U.S. WAGERING NOSEDIVES BY 17% IN JUNE
By Ray Paulick
Pari-mutuel wagering on U.S. races nosedived in June, dropping by almost 17% compared with June of 2008, according to statistics released by Equibase. Purses fell by more than 10% in June. The number of U.S. race days fell by less than 6% for the month, compared with June 2008.
The steep drop reflects the continuing trend of falling handle at tracks from coast to coast, along with a reduction in racing dates at some major tracks (Churchill Downs and Hollywood Park have cut back from five days per week to four). In addition the June 2008 handled was boosted by a huge day at Belmont Park when Big Brown was going for a Triple Crown. This year’s Belmont Stakes day handle was down about $10 million. June 2008 included nine weekend days of racing, with June 2009 having just eight. Weekend programs produce the largest handle.
Those facts notwithstanding, the declines in June are troubling and have led to a year-to-date drop of more than 10%, despite just a 2% reduction in the overall number of racing days, according to Equibase. Purses for the year have fallen by 6%.
If the declines persist, 2009 will be the fifth year in the last six that pari-mutuel wagering on U.S. races has fallen, and the year-end totals may be the lowest since 1998, when just over $13 billion was handled. The record high came in 2003 when nearly $15.2 billion was wagered on U.S. races. Click here for the recent year-end handle figures.
|
Indicator
|
June 2009
|
June 2008
|
% Change
|
|
Wagering on U.S. Races*
|
$993,578,873
|
$1,195,562,620
|
-16.89%
|
|
U.S. Purses
|
$101,126,923
|
$112,735,233
|
-10.30%
|
|
U.S. Race Days
|
620
|
657
|
-5.63%
|
|
Indicator
|
YTD 2009
|
YTD 2008
|
% Change
|
|
Wagering on U.S. Races*
|
$6,503,994,769
|
$7,265,400,239
|
-10.48%
|
|
U.S. Purses
|
$507,165,548
|
$539,745,595
|
-6.04%
|
|
U.S. Race Days
|
2,814
|
2,873
|
-2.05%
|
Tags: equibase, Horse Racing, pari-mutuel wagering, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, u.s. handle
July 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
And yet, the over-paid NTRA & Breeders’ Cup execs overseeing our business during the same time period still have jobs! We have no one to blame but ourselves.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:58 am
And yet, the over-paid NTRA & Breeders’ Cup execs overseeing our business during the same time period still have jobs! We have no one to blame but ourselves.
P.S.: Forgot to add good post!
July 5th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
ok, much of this decline can be attributed to weakness in consumer spending and the general economy.
BUT…the long term decline has to be attributed to something else. everyone has their theories for that decline - lack of tv exposure, the rapid exit of rising stars to the breeding shed, the difficulty involved in handicapping compared to other gaming (pull a handle, hear the ka-ching) etc.
to me, though, racing has to start with the core issue of consumer confidence. are fans and potential fans being turned off by the suspicion that drugs, legal and illegal, are skewing results? i would wager that any poll asking the question: do you believe the best horse finishes first? i believe it would show the level of negativity toward the integrity, of lack of it, in racing today. if even insiders question drug use in the sport (and there have been ample examples of that of late), then what does the consumer we are trying retain or to lure to the track believe?
the lack of uniformity in drug testing and penalties for abuse is only one issue. the larger issue is: should race day drugs be allowed at all? they are banned in other leading countries. why are they allowed here?
until the industry tackles these questions head-on, i fear that we will continue to lose the fans we have now, let alone attract new ones. i would bet that total handle will continue to decline, probably at an accelerated rate as more tracks close over the next few years.
July 5th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I’ll add what may or may not be a unique situation contributing to the decline in handle, & why as a result of what’s happening, I increasingly care less & less about betting on the races - an attitude whose rate of expansion has mirrored, conversely, the decline in national handle.
About two years ago, we took the time & trouble to set up an at-home wagering system. Since we live in New Jersey, we have but one choice - & historians & journalists who have written about & reported on the economics of Communist Russia in the past fifty year would be in nostalgic rapture after reading about this scenario:
New Jersey Account Wagering, which is run by the N.J. state government.
I know what you’re thinking. Don’t get ahead of me.
To make a long story short, it’s obvious by now that NJAW is a political patronage “jobs program.” It literally doesn’t matter if it’s profitable, retains & expands its customer base, delivers a superior product, etc.
Imagine the rock-bottom days of New York City’s legendarily horrible OTB system in the 1980s. Now, imagine that that system has migrated - intact with all of its abilities to destroy itself - across the Hudson River, twenty years later.
Their competition - which could put some pressure on them to reform - is, literally, illegal (see Communist Russia, above).
Up until 2009, their site had been a constant headache. And during certain key periods, it was impossible that they could have been any more incompetent (remember their crowing glory, the system crash during both days of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup?).
But until June 1st, 2009, at least it could be used. Although never for one minute was the deposit of a serious amount of cash even remotely entertained, given the degree of distrust that the NJAW foul-ups had generated - if you deposited money in your account, you could bet.
June 1st, 2009 changed all that.
