DEATHWATCH - Horse Racing Kills

DEATHWATCHREPORT 2018Prepared by theCoalition for the Protection of Racehorses

ABOUT1ABOUTDeathwatch Report 2018 is the fifth annual report that summarises all ontrackdeaths of racehorses around Australia over the past 12 months.Research and production is by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses.This report was initiated because the racing industry does not collate and publishspecific information relating to on course horse deaths themselves.From the period 1st of August 2017 to 31st of July 2018 (the ‘racing year’), wehave monitored every race Australia-wide and gathered data on the deaths ofracehorses on Australian racetracks.The 2017-2018death tollThe toll for this racing year is 119 horses 16 less than last yearThepercentagesThe 119 horses that died on track during thisperiod represent 0.34% of the approx 35,000horses racing each year.In addition tothese deathsMany thousands of horses die every yearfrom racing related injuries off the track intraining or they are killed prematurely whenthey are no longer commercially viable.It’s the tip ofthe icebergMany thousands more disappear or cycleout of the racing industry, also known aswastage.Web design & development for Company Name5

SOURCES OF DATA KEY FINDINGSData for the Deathwatch Report hasbeen gathered from each state’s officialstewards reports, which are publishedon the individual state websites, aswell as the Australian Racing Fact Bookand various media outlets.119 RACEHORSESWERE KILLEDON TRACK (ORSOON AFTERRACING): MOSTCOMMONLY FORCATASTROPHICFRONT LIMBINJURYTHE STATE WITHTHE HIGHESTRECORDEDDEATHS WASNSW (52)FOLLOWED BYVIC (24) ANDQLD (24)It is important to note that moststates do not report deaths whiletraining or in trials. From this, itcan be drawn that if these deathswere disclosed, the total numberof deaths would be far higher.ON AVERAGEONE HORSEWILL DIE ON ANAUSTRALIANRACE TRACKEVERY 3 DAYS16 HORSESCOLLAPSED ANDDIED11 HORSES DIEDFROM CARDIACCAUSES4 HORSES DIEDFROM BLEEDS46 OF THEHORSES THATWERE KILLEDHAD BEENRACED AS A2-YEAR-OLD7 OF THE HORSESWERE 2 WHENTHEY DIEDTHE MOSTLETHAL TRACKIN AUSTRALIAWAS WARWICKFARM IN NEWSOUTH WALESWITH 9 DEATHSSPECIFIC INJURIES INCLUDE BROKEN NECK, BROKEN PELVIS,RUPTURED AORTA, BROKEN HUMERUS.OTHERS ARE SIMPLY CATEGORISED AS ‘SERIOUS RACINGINJURY’ WITH LITTLE TO NO DETAILS DISCLOSED.Web design & development for Company Name9

CAUSES OF DEATH COMPARISON TOOTHER YEARSOf the 119 horses that died on track,by far the most common causeof death was catastrophic frontlimb injury with 56 occurrences.Catastrophic hind limb injury was thesecond leading cause of death with17 occurrences. Other causes of deathwere massive bleeds and cardiacfailure.COMPARISON TOOTHER YEARSIn 2014, there were 125 deaths. This is one death every 2.9 days.In 2015, there were 116 deaths. This is one death every 3 days.In 2016, there were 132 deaths. This is one death every 2.8 days.In 2017, there were 137 deaths. This is one death every 2.6 days.Web design & development for Company Name7

