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
Killed at Ellis One Week Apart: Irina's Charm, Codified
From the stewards at Ellis Park: Aug 2: “Irina’s Charm [suffered] a catastrophic injury to her right hind leg and was humanely euthanized.” (This one was wholly predictable as the chart said, “went wrong.”) Irina’s was five. Her final exploiters: Joey Platts, Philip D’Amato, Francisco Arrieta. Aug 9: “Codified suffered a catastrophic injury to her…
Royal Majesty Confirmed Killed at Ellis; Chrome Pipes Dead at Finger Lakes
According to the chart for the 6th at Ellis Sunday, Royal Majesty “went wrong and was transported off in an equine ambulance.” In the vast majority of cases, this combination – “went wrong/ambulance” – translates to dead, and indeed the 5-year-old Royal is. His exploiters from beginning to end: breeder/owner Besilu Stables and trainer William…
Five More Dead Horses for the List
Although we are totally shut out in Florida, I have been able to confirm the following: 3-year-old Love That Gal killed in the 3rd at Tampa Feb 8. 2-year-old Noah’s Honor killed in the 4th at Gulfstream Apr 5. 5-year-old Kid Kaos killed in the 7th at Tampa Apr 18. And then these recent kills…
Surprise: Absolute Domination (Dangling Leg) Confirmed Killed
Three days ago, I posted the below video of Absolute Domination’s horrific fall at Horseshoe Saturday. Here is the fully expected update from the stewards: “Absolute Domination suffered a catastrophic injury to its RF leg [that would be the dangling one] toward the end of the race and was euthanized on the track.” The it…
Everyday Cruelty
Justice in Horseracing: $300 for Welting; $500 for Swearing
Some recent whipping “violations” from the harness circuit… Pocono, Jul 26: “Massive Matter was sent for post-race testing and it was noted by the State Vet that several welts appeared on [his] right rear. Driver Mike Polansky is fined $300.” $300, no suspension. Plainridge, Aug 3: “Driver Brett Beckwith did leave welts on the horse…
10 Days at Ellis: 66 Injured or Sick Horses
Over the course of just 10 days (Jul 11-Aug 1) at Ellis, 14 horses were scratched by the regulatory vet – i.e., their exploiters had every intention of racing them – for being “injured” or “unsound,” another 36 by private vets for being “injured” or “ill,” and 10 horses who were “claimed” (bought) prior to…
About as Horrific as It Gets…
A sincere question, America: How do we still countenance scenes like this in 2026? The fallen is (more likely was) 3-year-old Absolute Domination. That poor, poor boy. https://youtu.be/NO4CxqGmn-s
Video of Animal Cruelty at Saratoga; Kill at Monticello
Yesterday was a banner day for NYS racing. First, Vinovio, says the Gaming Commission, “broke down at the finish line” at Monticello and is dead. This poor boy was 13 years old. Bastards (primarily Ken Koch and Gregory Merton). At Saratoga, no less than three horses required the ambulance to get off the track (the…
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
TDN Article: "Record purses while the handle declines is not a sign of a healthy industry. It is the signature of a subsidized one."
At the risk of stating the obvious, horseracing is at its core a gambling business. For decades, the proverbial $2 bet funded this industry. As competition – lotteries, casinos, sports betting – began to arise at the end of the 20th Century and into the 21st, the wagering on racing was no longer enough to…
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…
Giving Voice
Elegy for a One-Year-Old
Back in June, I excerpted from a new book of poetry by Kaaviya Elangkumarabahu. The book is wonderful, and, as I wrote then, all the more impressive for Kaaviya’s age: 12! Today, I present a new poem by Kaaviya on one of the deceased from Arizona. Completeness, you might remember, died at Turf when she…
Nicole on the Mess That is U.S. Racing – and Why We Must Never Let Up
This morning, a guest post from our indomitable executive director, Nicole… “‘Horseracing News’ this week is as much about us as it is about them” by Nicole Arciello The Horseracing Industry found a way to elevate itself to the top of news cycle this week with misleading and at times nonsensical headlines like: “Horse racing’s…
HW on Northeast Public Radio, in The New Yorker
This week, Northeast Public Radio afforded us a half-hour interview – here. The gracious host, David Guistina, has had me on several times over the years. It’s a wonderful forum with a fantastic reach (parts of 7 northeastern states). Also, our work was cited (and I was quoted) in a recent New Yorker article -…
Media Coverage: "Saratoga library buckles under pressure, silences horse racing critic"
Coverage of the Saratoga Library’s craven cancellation of our talk. This comes from Times Union columnist Chris Churchill, the most widely read writer in the whole of New York’s Capital Region. Off this, we have already secured two more interviews. We fight on… “Saratoga library buckles under pressure, silences horse racing critic” (If you hit…