Patrick’s Blog

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


More Gruesome Details From Kentucky

The details (from the Racing Commission) on three more Kentucky kills: Vezpa was killed at Turfway Mar 25: “This mare pulled up near 1/4 pole with injury to RF fetlock. [She] was sedated and loaded onto the ambulance. She was euthanized on the ambulance.” Couldn’t have her euthanized in full public view, right? The specific…

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Details on Pair of Turfway Kills

Details (from the Racing Commission) on a pair of previously-reported Kentucky kills… 3-year-old Joy Enamorada was killed at Turfway Mar 9: “This filly pulled up near the 5/8 pole with an injury to the RF fetlock. The filly was sedated, a Kimzey splint was applied and she was loaded onto the ambulance. She was taken…

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Ivory Senator Confirmed Killed at Ruidoso

Ivory Senator has been confirmed (Racing Commission) dead after breaking down in the 7th at Ruidoso Sunday. The 3-year-old was one of six horses reported as “vanned off” the Ruidoso track last week, with another listed as “bled.” So surely he was not alone.

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Everyday Cruelty


“Postrace Heat Distress” and Other Injured Horses at Churchill

From the stewards at Churchill Downs… May 11:”Callin My Name was scratched when he unseated his rider behind the starting gate and attempted to jump the railing, ultimately running through it. Placed on See Vet List.” May 13:”Bosque Redondo finished 10th and required horse ambulance. It was later reported that the horse was humanely euthanized…

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“Collapsed and Deemed Expired” at Tioga

This for Mach West at Tioga yesterday, in the words of the Gaming Commission: “After running in 10th race, horse returned to paddock, collapsed and deemed expired by [vets].” “collapsed and deemed expired” According to the chart, Mach did not finish the race, so clearly something had already started. He was but seven years old….

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They’re Just Children

The following are chart notes from Remington, Ruidoso, and Sam Houston yesterday. Bear in mind that all of these horses are children. I don’t believe it to be anthropomorphizing when I say they all felt stress, even fear, before/during their races. Eye Eye Indian “flipped at break”Miss Ellens Angel “unruly in gate”Royal Power Play “reluctant…

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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…

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The Disgusting Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance

In a press release earlier this month, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) gushed over a risible $50,000 donation from The Stronach Group on Pegasus Day at Stronach-owned Gulfstream Park. Risible not only because the day featured two million-dollar-plus races, but, more important, because Stronach is a multi-billion-dollar corporation. $50,000 for aftercare. But back to the…

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Testimony on Belmont Park Proposal

Ahead of an Economic Development hearing in the NYS Legislature today, I submitted the following written testimony on the Belmont Park proposal: To call the proposed $455 million loan to the New York Racing Association (NYRA) to rebuild Belmont Park a boondoggle would be understating it. First, this massive loan would be repaid through the…

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Racing’s Corporate Welfare


The Evil of Subsidies: Horse “Limps to Wire,” 72 Lengths Back – Exploiters Still Cash In

On subsidies, besides the obvious – propping this industry up with corporate welfare allows for the continued abuse and killing of beautiful horses – there is this ancillary wrong: The massive infusion of unearned income from casino gaming allows tracks to pay first-last, regularly leading to situations like what happened at Charles Town last night….

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Giving Voice


HW on CNN

As mentioned in this morning’s post, I have been working closely with CNN over the past couple weeks. While a larger piece is still to come, yesterday I was asked for a response to HISA’s statement announcing an “Emergency Veterinary Summit” on the Churchill deaths. My statement was read by CNN’s Nick Watt; the full…

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A Disgusting Vet, Lousy Journalism

The media coverage of, and the national conversation on, horseracing is the most intense and sustained that I have seen in my nine years of doing this. And I know with certainty that horse deaths have never received this level of attention. We of course have been a big part of it – The Baltimore…

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The HW Army Out in Force

Yesterday, Horseracing Wrongs, led by Maryland Coordinator (and board member) Jennifer Sully, was out in full force protesting the Preakness at Pimlico. 50+ smart, passionate activists lent their voices to the abused and suffering. The media coverage was exceptional – with no fewer than eight interviews (CBS here). We also had our usual mobile billboard…

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