STILL ACTIVE ‘UNNAMED’At the time of writing this report,some of the horses named are stilllisted as ‘active’ on Racing Australia- some of whom have been dead foralmost a year. Racing Australia mustbe more proactive and regularlyupdate horses as ‘deceased’ to bemore transparent and not to misleadthe public.‘ACTIVE’ (AS AT 1 AUGUST 2018)ScotsdaleSidillyJosanemaCharson’s Gift Chief Pontiac Musgrey HillGrateful Hussy Bernie BoyBregenzSeektowinSpringbok FlyerBilly CanAbout The JourneyMr McbuStickemupOskastarShakhanSomething To ShareNOTE: THESE HORSES WERE CHECKED FOR THE FINALTIME AT 1 AUGUST 2018; AND COULD SINCE HAVEBEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THEIR TRUE STATUS.‘UNNAMED’ HORSESSome of the horses in this report are listed as ‘unnamed’. These are horses who have usually died duringtrackwork or training before being given an official racing name.The only state to disclose such deaths is New South Wales. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorseshas been calling on other states to include trackwork, trial and training deaths in their stewards reports toprovide a more accurate picture of racing deaths across the country.Web design & development for Company Name7

STATISTICSDEATHSBYSTATESit in populo nostrumDEATHSfacilisis, mei nulla essentBYat.No eos oratio utinamvoluptatibus. Cu sed loremCAUSEelectram accusamus.FIRST PLACE / 2015BEST PRINT CAMPAIGNDicam recteque scripseritad sit. Eu habeo volutpatphilosophia mea. Ut eiusgraecis epicuri pro, no viditaliquip reprimique est.THIRD PLACE / 2014BEST AD CAMPAIGNDEATHS BY DISCIPLINE*It should be noted that the vast majority of races run in Australia are flat races,with jumps racing only being run on a limited season in Victoria and SouthAustralia. Jumps racing remains 19 times more dangerous than flat racing.Te pertinax repudiandaehis, numquam principesper ut. Mei et sumoaccommodare. Vis ingraecis omittam ea.FIRST PLACE / 2013BEST PRINT CAMPAIGNRACED AS A 2-YEAR-OLDWeb design & development for Company Name11*Many of the horses who did not race as a 2-year-old were in fact raced as a3-year-old, which is still an under-developed stage.

CASE STUDIESCASE STUDIESJOSANEMASURVIVEDNever ran a raceThe ironically namedJosanema was a 4-year-old racehorse who neverran a race. He died in trackwork at Newcastleracecourse on the 8th of November 2017.Survived didn’t survive the racing industry. He diedof a catastrophic hind limb injury.Just one week later on the 15th of November2017, 4-year-old gelding Somashini also died intrackwork at Warwick Farm. He never ran a raceeither, and died of ‘catastrophic fractures of theneck and skull’.If these deaths had have occured in any otherstate, we’d never know about them. Only NewSouth Wales disclose trackwork and trial deaths.13The 8-year-old gelding ‘broke down’ atMorphettville in South Australia and fractured hisnear hind cannon bone.He joins other ironically named horses like ‘GraveDigger’ and ‘He’s Tough Enough’ who also died thisracing year.www.company.comIMAGE: IAN CURRIE

CASE STUDIESCASE STUDIESLANDONPRIVATE IDAHORaced as a babyBled to deathThere is growing concern about the racing ofunderdeveloped horses in 2-year-old racing andtraining.Bleeds are not an uncommon occurrence in horseracing. Sadly, some bleeds are so serious that itkills horses right there on the track. This is whathappened to Private Idaho.Landon’s story is yet another example of why itis simply irresponsible for the industry to allowhorses to be raced as babies.The 2-year-old gelding was training in trackworkat Randwick on 28 April 2018 and fractured hishumerus.The 5-year-old gelding started his racing career asa 2-year-old, and 3 only years later, fell and wasunable to rise. It was later discovered he died ofa bleed.He joins other horses who suffer the same fate,like 9-year-old jumps horse, About The Journey,who tumbled over a jump in a Victorian race andruptured an aorta.Web design & development for Company Name14

