Fourteenth horse euthanized
From today's Racing Form:
Yessiremychickadee was euthanized on Sunday after suffering a compound fracture to her right front cannon bone, track officials said. The injury occurred during the first race, the Viejas Casino Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.
Yessiremychickadee was the 14th horse euthanized as a result of an injury during racing or training since this meeting began on July 19.
Yessiremychickadee won 2 of 5 starts and $64,950 for owner Jerry Jamgotchian and trainer Tim Yakteen. The filly was third in the minor Fairfield Stakes at the Solano County Fair in Vallejo, Calif., on July 22.
14th horse killed on Del Mar track
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CA Michael
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louis finochio
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Michael: When yu report a TB being killed, its not the right word to use as their is many fans that will interpt killed as being to harsh.
Years ago the LA Times would report a TB was destroyed after breaking his leg. I did not like them using the word destroyed, as it gave the TB industry a black eye.
The best word to use is humanely put down, or put to sleep.
Years ago the LA Times would report a TB was destroyed after breaking his leg. I did not like them using the word destroyed, as it gave the TB industry a black eye.
The best word to use is humanely put down, or put to sleep.
Those without sin cast the first stone.
Louis Finochio
Louis Finochio
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CA Michael
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Louis: Given that so many horses have lost their lives on the Del Mar racetrack in the last month, I think the word "killed" is entirely appropriate. Like certain stretches of highway are deemed "blood alleys" for drivers, so can the Del Mar racing strip for racehorses.
If negative "P.R." is a result of these deaths, perhaps that is exactly what is needed to focus attention on the problem.
Or....we could pretend everything is wonderful....which is exactly what the Del Mar management wants the public to believe. Why else is it refusing to post the official Vet's List on its website?????
If negative "P.R." is a result of these deaths, perhaps that is exactly what is needed to focus attention on the problem.
Or....we could pretend everything is wonderful....which is exactly what the Del Mar management wants the public to believe. Why else is it refusing to post the official Vet's List on its website?????
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magic code
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I work in a vet hospital, and "killed" is used all the time to refer to an animal being euthanized. Destroyed is also an appropriate word.
"Put to sleep" is a euphamistic term devised to make the concept of euthanasia more pallatable to the layperson. It shouldn't be more pallatable. It implies it is a gentle, quiet way to die. It is not, especially not for a racehorse who moments ago was a fine athelete.
I have reason to belive there is a cover up at play at Del Mar in reguards to the animals that are being killed, yes killed, on the track. Repeated inquries to the local media are quietly pushed aside, only further fueling this belief. There is something very wrong happening at that track.
"Put to sleep" is a euphamistic term devised to make the concept of euthanasia more pallatable to the layperson. It shouldn't be more pallatable. It implies it is a gentle, quiet way to die. It is not, especially not for a racehorse who moments ago was a fine athelete.
I have reason to belive there is a cover up at play at Del Mar in reguards to the animals that are being killed, yes killed, on the track. Repeated inquries to the local media are quietly pushed aside, only further fueling this belief. There is something very wrong happening at that track.
Can anybody give us a stats on which surface had however many deaths, whether it was work or race, and any other way of breaking down the info, no pun intended... I mean seems like I've heard turf a few times, dirt race a few times, workout a few times but I didn't wanna go on that vague a memory. Who are the trainers of these horses?
Not to get on the Del Mar track's side but if they figured it wasn't their fault but it kept happening, rather than risk smaller fields by blaming trainers and the bad PR, I'd figure they'd want it covered up, hoping they could make it quietly go away--wouldn't you expect them to do that? I'm not shocked. Hasn't that been racing's MO for years? They did it with licensing of jockeys and trainers back in the day according to the book Man O'War: A Legend Like Lightning by Dorothy Ours. They did it regarding disease break outs in recent years too, trying to prevent future transmission but also telling everybody 'hey don't worry, we're fine..bring your horses.' Basically they mix their messages and intentions and wonder why racing's still considered slightly shady by many of the general public.
Not to get on the Del Mar track's side but if they figured it wasn't their fault but it kept happening, rather than risk smaller fields by blaming trainers and the bad PR, I'd figure they'd want it covered up, hoping they could make it quietly go away--wouldn't you expect them to do that? I'm not shocked. Hasn't that been racing's MO for years? They did it with licensing of jockeys and trainers back in the day according to the book Man O'War: A Legend Like Lightning by Dorothy Ours. They did it regarding disease break outs in recent years too, trying to prevent future transmission but also telling everybody 'hey don't worry, we're fine..bring your horses.' Basically they mix their messages and intentions and wonder why racing's still considered slightly shady by many of the general public.
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana"
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Tairaterces
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magic code wrote:Note that this breakdown took place on the turf course.
As did the breakdown of New Joysey Jeff . . . . . . . .
"and Secretariat let no one down on the unforgettable afternoon of June 9, 1973, when he ran a hole in the wind"
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Avatar: Istabraq (Sadler's Wells x Betty's Secret by Secretariat) Champion Hurdler
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louis finochio
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Are these TB that have gone down been checked for a correlation of the following.
Conformation faults, were they too heavy forward or in the hind end putting to much weight on their underpining?