Mysteriously - & with every other of the 300+ web sites saved on the system in the “favorites” mode continuing to work flawlessly, including the monthly payment of bills over the internet, etc. - when the routine attempt was made to activate NJAW’s video, the entire system crashed.
And crashed. And crashed. And crashed. After each crash, you’re staring at square one - the desktop. You’ve been kicked out of the entire internet loop.
Betting without access to the track video - with the pre-race warm-ups & timely information being given out by the announcers - is suicide.
The foremost reason is that the odds on upcoming races being given out by NJAW are two-three minutes old (not infrequently, the morning line odds remain posted - frozen - until only minutes prior to the start of a race).
These odds are not only worthless - they’re a gilded invitation to disaster.
The only way one can get actual track odds on this system is by watching the track’s video. And now, that option - although you still can wager - has been destroyed.
How helpful was NJAW’s tech support, you ask. Don’t ask.
Comcast’s tech support, in contrast - well, the biggest contrast may be that they actually answer their phone calls (NJAW only accepts email pleas for help; the time invested in writing these messages turns you into their unpaid employee, not a client).
I spoke with a very impressive technician who really cared about competence. For the next hour, we aggressively hacked away at the problem, but, unfortunately, we could not arrive at a solution. Despite the encouraging start, the NJAW video could not be coaxed back into operation.
How do we now feel? Apathetic. Who cares? There are a million other things to do than to wager on horse races.
Even before June 1st , after each NJAW fiasco, the level of our deposits had been declining. And now, NJAW has attained perfection. The level of our deposits, & the level of our interest in making new deposits, is ZERO.
This may be remarkably atypical of what’s behind the off-the-cliff national betting handle. One story doesn’t conclusively prove anything.
But when the bottom has fallen out of the business nationwide, the fact that NJAW’s exhibiting zero interest (& capability) in restoring one of their customer’s technological capability to wager is…
Well, it’s a typical story that explains why, as Ray Kerrison puts it, Bay Meadows is now “a pile of rubble.”
July 5th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
It’s a sign of the times, our economy, etc., but personally I used to handicap but quit when I discovered what happened to Ferdinand and Exceller, and all the others, and how uncaring the racing industry is. They don’t care about the drugs, and they don’t care about the horses, and until they do I’ll not bet one more dollar on a horse. I want to see a no tolerance policy towards anyone sending an ex-racer to auction where they might be bought up for meat. I want to see an increase in age to 4 yrs. old before their first race, of course that means that many would actually be 3 1/2 yrs, less break downs. I want to see less over-breeding and more selective breeding for bone not speed.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Great insite “bernborough” and may I respectfully respond to your question: “. . . then what does the consumer we are trying retain or to lure to the track believe?”
They believe the industry has no intention of following through on all the pledges it made publicly after the death of Eight Belles (and yet they themselves, self-policed, chose what THEY thought should be changed). They believe the industry to be a gambling entity with no more concern for their “investments” — the welfare of their horses — than the casinos are when they dispose of used decks of cards or the dice from the crap tables. And the industry is proving them right by not fulfilling their promises in the areas they were going to correct. Further, they made no addition of changing existing problems that writers and veterinarians pointed out needed to be added to the long list.
It’s been over a year. Where’s the industry’s full report from all tracks that run Thoroughbred races on the number of injuries and deaths suffered in TRAINING AND RACING? Will they trot out another statistically ridiculous study of a small percent of the tracks and not even count all training deaths (much higher than deaths during racing) as they did before and expect people to believe this disingenuous injury and death reporting?
Injured horses with unlimited steroid joint injections and analgesics both legal and illegal are filling races, especially the low level claiming races, with no hands on race day lameness examinations at most racetracks. Just maybe the bettors are finally wising up that the fields are not fair and the horses are being abused as reported at the Congressional hearing last June 19, 2008.
When will the industry let an owner or the public, concerned about the welfare of their horses, go online to look up the injury and death statistics for a racetrack (with ALL racetracks participating) so they can choose to race and/or place a bet at the safest and fairest track? When will they let an owner or public go online to look up trainers not only based on wins or money earned but also see the number and type of suspensions for rules violations by each trainer?
What is the consumer suppose to believe when the NTRA changed its position from opposing horse slaughter to neutral on horse slaughter — including tens of thousands of their own racehorses who were slaughtered in 2008 alone — during the very time the industry is suppose to be “Putting the horse first”? Didn’t anyone here read Patricia Hogan, DVM’s response in The Blood-Horse to the “White Paper” on racing?
What does the consumer believe? They believe this gambling industry has no intention whatsoever of policing itself and they would rather gamble their money at a full casino that does have oversight — whose cards are not marked , whose dice are not loaded, and whose dealers are honest — a place where the thrill of gambling does not maim and destroy horses in the process.
July 5th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
of the 17% drop, how much did slots have to do with it? any figures?
July 5th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
More troubling is the fact that U.S. purses have fallen 6% despite being propped up with the dubious solution called “slots” and related gaming.
You get what you pay for. And right now there isn’t much out there for the consumer.
And with high takeout rates, poor customer service and lack of direction within the industry
horse racing will nonetheless become stronger - but after some five years from now.
