Commission replied: “There is no feasible detailed rule that could describe all ways in which behavior may be abusive, violent, or disgraceful that could apply to every situation. … In any event, it is self-evident that the abusive and violent [my emphasis] conduct found herein constitutes improper conduct.” No-brainer, defined.

(Win With Pride changed hands – was sold – in Nov ’21 and then again last March. He has been raced 50 times in all. I’ll keep you updated on the proceedings.)

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Last week, the Wyoming Gaming Commission made a rulings dump for the past year. Amid a slew of drug violations – mephentermine, phentermine, clenbuterol, albuterol, et al. – various incidents of “obscene language,” connections skipping out on the post-race urine test for their winning horse (wonder why), and one trainer knocking another out cold on the backside (though this happened in 2021), there were these:

“Jockey Larren Delorme failed to fully disclose his history of arrests.” $100 fine.

“Owner/trainer Travis Offert failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner/trainer Jeff Womochil failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Danielle Hansen failed to fully disclose her arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Jose Garcia failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner/trainer Justin Clark failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Brock Jones failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Robert Dahle failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner/trainer Mac Hansen failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Trenton Woods failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner John Five failed to disclose any and all arrests and/or convictions.” $50 fine.

“Jockey Joe Dominguez failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Permittee Employee Richard Tabura failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Groom Buff Williams failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner Saul Mendoza failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Owner/trainer Michael Martin failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Vet Assistant Timothy Rhinehart failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Assistant starter Travis Waddoups failed to fully disclose his arrest history.” $50 fine.

“Jockey Jose Guzman failed to disclose any and all arrests and/or convictions.” $50 fine.

“Trainer Jamie Ducheneaux failed to disclose any and all arrests and/or convictions.” $50 fine.

“Trainer Uriel Dominguez Sr. failed to disclose a prior conviction.” $50 fine.

“Gail Bunce failed to disclose a conviction.” $50 fine.

That’s 22 separate people who work with horses failing to disclose their arrest histories. And that’s just in one (small, for racing) state. What more can I add?

And finally, this: “Pony Rider Brittani Richins struck the racehorse she was leading in the post parade of the 6th race on June 4 over the head.” $50 fine.