DUTROW ‘QUICK RETURN’ HORSE EUTHANIZED
Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Rick Dutrow is making headlines again, and it’s not good news. Unrequited, a 5-year-old gelding Dutrow trained for the Jay Em Ess Stable, was euthanized on Tuesday after suffering a fractured pelvis in a claiming race at Monmouth Park on Sunday.
Frank Zanzuccki, executive director of the New Jersey Racing Commission, confirmed the horse’s death today after speaking with the state veterinarian.
Unrequited carried a $30,000 claiming tag in Sunday’s contest, at six furlongs on the main track, just two days after Dutrow raced him at Belmont Park for a $35,000 tag. He finished fourth at Belmont, but was pulled up and vanned off at Monmouth on Sunday. Dutrow is one of a handful of trainers who will occasionally run a horse back in a matter of days following a race.
Last Friday, in a press conference Dutrow called to discuss a recent medication positive for clenbuterol on a horse Dutrow ran in Kentucky in early May, the trainer said he hasn’t had a horse break down since 2001. “I want anybody here right now to tell me the last time you’ve seen one of my horses break down in the afternoon,” he was quoted as saying. “You’re not going to be able to find it because I’m safe, I’m sound, I protect my horses."
Unrequited, a winner of three of 16 starts and just over $100,000, had been off nearly a year before finishing eighth in a Belmont Park allowance May 1. His final race June 29 was his fourth start since coming back in 2008.
By Ray Paulick
Copyright ©2008, The Paulick Report
Tags: frank zanzuccki, jay em ess, monmouth park, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, rick dutrow, unrequited
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Ray, Once again, you’re keeping everyone informed…This is a very sad commentary…But at least it’s out in the open. The sooner we get rid of the “dirty secrets” the better we’ll all be…especially the athletes.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Dutrow is a buffoon and should learn to keep his mouth shut but one event does not a pattern make. If it is true that he has not had a horse break down since 2001 and that he has run his horses back in a few days, then one would have to say that he is right about the soundness of his horses.
Maybe old “babe” should go on a vacation for a few months.
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Ray -
Thanks for setting the record straight on this. This was just so unnecessary. Of course, no one will be ever able to prove that running the horse back on Sunday after racing on Friday was the “cause” of the breakdown, but anyone can recognize that the practice is reckless and especially unconscionable in this day and age.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 pm
We in the horse world are very confused. Someone just received an e-mail from Monmouth that he was fine.
HMMMMMMmmmm
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Pat….The information on Unrequited being euthanized Tuesday came directly from Frank Zanzuccki, executive director of the New Jersey Racing Commission. Perhaps the e-mail you are referring to was sent out prior to the horse being euthanized, or came from someone at Monmouth who was not fully aware of what happened.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Thanks so much for posting this story.. The Paulick Report is a much needed addition to the world of racing news!
yes these abuses must be fully exposed in order for change to occur..the horses deserve so much better..
All states should ban the sort of back-to-back state-to state turnarounds that most likely cost Unrequited his life..A National commission with uniform rules and data collection practices could go along way towards instituting such changes..
In addition to the risks of quick return racing, one of the messages of this story is the failure of the race charts to adequately capture what has actually occurred.. Equibase and DRF should be required to post a separate daily list of all van - offs break-downs and DNFs and update with further information on the condition of the horse..All states should be mandated to have publically available vet list with comparable data and easy on-line access..
The sport is nothing without the equine atheletes and the fact that so many simply “disappear” from publc record after incidents such as these is really a disgrace..
thank you again!!
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:02 am
Unrequited will be remembered for as long as our online memorial exists. He is horse #831 on our memorial to the racehorses who have suffered a fatal breakdown in training or racing. Thank you, Ray, and all those responsible for bringing the facts about Unrequited out into the open and for this site and speaking the truth ~ the good, bad and the ugly. ~Connie
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:24 am
I want to second what Winston says—running a horse back so quickly is one of those things that’s a terrible idea…unless it’s not. Dutrow did the same thing with Golden Man a few years ago (ran on consecutive days) and finished in the money both times, I believe, and the horse is still on the track and doing well today.
I’m not recommending this practice, and Unrequited’s is certainly a horrible outcome, but I don’t think that this one incident is a deal-maker or -breaker with regard to forming an opinion of how Dutrow cares for his horses.
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm
It is very unfortunate that this horse suffered an injury that proved fatal but some of this commentary is piling on. At Royal Ascot two weeks ago, arguably the best racing in the world, several horses started twice during the five-day (Tuesday-Saturday) meet and none of those trainers were accused of animal cruelty. Dutrow has clearly earned some of the criticism aimed at him but his occasional practice of running a horse on short rest should not receive blanket condemnation.
July 4th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Dutrow should be ruled off! We need a rule that requires trainers to be knowledgeable horsemen, not just capable of entering a horse in a race. This is a disgrace. There is no way that horse should have been running back on 2 days rest. The reason horses usually walk from a couple of days to a week after a race, is because their bones are stressed by the speed. The walk time gives the bones the opportunity to cool down and repair any microdamage done in a race. This is the ‘responsible’ thing to do. Of course, we do not expect Dutrow to do the ‘responsible’ thing, or he would not have run Big Brown in the Belmont when he was not right.
July 4th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
For those who believe in tempting fate (or the racing gods), consider this:
Dutrow says Big Brown is going to win the Triple Crown. Big Brown comes in last.
Dutrow says his horses never break down. Unrequited breaks down.
Maybe the next time Dutrow feels the urge to pontificate, he should practice pre-emptive silence instead.