Who will remain standing? That is the question.
July 5th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
The NTRA has been around since 1998. The record high came in 2003 so did we give credit to the same people from 97 to ‘03? Probably not. NTRA doesn’t oversee any business nor has it really ever. It tried and continues to try and promote the sport (thru tv/nat promotions and in Washington) with limited funds. In the early years, it was flush and apparently business was booming?? In recent years, it has been stripped of its little authority and funds and the business is sagging thus giving any or all credit both good and bad does not make much sense. Breeders’ Cup has nothing to do with this equation. BL - It’s the lack of cooperation that continues to kill the sport not to mention too much damn racing. You can’t blame anyone group or person. I suggest that everyone in this blogosphere turn their constant white-noise bi*ching into something positive. Takes about same amount of energy and you’ll feel better. Do some yoga too.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Correction to the above:
“Up until 2009, [NJAW's] site had been a constant headache. And during certain key periods, it was impossible that they could have been any more incompetent (remember their crowing glory, the system crash during both days of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup?).”
Make that the 2007 Breeders’ Cup.
July 6th, 2009 at 8:01 am
just another word on confidence, integrity and drugs. much was made the other day of the furosemide study which vets especially are trumpeting to justify the $100m a year they take from owners for their horse’s race-day shot of salix.
this, from one of the lead authors of the study: ‘”Furosemide is a diuretic, and as a result, the urine tends to be very dilute. If you are looking for other chemicals that are not supposed to be in the horse, it has just become more difficult to find them.”
for those who want to restore integrity and confidence to an industry bedeviled by a lack of both, this has to be the ultimate justification to ban salix and all other race-day medications as well. bute we knew was detrimental to the long term health of the horse. now furosemide, it has been confirmed, and as has long been suspected, can be used to mask or dilute other, illegal, drugs. and, of course, replacing stripped out vital fluids and electrolytes takes time, causing more discomfort and down time for horses on salix.
and that raises another question: shouldn’t be weeding out chronic bleeders as they do in australia, for example? aren’t our actions further weakening a gene pool already weakened by decades of poorly regulated drug regimens?
July 6th, 2009 at 9:51 am
My parents use to take us to the racetrack. I use to enjoy watching and betting on TB horse racing. It is a different story now. I certainly have the means even today to bet on a horse race but I won’t spend one dime either online or at the track even though it is a 30 min drive to a high profile racetrack. This is because of specific decisions, conscious or unconscious, the racing industry has made or has compromised on such as horse slaughter. It is VERY clear the racing industry does not care about the welfare of the horses especially those in the low level claiming races. The racing industry turns a BLIND EYE to trainers that run their horses in low level claiming races until the horses drop dead on the track. The racing industry ALLOWS kill buyers on the backstretch at many tracks to take slow TBs or injured TBs to slaughter instead of taking a proactive stance to protect these athletes by ensuring that they live out their lives at a retirement facility. Or they say they have a zero tolerance for kill buyers at the track but TB horses are still taken by kill buyers. in other words, management at the racetrack LIES! No effort is made to be truthful with the public about unscrupulous owners/trainers/vets that allow injections of steroids into joints or snake venom to block pain responses or other drugs to reduce pain and inflammation to mask injuries. It is disgusting that the CEOs of only a few tracks have instituted a zero tolerance against sending a TB race horse to slaughter from their track and actually keep their word. I could go on but you get the point I am sure.
It is time for the racing industry to clean up their messes and be straight with the American people whose money you depend on to survive. I totally agree with Jo Anne’s comments above. You people have no morals, no ethics and you DON’T CARE ABOUT THE HORSES THAT RUN AT YOUR TRACKS!
July 6th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
No disrespect intended to the other comments, but my guess is that the decrease in wagering is first and foremost the sign of a still worsening economy.
My family runs a small business that sells do-it-yourself type products. Our business booms when the economy is down but then our sales drop when the economy goes back up (because people tend to hire out instead of DIY in an up economy).
With all the claims lately that the economy is showing signs of recovery I was surprised that our June sales were up 31% from last June and 6% from last month. In our 15 years in business we’ve never had such an uptick unless the economy was in a significant downward trend. And our increase or decrease in sales is usually the first indicator we personally see that the economy is either faltering or recovering.
So bad news for other industries, but our continuing sales increase indicates the country is in for another round of bad economic news. And my guess is that betting on the ponies is one of the first things people shave out of their budget when they start to feel an economic pinch. So IMO the wagering nosedive indicates that people who weren’t hurting economically before are hurting now.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Again, bernborough, great comments and thank you to “Ann” above for getting right “down to the wire” with her comments!
bernborough posted: “this, from one of the lead authors of the study: ‘â€Furosemide is a diuretic, and as a result, the urine tends to be very dilute. If you are looking for other chemicals that are not supposed to be in the horse, it has just become more difficult to find them.â€
Can you let us know which author made this remark and where? You’ve really got my curiosity now. I read that the lasix/salix study is flawed as far as being applicable here in that the horses run differently where it was conducted — that they run longer races and are only asked for real speed the last furlong or two unlike U.S. racing which holds mainly sprint races and distance races are more demanding from the moment they leave the gate than where the study was conducted. Anyone know that for a fact?
