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We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.

Animal Defenders of Westchester
P.O. Box 205
Yonkers, NY 10704

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Stop Horse Racing

Racehorses' leg broken- Letters needed

On May 16 we asked activists to respond to a reply to our anti-horseracing letter that appeared in the NY DAILY NEWS (which is included at the bottom of this alert).  Since that time, the subject of my letter, Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, has shattered his leg and is in grave condition.  Please use the information below to write to every single news source that reports on Barbaro's injury:

Derby winner Barbaro has just shattered his leg at the beginning of a race; they are reporting he is likely to die.  Below is a partial list of recent leg injuries of race horses (which that site offers just to make better bets!); add to it 'Lawyer Ron,' who was supposed to run against Barbardo in the Derby but couldn't due to a 'slight' ankle injury (which makes a total of FIFTEEN SUCH INJURIES in 2006):

(See my note re Barbaro at the end)

(From the Churchill-Downs website www.roadtotheroses.com/G=31/off_the_trail.phtml)

Trainers, veterinarians and grooms do everything in their power to keep horses healthy and sound, but racehorses still get hurt from time to time. "Off The Trail" is essential reading to stay abreast of reports on injuries and setbacks to Visa Triple Crown nominees before making your stable selections. It is especially important in making decisions on the activity status of horses in your stable.  Injury reports or other problems will be listed below with the most recent reports on top. Reports come from an owner, trainer or the media. The source of the report is listed in italics.

Latest Injury Reports:

4.21.2006 - John Velazquez - Fractured scapula and is likely to miss the Kentucky Derby. - Daily Racing Form

3.31.2006 - Achilles of Troy - Off the Kentucky Derby Trail with a torn suspensory. - Daily Racing Form

3.31.2006 - Henny Hughes - Off the Triple Crown Trail and is pointing for a midsummer campaign in North America. - Daily Racing Form

3.22.2006 - Corinthian - who was disqualified from first in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, has suffered a minor fracture of his left hind ankle and will miss the entire Triple Crown series, his connections said Wednesday. - Daily Racing Form

3.07.2006 - Your Tent Or Mine - Off the Triple Crown Trail with a foot injury - Thoroughbred Times

3.07.2006 - Latent Heat - According to trainer Bobby Frankel, his colt bucked his shins a little bit in the Santa Catalina and will not make the Kentucky Derby - Daily Racing Form

3.05.2006 - Catcominatcha - The Eddie Kenneally trainee suffered a fatal injury in the running of the March 4th Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

3.03.2006 - Barbican - Off the Derby Trail with a fractured right hind ankle - Churchill Downs Release

2.28.2006 - Peace Chant - Recent runner up in the Gr. II San Vicente has been pronounced off the Triple Crown trail by trainer Richard Mandella due to injury - Santa Anita Release

2.19.2006 - Half Ours - Undefeated winner of the Three Chimneys Juvenile at two has been turned out at Ocala and is off the Derby trail - Blood-horse

2.11.2006 - Cindago - $900,000 2-year-old-in-training purchase and exciting 3-year-old is off the Derby trail with an unspecified injury - Santa Anita release

2.11.2006 - One Union - trainer Richard Mandella reports his colt is off the Derby trail with a bone chip to his knee - Santa Anita release

2.08.2006 - Sorcerer's Stone - winner of the Grade III Arlington-Washington Futurity last fall in Chicago, has been knocked off the Kentucky Derby trail with an ankle injury. - Louisville Courier-Journal

2.06.2006 - Stevie Wonderboy - suffered a condylar fracture of the right front leg during a workout Monday morning and will miss the Kentucky Derby. - Blood-horse


NOTE RE BARBARO: According to an AP article by Richard Rosenblatt on May 7, 2006, Barbaro 'stumbled out of the gate' at the Derby; the article ended " As he watched his colt coming down the stretch, the trainer said he had one thought: "Don't fall down." (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/1%2C1249%2C635205522%2C00.html)

DID THEY HAVE AN INDICATION THIS ANIMAL ALREADY HAD LEG PROBLEMS??


Subject: Letters needed-NY DAILY NEWS

This pro-horseracing letter appeared in today's NY DAILY NEWS (www.nydailynews.com) 5/18 in response to my published letter on May 12; my letter is below, his letter follows.  This person can't read correctly, for one thing - and the facts in our letter are 100% accurate.  He either has a vested interest or wants to believe a fairy tale.  

Sport of kings?

Published in the NY DAILY NEWS www.nydailynews.com, May 12, 2006:

Yonkers: Voicer Virgilio Carballo uses a racehorse, Barbaro, to promote the assimilation of immigrants in America - but why would he want to make his case using animal cruelty as an example? Investigation reveals an industry rife with greed, abuse and scandal. As Bill Finley once wrote in the Daily News: "The thoroughbred racehorse is a genetic mistake. It runs too fast, its frame is too large and its legs are far too small. As long as mankind demands that it run at high speeds under stressful conditions, horses will die at racetracks." (And don't forget that whip in the jockey's hand.) Racehorses are overbred. Those that don't make the cut go straight to auction - a disgusting, heartless place where these beautiful animals are treated like disposable garbage. The immigrant issue is controversial enough without aligning it with a "sport" that should be banned.

Kiley Blackman


Playing the race card

Stewart Manor, N.Y.: To Voicer Kiley Blackman, who thinks thoroughbred horse racing is cruel: The thoroughbred is the best-cared-for animal in the world, and race tracks are far from the disgusting, heartless places you describe.

John Buonagura

Please respond to this gentleman's letter; very little is written in opposition to horseracing - don't let them get the last word.  There is a lot of info on this subject on our website www.adow.org (CAMPAIGNS - STOP HORSERACING).  The NYSRA was just accused of withholding millions  from employees' pension plans.  You can also refer to the fact that the best evidence indicates that Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand wound up on a dinner plate in Japan. (peta.org).

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