![]() ![]() |
Animal Defenders of Westchester |
|
![]()
Home Page We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts. Animal Defenders of Westchester |
Articles Death of a Derby Winner Published in Blood-Horse magazine
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=17051 Death of a Derby Winner: Slaughterhouse Likely Fate for Ferdinand by Ray
Paulick Date Posted: 7/25/2003 Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner who went on to capture the
following year's Horse of the Year title with a dramatic victory over 1987
Derby hero Alysheba in the Breeders' Cup Classic, is dead. The Blood-Horse
has learned the big chestnut son of Nijinsky II died sometime in 2002, most
likely in a slaughterhouse in Japan, where his career at stud was
unsuccessful. Reporter Barbara Bayer, as detailed in an exclusive story in
the July 26 issue of The Blood-Horse, attempted to learn of Ferdinand's
whereabouts after a member of the Howard Keck family that owned and bred the
horse inquired about having him returned to the United States, where he
began his career at stud. As a racehorse, Ferdinand won eight of 29 starts
and earned $3,777,978, retiring as what was then the fifth leading money
winner of all time. His victory in the Kentucky Derby gave trainer Charlie
Whittingham his first success in that classic, and it was the final career
Derby win for jockey Bill Shoemaker. Ferdinand was retired to stud in 1989 at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Ky.,
where he was foaled. His initial stud fee was $30,000 live foal, but he
achieved little success as a stallion from his first few crops of runners.
Sold to Japan's JS Company in the fall of 1994 at a time when Japanese
breeding farms were aggressively pursuing American and European breeding
stock, Ferdinand spent six breeding seasons at Arrow Stud on the northern
island of Hokkaido, from 1995-2000. Initially popular with local breeders
(he was mated to 77 mares his first year), Ferdinand was bred to just 10
mares in his final year at Arrow, and his owners opted to get rid of him.
After efforts by the farm staff to place Ferdinand with a riding club
failed, he passed into the hands of a Monbetsu, Japan, horse dealer named
Yoshikazu Watanabe and left the farm Feb. 3, 2001. No attempt was made to
contact either the Keck family or Claiborne Farm. Bayer at first was told by Watanabe that Ferdinand had been "given to a
friend." When she asked for more information, she was told Ferdinand "was
gelded and I think he's at a riding club far away from here." In fact,
records showed Ferdinand was bred to six mares in 2001 and then two in 2002.
He spent a period of time at Goshima Farm near Niikappu, where a former
handler at Arrow Stud had seen him. Finally, when Bayer told Watanabe she wanted to see Ferdinand, the story
changed yet again. "Actually, he isn't around anymore," she was told. "He
was disposed of late last year." Ferdinand's registration in Japan was
annulled Sept. 1, 2002, Bayer learned. "In Japan, the term 'disposed of' is used to mean slaughtered," Bayer
wrote in The Blood-Horse. "No one can say for sure when and where Ferdinand
met his end, but it would seem clear he met it in a slaughterhouse." "Unfortunately, to those well-versed in the realities beyond the glitter
and glory of the racetrack, it comes as no surprise," Bayer wrote.
"Ferdinand's story is the story of nearly every imported stallion in Japan
at that point in time when the figures no longer weigh in his favor. In a
country where racing is kept booming by the world's highest purses and
astronomical betting revenues, Ferdinand's fate is not the exception. It is
the rule." "That's just disgusting," said Dell Hancock, whose family operates
Claiborne Farm, upon hearing the news of Ferdinand's likely fate. "It's so
sad, but there is nothing anyone can do now except support John Hettinger's
efforts to stop the slaughter of Thoroughbreds in this country. That
wouldn't change anything in Japan...to have this happen to a Derby winner is
just terrible." While the Japanese are among the societies that consume horse meat, it is
more likely a slaughtered Thoroughbred would be used for pet food, since the
meat consumed by humans is a certain breed of horse raised specifically for
that purpose. The slaughter of no longer useful imported breeding stock and
many domestic Japanese Thoroughbreds is not uncommon. Shortages of land and
the high cost of maintaining a pensioned horse are reasons slaughter is
considered an alternate. As in the U.S., where slaughter is also an option
available for horse owners, a number of organizations are attempting to
provide homes for retired and pensioned racehorses, stallions, and mares.
The Japan Racing Association funds one program that currently benefits 90
horses. Among the people Bayer met and spoke with while trying to learn of
Ferdinand's fate was Toshiharu Kaibazawa, who worked as a stallion groom at
Arrow Stud during the horse's years there. He called the former champion
"the gentlest horse you could imagine. He'd come over when I called to him
in the pasture. And anyone could have led him with just a halter on him. ...
He'd come over to me and press his head up against me. He was so sweet." "I want to get angry about what happened to him," Kaibazawa added. "It's
just heartless, too heartless." Fair Use Notice: This document may contain
copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the
copyright owners. We believe that this not-for-profit, educational use on
the Web constitutes a fair use of the copyrighted material (as provided for
in section 107 of the US Copyright Law). If you wish to use this copyrighted
material for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner. |
Your comments and
inquiries are welcome
This site is hosted and maintained by:
The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation
Thank you for visiting all-creatures.org.
Since