Another bravo as to weeding out chronic bleeders but they won’t even stop breeding horses with serious soundness problems so I don’t think we can count on any changes in breeding practices.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
THIS IS A GREAT SITE. BUT, BELIEVE ME THE TAIL DON”T WAG THE DOG.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
this was the article i quoted from, which, ironically, empahsized the positives of using salix. but, if you read deeply enough into it, you will find the negative case:
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2009/07/024.shtml
there are very good reasons why other countries do not allow race-day medication, and all are to do the with the health of the horse, the integrity of racing and gaining and retaining the confidence of the betting public. but there are side benefits as well: banning race-day medications would give owners a $200m to $300m annual break in costs. would not that help fill fields and allow more owners to participate in what is becoming, in part due to outlandish vet bills, a very expensive ’sport’? of course, if we used fewer drugs one could also argue that horses would stay sounder longer and be more likely to find second careers. the benefits, tangible and intangible, of banning race-day medications are too overwhelming to ignore. it is stunning that so many in this industry reject it out of hand.
July 6th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
“The steep drop reflects the continuing trend of falling handle at tracks from coast to coast, along with a reduction in racing dates at some major tracks” (Churchill Downs and Hollywood Park have cut back from five days per week to four). But certainly this is not a concern when we analyse the root causes of the declines. Sure, we have cut days but we now have weekend cards of 12, 13,14 races. We have increased the gimmicks which increases the takeouts, which “burns” out the players at a significantly rapid rate. Managements have declared war on its patrons using a plethora of junk races to diminish and defeat any chance of handicapping, especially in the 5th thru the 10th races where the pic 6, pic 4’s and pic 3’s occur and where allowance conditions and premium races once were abundant. We are the only country in the world that places a claiming connotation on 95% of our horse herd ahead of their racing careers. We place a premium on mediocrity….and what’s left of the fan base gets it! Beaten claiming races now are carded at racecourses that never allowed them 10, 15 and 20 years ago. We have created “handicraps” in place of contests. Now races at the once premium tracks, for the most part are indistinguishable from B and C meetings. Ours is a self-inflicted problem by managers that do not know the difference or understand herd management. For instance let’s compare US handles and yields with Great Britain, Japan, Australia, France, Hong Kong. in GB, 8,934 races yield more than $20 billion dollars; Japan 17,939 races yield $27 billion dollars. By comparison US has 51,668 races yield just $14 billion. Nearly twice as much with a quarter of the races and horse herds of less than 10% of the US herd. All of these countries have been hammered by poor economies; some worse than the US. These countries have little or no slots but compete with a 100 times the number of competitive gaming and sports. The dirty little secret is the perception of quality! No claiming races! The problem is quite manageable and well within our control.
July 6th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Quality and horse welfare may be issues in trying to grow the audience, but they are not the reason why betting handle is down, in my opinion. The problem is field size, and possibly, double-digit rebates, and the way that they have driven down the odds and payouts, while average takeout remains roughly the same.
Over the last several years, field size has gone down, and favorites are winning more often and at lower prices. Yes, the favorites winning percentage is only up a couple of percent, but that is a big deal when you’re playing 500-15000 races per year. You’re not going to find a lot of players who can make a living when the favorites win. For most handicappers, it is the exact opposite–longshots key the big scores that make a year. So as odds go down as 8-10 horse fields become 5-7 horse fields, handicappers, especially exotics players, are more likely to sit on the sidelines (especially, vertical exotics players) and wait for the race that offers the value (odds) that is easier to find in races with larger fields.
The 10+% rebates that the big, big bettors get aren’t helping either. When you get that kind of rebate, strategies/spot plays that are flat bet unprofitable for the non-rebate player are profitable for you. What does this mean for the non-rebate player? It means I have to be even more selective, and play fewer races. When developing strategies from my database, it’s not that hard to find one that was golden from 2001-6, but then became unprofitable in 2007, and still remains unprofitable–unless I were to receive a 10% rebate. From my perspective, 2007 seems to be the year that the game changed, in that it became much harder to find value. Yes, part of that is technology and the fact that many handicappers are using the same information. But it is also a manifestation of the whales exploiting their biggest edge, the double-digit rebate, to bet multiple horses in the same race. Yes, there are occasions where I can spread three or four deep, and still make a profit. But in those races, the whales can go six deep, and the net effect of the whales spreading out like this is a reduction of the odds to where it is much harder for the non-rebate player to be long-term profitable, as it is harder to find a horse worth betting that the whales haven’t already pounced on.
Maybe I’m crazy, but it seems to me that the advantage given to the whales through double-digit rebates is similar to a government subsidizing an industry. The purpose of the subsidy is to increase domestic producers market share by lowering their cost structure/increasing their profits and reduce the market share of the foreign company. I believe that rebates function similarly to subsidies and that they have pushed non-rebate players out of the market. Of course, many, if not all, are still playing; we’re just playing fewer races.
