Facts, as the great John Adams once declared, are stubborn things.
And facts are what we present here. We firmly believe that if those coming to this site do so with an open mind, a fresh lens, they will see horseracing not for how it has been sold – as sport, “The Sport of Kings” – but rather as the cruel and deadly (gambling) industry that it is.
Everyday Obituaries
4-Year-Old Killed at Delaware; HW in Harper's Magazine
Crabcakes N Beer, I have confirmed, was killed in the 3rd race at Delaware last Thursday. He was four years old, and this was his 23rd time under the whip. To add insult to death, his loving people also had him “For Sale” (cheap: $5,000) the day he died. Among the complicit: Charles Blanford, Victor…
The Names of the 17 Victims at Saratoga Harness
The Death Toll from the fire at Saratoga Harness early this morning is, at present, 17. Here are the victims’ names and ages: Arlanda, 8 years old (had just been raced yesterday) Conquest As, 9 years old Crazy Jet, 5 years old (had just been raced yesterday) Five Star Lou, 4 years old (had just…
Horror: 17 Horses Killed in Fire at Saratoga Harness
17 racehorses were killed in a barn fire at Saratoga Harness early Tuesday morning – a horror that is almost too great to contemplate. But while the industry and its apologists are falling all over themselves sending “prayers and condolences” to the affected exploiters – with, of course, the now-standard GoFundMe page – this must…
Public Defender Confirmed Killed at Gulfstream
I have confirmed that Public Defender, a “pulled up abruptly, left track in ambulance” at Gulfstream May 16, is in fact dead. She was five years old. Her final, complicit-in-the-kill exploiters: Miller Racing, Saffie Joseph, Miguel Vasquez.
Everyday Cruelty
Several Meth Incidents at Laurel
Recent rulings from the stewards at Laurel Park (all emphases mine): “On March 8, stable employee Fernando Garcia’s urine sample tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.” License temporarily suspended. “On March 21, stable employee Emmanuel Sepulveda’s urine sample tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine.” Although his license was temporarily suspended, Sepulveda was subsequently “reinstated to…
"Numerous Welts" at Running Aces; an "Electrical Device" at Churchill
This ruling at Running Aces Jun 4: “Fiftyshadesofcray was sent to the test barn for post-race testing and it was noted by the State Vet that numerous welts appeared on the right and left rear hindquarters. Driver Scott Cisco is hereby fined $500 and issued a 3-day driving suspension.” Again, that’s “numerous welts” on both…
2-Year-Old's Horrific Fall
According to the chart for the 9th at Albuquerque Sunday, Nine Degrees “lost rider, fell.” But, as you will see, ’twas a lot worse than what that curt description conveys. Nine Degrees is (was?) two years old. That poor, poor baby. https://youtu.be/RNKr3a1tlXU
Three Post-Race Heatstrokes Among a Slew of Injured or Sick Horses at Churchill
Over the course of just 11 days (May 23-Jun 6) at Churchill, 29 horses were scratched by the regulatory vet – i.e., their exploiters had every intention of racing them – for being “injured” or “unsound,” another 39 by private vets for being “injured” or “ill,” and 13 horses who were “claimed” (bought) prior to…
Recommended
The GoFundMe for the Trainers of the 17 Horses Who Were Burned Alive Is Abhorrent
Every time these mass-killing barn fires occur – here, here, here, here – what makes me most sick (besides the obvious, of course) is the rhetoric that immediately flows from industry exploiters and fans alike. Case in point, this from ex-trainer Amy Dowd: “Oh, Robyn’s [one of the two affected trainers] phenomenal, takes great care…
Pro-Racing Journalist: "One fact you can't escape is that horses will die in racing, despite all efforts."
I have always held a special disdain for racing fans who, doubling as journalists, are gifted tremendous forums for spewing their deceptions, and thus are extremely influential in the court of public opinion. Exhibit A has always been Joe Drape of The New York Times. A close second for a long time was the LA…
CHRB Says They've "Done All the Work on the Animal Welfare Piece"; 83 Dead Horses This Year Says Otherwise
A Christmas Eve article by John Cherwa in the LA Times is at its core an exercise in hand-wringing, as made clear by its title, “California horse racing is at a crossroads. Can it survive?” With Golden Gate Fields having begun its final-ever meet, which will leave the whole of Northern California without a single…
Vet: "I feel that Rockinhippiechick suffered tremendously in her final moments." And The Stronach Group Is to Blame.
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…
Racing’s Corporate Welfare
Could Maryland Lose the Preakness?
The Yonkers Times recently published an article on how to bet the Belmont Stakes; the article had nary a word on the treatment of the horses. So, I wrote this LTE in response. Also: Friday, Kentucky Sports Radio ran a piece on the mess that is Maryland Racing. From poor decisions, to cost overruns, to…
Prominent Owner: "The industry is thriving in Kentucky and surviving in other places solely because of subsidies."
While New York has the most tracks, I think it fair to call Kentucky the heart and soul of American horseracing. From breeding to tracks like Churchill and Keeneland to the Kentucky Derby itself, KY is ground zero. In fact, the title of a Louisville Public Media piece just ahead of this year’s Derby laid…
Injured, Sick Horses at Turfway, Santa Anita; Great Boston Globe Editorial on Subsidies
Over the course of just 7 days at Turfway (Feb 5-14), 13 horses were scratched by the regulatory vet – i.e., their exploiters had every intention of racing them – for being “injured” or “unsound,” another 17 by private vets for being “injured” or “ill,” and 5 horses who were “claimed” (bought) prior to races…
Despite Being "Placed to a Protective Hold" and "Expertly Pulled Up," Horse Is Dead
According to the chartwriter at Aqueduct Thursday, The Golden Gorilla (quite a name, huh?) “suffered an injury to the left front leg near the half-mile pole and was placed to a protective hold…before being expertly pulled up…and transported off the course via ambulance.” One man’s hero – “protective hold,” “expertly pulled up” – is another’s…
Giving Voice
Speaking for the Horses
Some recent shorts published on our YouTube page… https://youtube.com/shorts/lY9FOfXwvCQ https://youtube.com/shorts/PJDodddK71c https://youtube.com/shorts/pV7HryPEQUo
Witness to a Kill: "I yelled when I saw it and my husband pulled me in to shield my view from the horrific scene."
According to the chart for the 2nd at Albuquerque May 24, Jes Sinful “stumbled [at] the start, lacked room,” and finished last. The next day, I received the following email: “I witnessed [Jes Sinful’s] front right leg literally dangle as it broke somewhere (assuming) around the carpus and was able to rotate as if it…
So Long, Light Up Racing, We Hardly Knew You!
Earlier this month, word came that “Light Up Racing,” a grassroots org launched in 2024 to “drive positive change” in the horseracing industry, is shutting down for good this fall due to a lack of funding and an “alignment” problem with other racing orgs. As Nicole pointed out back when LUR debuted, it was but…
What a Successful Protest Looks Like…
Led by our indomitable Maryland coordinator (and board member) Jen Sully, HW was out in force for the Preakness Saturday. What’s more, we garnered great coverage – which, of course, amplifies our message exponentially – starting on Friday with the death of Hit Zero. Among the outlets were The Baltimore Sun (front page in Sunday’s…