Were they racing on med and what was the name of the med.
How many average starts lifetime did their immediate family make?
What was their case history of problems?
Were these TB line-bred many times over or were they produced from outcross matings?
Were these TB bred in the USA or were they bred in a foreign country?
Were these TB bred from the same stallions ?
Before being vanned off and buried, a detailed list of the above would be helpful to TB breeders to breed a sounder TB.
Conformation faults, were they too heavy forward or in the hind end putting to much weight on their underpining?
Were they racing on med and what was the name of the med.
How many average starts lifetime did their immediate family make?
What was their case history of problems?
Were these TB line-bred many times over or were they produced from outcross matings?
Were these TB bred in the USA or were they bred in a foreign country?
Were these TB bred from the same stallions ?
Before being vanned off and buried, a detailed list of the above would be helpful to TB breeders to breed a sounder TB.
Those without sin cast the first stone.
Louis Finochio
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Tucumcari
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Sam wrote:I would rather not have people leap to the conclusion that the TRACK is at fault without proof.
No kidding... let's use some imagination when we try to not point fingers at ourselves for these horses dying... this blaming track surface thing is getting old!
The jig's up. Track isn't perfect...but it is NOT the sole contributing factor!I'm getting tired of repeating myself, frankly.
The Mandella horse that broke down went past me at the 3/4 pole (and was rolling) I was on the phone and my comment to the person on the other line was, and I quote," Whew, Mandella's workin' a bad one!" And shortly there after the siren went and the lights were flashing... and guess who's horse is headed to the blue room...
If we insist on working sore horses over ANY surface, there will be fatalities. Plain and simple. AND Mandella is revered as a true horseman, so clearly the horse was 100%, and the devil racetrack claimed another... Ugh!!!! It makes me so cranky!
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geowarrior
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I spent a day at Del Mar recently, and a friendly local guy who obviously knew what he was talking about was pointing out to me some of the tight legged horses that had just been iced, some of the poor conformation that was causing soreness, and there were even a few that were so close to the point of lameness that I could see it for myself, and I've got no experience in evaluating conformation or gait. I've since compared the gaits of some of the horses that were walking oddly with some of the stallions' videos on the stallion register, and the contrasts between the very smooth walking gaits of many of the stallions and the uneven gaits I saw in some of the horses at Del Mar is striking
No horse broke down that day, but I'd consider that luck.
Statistically at Arlington and at Del Mar it seems that the majority of the breakdowns are on the dirt tracks, but until we know full details of all of the horses that have broken down, we can't know how a dirt track contributes. So you can't blame the track. Also if you read how St. Liam broke his leg, it reminds us that we have to factor in the fragility of the thoroughbred and the fact that a proportion of these breakdowns (probably a small one - but we need data!) are sheer accidents.
I agree I want to see the vet information from Del Mar. Did we get vet information from Arlington? And all the other information that Louis suggests as well as frequency raced, frequency worked, class of races etc., any kind of data anyone can think of. If our hypothesis is that the tracks are not to blame then we have to come up with an alternate explanation backed by evidence.
No horse broke down that day, but I'd consider that luck.
Statistically at Arlington and at Del Mar it seems that the majority of the breakdowns are on the dirt tracks, but until we know full details of all of the horses that have broken down, we can't know how a dirt track contributes. So you can't blame the track. Also if you read how St. Liam broke his leg, it reminds us that we have to factor in the fragility of the thoroughbred and the fact that a proportion of these breakdowns (probably a small one - but we need data!) are sheer accidents.
I agree I want to see the vet information from Del Mar. Did we get vet information from Arlington? And all the other information that Louis suggests as well as frequency raced, frequency worked, class of races etc., any kind of data anyone can think of. If our hypothesis is that the tracks are not to blame then we have to come up with an alternate explanation backed by evidence.
Interesting article about Del Mar. If this is helping, I would hate to see what would happen without it.
http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2 ... h_science/
http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2 ... h_science/
CA Michael wrote:Louis: Given that so many horses have lost their lives on the Del Mar racetrack in the last month, I think the word "killed" is entirely appropriate. Like certain stretches of highway are deemed "blood alleys" for drivers, so can the Del Mar racing strip for racehorses.
If negative "P.R." is a result of these deaths, perhaps that is exactly what is needed to focus attention on the problem.
Or....we could pretend everything is wonderful....which is exactly what the Del Mar management wants the public to believe. Why else is it refusing to post the official Vet's List on its website?????
Perhaps the term KIA (Killed In Action) is more fitting for these incredible WARRIORS. The only solace is that is one less horse that will end up at slaughter.
Michael,
By my count, that makes the 3rd horse that broke down on the turf. How many races have been run on the turf? It's almost as if the percentage of breakdowns to races on the turf is worse than the dirt.
That kind of blows the Poly Track will solve everything BS out the window. 
Does anyone have a list of the names? It sure would be interesting to do some breeding and trainer analysis on these horses. I'm hearing more and more that so many owners/trainers are running horses that shouldn't be running just so they can say they ran a horse at Del Mar and invite all their friends. Del Mar is the social/vacation meet, where the ego meets the surf!