From my own perspective, I would bet more and play more races if I could get better odds, which could be achieved through larger field sizes in non-maiden races and/or eliminating rebates for all handicappers. Reducing takeout would also have the same effect by increasing the payouts for every winning bet.
July 6th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Following is the work of volunteers done in memory of Inesperado(FR), a multiple grade II stakes winner on turf, an earner of over $688,00, killed in a $4,000 claiming race at Golden Gate Fields, many stakes winners and six-figure earners and horses taking the plunge until their final “bad step”. Red flags fail to be raised to prevent many catastrophic injuries. Jockeys could stop the abuse if no one else does but they don’t. There is no moral, no safety net, no pity for horses, too much money selling drugs and numbing infirm horses. It is anything and everything but the horse first. Horses finish dead last including with charitable fundraisers for everything and everyone but the dumped horses on the brink.
June 17-July 5th from Equibase, eye witnesses and other sources:
Assiniboia
6/17/09 Race 2. 5K Claiming. Felted, 4 y/o. Prior race 6Jun09. Lame in stretch and DNF.
Arlington
6/26/09 Race 2. 30K Claiming. Silver Story, 4 y/o filly. Stumbled and vanned off, DNF.
7/1/09 Race 2. 5K Claiming. Rumored Heart, 4 y/o. Stumbled, bumped and vanned off after finishing 6/8.
Belmont
6/27/09 Race 2. MSW. Cape Marco, 3 y/o. Pulled up in distress at the wire and vanned off after finishing 7/8.
7/1/09 Race 9. 16K Claiming. Big Stack, 3 y/o. Finished 10/10 but vanned off.
Calder
6/25/09 Race 8. 6250 Claiming. Withmixedemotions, 4 y/o filly. Prior race 12Jun09. Finished 7/7 and vanned off.
6/27/09 Race 6. 6250 Claiming. Ethan the Monster, 3 y/o. Broke down early and DNF.
Canterbury
6/19/09 Race 1. 4K Claiming. Valiant Ride, 6 y/o. Bumped and then vanned off after finishing 4/5.
6/21/09 Race 3. 10K Claiming. Better B Good, 4 y/o. Prior race 31Aug08. Finished 11/12 and vanned off after the race.
6/26/09 Race 2. 25K Claiming. Tin Can Do, 4 y/o. Pulled up on turn and vanned off, DNF.
6/26/09 Race 4. (Turf) 7500 Claiming. EZ Otto, 5 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 7/10.
7/4/09 Race 3. MSW. Bewitching Lass, 2 y/o filly. Prior race 20Jun09. Pulled up early and vanned off, DNF.
Charles Town
6/18/09 Race 4. K Claiming. Wild Money, 6 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 5/6.
6/19/09 Race 7. ALW. Appealing Cameron, 4 y/0. Pulled up on turn and DNF.
6/24/09 Race 5. 4K Claiming. Draft, 6 y/o. Broke down on second turn and DNF.
6/25/09 Race 8. 6K Claiming. Manny’s Girl, 4 y/o filly. Pulled up “sore” and vanned off, DNF.
7/2/09 Race 9. 5K Claiming. Qwik Flare, 4 y/o running for 4500 tag. Finished 1/9 and vanned off.
7/4/09 Race 5. 4K Claiming. Shiny Honor, 5 y/o mare. Pulled up in stretch, vanned off.
7/4/09 Race 6. 4K Claiming. Not a Gentleman, 6 y/o. Finished 6/7 and vanned off.
7/4/09 Race 9. 4K Claiming. Milwaukee Suds, 4 y/o. Pulled up on turn and vanned off, DNF.
Churchill Downs
6/20/09 Race 6. 7500 Claiming. Cat and a Half, 7 y/o. Pulled up after he went wron and DNF.
6/26/09 Race 6. (Turf) 40K Claiming. Turn to Bernstein, 4 y/o. Went wrong, pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
Colonial
7/4/09 Race 1. MSW. My Face, 3 y/o. Broke down on backstretch and DNF.
6/19/09 Race 1. (Turf) 7500 Claiming. Statum, 5 y/o. Prior race 9Jun09. Broke down after finishing 5/12.
Delaware
6/20/09 Race 5. 10K Claiming. Petit Roman, 4 y/o. Finished 7/7 and pulled up in apparent distress.
6/20/09 Race 7. Obeah Stakes. All Smiles, 6 y/o mare. Broke down in the stretch and DNF.
6/21/09 Race 1. 17.5K Claiming. Rogue Rage, 5 y/o. Pulled up in distress, DNF.
6/23/09 Race 2. 5K Claiming. Half Blue, 5 y/o. Finished 1/6 but vanned off.
6/23/09 Race 6. 30K Claiming. Fast Rush, 4 y/o. Finished 7/8 and vanned off.
7/5/09 Race 1. 5K Claiming. Can’t Stop Me, 5 y/o. Broke down near quarter pole and DNF. Prior race 22Apr09.
7/5/09 Race 4. 25K Claiming. Blitzenshoneybare, 2 y/o. Pulled up “in distress” and DNF. First time starter.
Emerald
6/21/09 Race 2. 30K Maiden Opt Claiming. Kingledo, 3 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 8/8.
6/21/09 Race 3. MSW. Evil Repent, 2 y/o. Finished 5/8 and vanned off.
6/25/09 Race 3. 4K Claiming. Candy Topping, 4 y/o. Prior race 11Jun09. Fell and vanned off.
6/26/09 Race 8. 4K Claiming. Trip Aces, 5 y/o. Prior race 24Aug08. Vanned off after finishing 9/10.
7/5/09 Race 4. 30K Maiden Opt Claiming. Fooled By Passion, 3 y/o filly, first time starter. Finished 7/7 and vanned off.
Evangeline
6/17/09 Race 3. 5K Claiming. Our Shining Quest, 5 y/o. Broke down and vanned off.
6/24/09 Race 5. 5K Claiming. Or Else, 4 y/o. Pulled up on turn, vanned off.
6/26/09 Race 6. 5K Claiming. Personal Finessa, 5 y/o mare. Prior race 16Mar07. Pulled up in stretch and vanned off.
6/26/09 Race 9. 10K Claiming. C S C Jolly Mollie, 4 y/o filly. Stumbled, eased and vanned off.
7/2/09 Race 3. 10K Claiming. Shawklit Shaker, 4 y/o making first career start. Broke down, fell and vanned off.
7/2/09 Race 4. 5K Claiming. Almostaberry Mary, 4 y/o filly. Mean Queen, 4 y/o filly. Lame and vanned off after finishing 7/8.
7/4/09 Race 1. Pierre LeBlanc Memorial. Very Sexcessful, 4 y/o filly. Pulled up on turn and vanned off.
Fairmount
7/3/09 Race 2. 3200 Claiming. Partners Silver, 5 y/o. Broke down on turn and vanned off.
7/3/09 Race 8. 3200 Claiming. Rudy’s Finest, 9 y/o. Prior Race 20Jun09. Broke down on turn, pulled up and vanned off.
Fair Meadows
6/20/09 Race 3. MSW. Ms Ok Storm Day, 4 y/o filly. Pulled up in the stretch and vanned off, DNF.
6/25/09 Race 5. 15K Claiming. Galaxys Secretary, 3 y/o filly. Finished 1/8 and vanned off.
7/2/09 Race 3. MSW. Smolderin Memories, 5 y/o mare. Finished 8/9, bled and vanned off.
7/3/09 Race 7. MSW. Redheaded Wolf, 4 y/o filly. Prior race 11Sept08. Pulled up mid stretch and vanned off.
Finger Lakes
6/26/09 Race 3. 15K Claiming. Challenger’s Song, 6 y/o. Prior race 18Jun09. Sore and vanned off after finishing 7/7.
6/30/09 Race 1. 12.5K Claiming. A P Gracie, 3 y/o filly. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
Flagstaff
7/2/09 Race 6. 2K Claiming. Amuse Me, 5 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 5/7.
Grants Pass
7/3/09 Race 7. 2500 Claiming. Ahts, 5 y/o. Prior race 21Jun09. Fell and vanned off. Euthanized.
6/21/09 Race 12. Inclement Weather, 9 y/o. Went wrong and vanned off.
Hastings
7/4/09 Race 3. 17.5K Claiming. Nkwala, 3 y/o. Broke down and fell, DNF.
Hollywood
6/20/09 Race 2. 22.5K Claiming. Irish Cowgal, 3 y/o filly, first time starter. Vanned off after finishing 11/12
6/21/09 Race 6. 32K Claiming. Deification, 3 y/o first time starter. Vanned off and DNF.
6/27/09 Race 7. MSW. Jordanelle, 4 y/o filly first time starter. Pulled up early and vanned off.
6/27/09 Race 8. 16K Claiming. Startin Fresh, 5 y/o mare. Vanned off after finishing 4/9.
7/2/09 Race 2. 8K Claiming. Runaway Cozzene, 6 y/o mare. Vanned off after finishing 4/7.
7/5/09 Race 2. (Turf) 32K Claiming. My City By the Bay, 6 y/o. Vanned off lame after taking a bad step. Finished 6/6.
Indiana Downs
6/24/09 Race 6. 5K Claiming. Could B Pocahontas, 4 y/o filly. Finished 12/12 and vanned off.
6/24/09 Race 7. (Turf) ALW. Mo Faster, 5 y/o. Finished 3/12 but vanned off. Prior race 15Jun09.
6/27/09 Race 6. MSW. Down the Track, 4 y/o. Finished 5/9 but vanned off.
6/30/09 Race 7. (Turf) ALW. Extonia, 3 y/o filly. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
7/1/09 Race 7. (Turf) 12.5K Claiming. Chosen Chief, 10 y/o. Finished 6/7 and vanned off.
7/3/09 Race 5. 5K Claiming. Git R Done Jackson, 4 y/o. Prior race 5Oct08.Vanned off after finishing 10/12.
La Downs
6/20/09 Race 10. 5K Claiming. I’m a Country Boy, 5 y/0. Prior start 4Apr09. Broke down on turn and DNF.
Lethbridge
6/28/09 Race 4. 3300 Claiming. Wayne Manor, 4 y/o. Pulled up early and vanned off.
Lincoln Fair
6/18/09 Race 7. 2500 Claiming. Slewkey Slew, 7 y/o. Pulled up on turn lame and vanned off.
6/21/09 Race 6. 2500 Claiming. Jack the Ritter, 6 y/o. Prior race 11Jun09. Lame after finishing 6/7 and vanned off.
Lone Star
6/25/09 Race 9. 15K Claiming. Faith in Van, 4 y/o filly. Finished 9/10 but vanned off.
6/26/09 Race 2. 15K Claiming. Jodysues Seattle, 3 y/o filly. Went wrong and vanned off.
6/27/09 Race 10. (Turf) 20K Claiming. Stormy Explosion, 3 y/o filly. Went wrong and vanned off, DNF.
7/3/09 Race 1. (Turf) 25K Claiming. Raceaway, 4 y/o. Went wrong and DNF.
7/3/09 Race 8. 7500 Claiming. Terrior Cat, 5 y/o. Pulled up on turn and DNF.
Los Alamitos
6/18/09 Race 3. 2K Claiming. Robert’s Star, 6 y/o. Pulled up on turn and vanned off, DNF.
6/20/09 Race 1. 2500 Claiming. Howard’s Gift, 4 y/o. Broke down and vanned off, Sottovoce, Mischabel and Ms Paint It Black could not avoid him and fell.
6/28/09 Race 3. 2K Claiming. Wins the Prize, 5 y/o. Pulled up in stretch and vanned off, DNF.
Monmouth
6/28/09 Race 1. 25K Claiming. Hold Dance, 3 y/o. Prior race 21Jun09. Broke down and fell after finishing 5/6.
7/2/09 Race 6. 35K Claiming. Mia Loon, 2 y/o. Prior race 18Jun09. Broke down entering the turn and DNF.
Mountaineer
6/19/09 Race 2. 5K Claiming. Phone Rate, 3 y/o. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
6/21/09 Race 4. ALW. She’s a Minardi, 4 y/o. Pulled up “Bad” after finishing 2/8 and vanned off.
6/21/09 Race 7. 5K Claiming. Kung **** Slew, 5 y/o. Finished 5/7 and vanned off.
6/29/09 Race 6. 5K Claiming. Carolina Tripper, 5 y/o mare. Vanned off after finishing 6/7.
6/30/09 Race 4. 5K Claiming. Two Cobras, 5 y/o. Finished 8/8 but took bad step near wire and vanned off.
7/4/09 Race 9. Salvatore Mile. Runforthedoe (Brz), 4 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 7/8.
Penn National
6/17/09 Race 3. 4K Claiming. It’s a Perfect Day, 8 y/o. Lame in stretch and vanned off. DNF.
6/18/09 Race 6. 10K Claiming. Get the Silver, 3 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 5/7.
Philadelphia
7/5/09 Race 7. Starter ALW. Cloud of Smoke, 3 y/o. Eased and vanned off, DNF.
Prairie Meadow
6/19/09 Race 5. 7500 Claiming. Catch Chimes, 4 y/o filly. Prior race 8Jun09. Broke down on turn and DNF.
6/20/09 Race 5. 12.5K Claiming. Tribute to Tom D, 4 y/o. Prior race 6Jun09. Broke down and DNF.
Pleasanton
7/3/09 Race 9. 3200 Claiming. Quick Song, 6 y/o. Went wrong, pulled up and vanned off.
Prairie Meadow
6/20/09 Race 2. MSW. Vet Scratched, 3 y/o. Pulled up in stretch and vanned off after finishing 7/7.
6/22/09 Race 8. ALW. He’sabigcat, 3 y/o. Prior race 8Jun09. Pulled up early and DNF.
6/23/09 Race 3. MSW. Eston’s Glitter, 3 y/o. Finished 5/7 but vanned off.
6/26/09 Race 9. Iowa Derby. Terrain, 3 y/o. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF. Euthanized.
7/4/09 Race 2. 7500 Claiming. Tollgate Molly, 4 y/o filly. Vanned off after finishing 5/5.
Presque Isle Downs
6/18/09 Race 4. 15K Claiming. Rossini’s Riddle, 3 y/o. Broke down early and DNF.
6/28/09 Race 8. 7500 Claiming. Isle of Wight, 4 y/o. Prior race 15Jun09. Bad step, pulled up and vanned off.
7/1/09 Race 2. 7500 Claiming. Kendalloo, 3 y/o filly. Broke down late stretch, vanned off and DNF.
River Downs
6/26/09 Race 3. 4K Claiming. **** Roi, 7 y/o. Vanned off and DNF.
7/3/09 Race 8. 7500 Claiming. Sharp Lil Miss, 5 y/o mare. Eased and vanned off early, DNF.
7/4/09 Race 7. Tryconnell’s Irish, 3 y/o filly. Finished 2/8 and vanned off.
7/5/09 Race 5. 4K Claiming. Ombra, 5 y/o. Prior race 27Jun09. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
Ruidoso
6/26/09 Race 8. 10K Claiming. Doulabella’s Baby, 3 y/o filly. Vanned off after finishing 9/9.
6/27/09 Race 5. 4K Claiming. Sweetghostrun, 4 y/o filly. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
7/4/09 Race 9. 5K Claiming. Cobra Man, 5 y/o. Prior race 29May07 at Del. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
7/5/09 Race 7. 7500 Claiming. Nothins News, 3 y/o. Pulled up on turn and vanned off. Had broken through the gate.
Stockton
6/21/09 Race 4. 8K Claiming. Speedy Justice, 5 y/o. Prior race 20Dec08. Pulled up and vanned off, DNF.
6/24/09 Race 7. 12.5K Claiming. Kenya Skye, 4 y/o filly. Prior start 8Nov08. Stumbled, lost rider and vanned off after going 1/4 mile riderless.
SunRay
6/25/09 Race 8. 5K Claiming. Hollywoodhighlight, 5 y/o mare. Prior race 9Jan09. Eased and vanned off, DNF.
Thistledown
6/20/09 Race 4. 3500 Claiming. Somepeoplechange, 6 y/o. Broke down stretch and DNF.
6/25/09 Race 7. 4K Claiming. Stormy Groom, 5 y/o. Broke down stretch and DNF.
Woodbine
6/17/09 Race 3. MSW. Oliver’s Strike, 3 y/o. Broke down (later reported to have suffered a heart attack) and was dead upon arrival of the track vet. Kensington Oval and Naval Strike both were involved in the incident but were reportedly unharmed.
Yapavi
6/20/09 race 2. MSW. Signing Sis, 2 y/o. Finished 2/8 but vanned off.
6/22/09 Race 5. 2500 Claiming. Morning Watch, 9 y/0. Prior race 26Apr09. Finished 5/10 and vanned off.
6/30/09 Race 5. 2500 Claiming. Holding Serve, 7 y/o. Vanned off after finishing 10/10.
July 7th, 2009 at 8:02 am
joe, great post!
the drf should run a list like this every week. but you would not find it in the bloodhorse or any vet or hbpa publication!
July 7th, 2009 at 9:54 am
pa male, thanks but a sad thanks. Only a the known euthanized horses are listed. Equibase is very inconsistent with reporting vanned-off, death and euthanasia. Another 20 injured Quarter horses or so are missing from that disturbing list.
This list should be posted on DRF each week or the Paulick Report under “Bad News Monday”.
The list should include breeding, distance, track condition, owner, trainer, jockey, drugs, etc. to help discover destructive trends, expose destructive horsemen and drugs to prevent injuries and short fields. Though the JC is tracking injuries and fatalities in secretive fashion, it should track horses for several months and record the outcome of all stable area, training and racing incidents and accidents in order to produce true fatality numbers including horses that don’t survive surgery and those sent to slaughter following injury and/or being placed on a vet list.
All JC numbers should then be posted quarterly to prevent injuries. So far, the industry has chosen to let its shady business fester in the dark to avoid change.
July 7th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Yet again, Bernborough, I thank you for your info (the article) and candid remarks which research has proven you are correct — since the advent of drugs, there are less starts per horse and more breakdowns. (per the Congressional hearing testimony from June 19, 2008.) Surely the track vets are not willing to bypass their income from the pre-race bute and lasix!
However, if they are so concerned about the horses needing those medications, then why don’t they insist that the regulatory veterinarians perform full hands on lameness exams? I recently sought a well-broke horse needing to be sound for down-the-road use at walk/trot only. That horse received a lameness examination that racehorses do not even receive when each time they go out, even for morning training, lives are actually at stake — not to mention deceiving bettors into thinking the field is equal and fair. What’s wrong with that picture?
Which brings me to Joe’s outstanding post #16 above detailing only those horses that were known to have been euthanized and did you notice the DATES??? Includes only PART of June and the beginning of July!! Bravo to you for getting this information out there. Please keep posting! How many people placed blood bets on those horses and rose to their feet to scream and cheer as they were whipped to race with their pre-existing injuries?
There was just much to-do in the press when Delaware Park received accreditation by Alex Waldrop’s Safety and Alliance Committee and they are the — drum roll, please — the FOURTH track to be so accredited! Over a year after Alex Waldrop’s testimony before Congress that racing does not need outside oversight, that they expect the support of all 38 racing jurisdictions by the end of 2008, and they have FOUR tracks that they have accredited? In addition, the NY tracks have refused to do necropsies that were called the gold standard for discovering why a horse died yet they were still accredited! And people are expected to believe what these people say?
Please, read the article in the link below that places the blame for declining handle to increased admissions and food prices and let them know the vast other reasons that have been mentioned here on this forthright and serious discussion.
http://postparade.blogspot.com/2009/07/handle-is-declining-and-im-cause.html
July 8th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Thanks Jo Anne!
Ray, could you post racing incidents monthly or quarterly?
July 11th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Agree with Jo Anne’s comments about regarding deceptive tactics at racetracks to make injured horses race. This ABUSE must stop.
Joe, excellent post. Let’s hope Ray Paulick posts your important and vital information.