REGAL MONARCHMelbourne Cup Day tragedyMELBOURNE CUP TENDS TO BE THE ONLY TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THE AVERAGEPERSON HEARS ABOUT RACING DEATHS. THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEENDISASTROUS FOR THE RACING INDUSTRY, WITH MULTIPLE DEATHS: VEREMA IN2013, ADMIRE RAKTI AND ARALDO IN 2014 AND RED CADEAUX IN 2015.THE 2017 MELBOURNE CUP DAY WAS NO EXCEPTION.Regal Monarch broke a leg in race 4 at Flemington onMelbourne Cup Day and was floated from Flemington tobe euthanised at a veterinary clinic. In a desperate attemptto save face after years of catastrophe and growing publicconcern about horse racing’s social licence, the industrywaited until late that night to officially confirm his death,despite staff at Regal Monarch’s stable confirming he wasdead before the Melbourne Cup was even run.MANY SPECULATED THAT THE RACING INDUSTRY ONLY DID THIS TO AVOID BADPUBLICITY AND INTENTIONALLY WAITED UNTIL ALL MAJOR NEWS STORIES ABOUT THEDAY WERE AIRED THAT EVENING.Web design & development for Company NameRACING AUSTRALIA WERE CONTACTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONSTO CLARIFY TIMING. THEY NEVER RESPONDED.3

THE NAMESREST INPEACEELEMENT OF CHANCEUNNAMED COLTTRUE PASSIONFOUDRE BOULONPROSPECT ROADREMEMBER BERLINALABASTA BAYPURRARIBANCA DREAMUKELELE TOMUNNAMED 2YOANXPENSECESTOSRESCINDOLSSONLEPA BRENASHORT SHIFTORIENT LINESHOCKWAVE MISSWESTERN PEARLTHE PACIFIERMUSGREY HILLSCOTSDALELOMAZZOMISHANI GLADIATOR COSGROVEWESTBROOKBRING BACK TIMESIDILLYSUEDAMA SUNBANNATYNEDON’T DENY USNATADOLAASSERTIVE LOVESTAYS ALL DAYJUNCTION ROADMINNIE DOWNSTALMETNAUGHTY THOUGHTS GRATEFUL HISSYAND JUBILATIONSTRINKET CHICKSTEERINGTHE BIG BOSSKYRGIOSBERNIE BOYREGAL MONARCHKNIGHT COMMANDERBAEMAXGRAVE DIGGERRICH N HOLYNILETTELUCKY SHOWIT’S A LOTTERYJOSANEMABILL ‘N’ EVEMUKADDAMAH SONWONDER BOLTSOMASHINISEASONALRAGGLE VARRSTAR ORDERCHIPS A PLENTYBELGROVECHARSON’S GIFTCRIMSON’S ROCKETRUSTIC MELODYSIR STATHAMHULEODAPKOSDANCHAIGIRL SUNDAYCHIEF PONTIACVANILOQUIODAGGA RFUNKELHOLD MY BEERLANI GIRLURBAN CHARMLIBELLEKUROSHIO EXPRESSSUDDENLY SPICEMIDNIGHT LIAISONBREGENZRIZIZMORE THAN AHOLIDAYMANSOURASEEKTOWINSPRINGBOK FLYERIT’S RELATIVEPRIVATE IDAHOBILLY CANABOUT THE JOURNEYMR MCBUSTICKEMUPHE’S TOUGH ENOUGHSURVIVEDSOMETHING TO SHAREUISCE BEATHAOSKASTARSHAKHANMUJADALENOW AND ZENTHE WORLD OVERCLASSY ALPENNY FOR A POUNDLANDONJONDY SHAMALAMACKINGTOSHDASSAULT MIRAGETRIKSINGNZINGHANEAR QUEUEGUARDSWE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGETHE MANY HORSES THAT HAVE SUSTAINEDwww.company.comINJURIES DURING A RACE AND WERE TAKEN OFF THE TRACK TO AVOID THEIR DEATHSBEING RECORDED IN THE STEWARDS REPORTS AND HENCE BECOMING PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.

THANK YOUFOR READINGThis report was written by the Coalition for the Protection ofRacehorses.If you have any more information to share, get in touch. Wewill never divulge sources.horseracingkills.com

*It should be noted that the vast majority of races run in Australia are flat races, with jumps racing only being run on a limited season in Victoria and South Australia. Jumps racing remains 19 times more dangerous than flat racing. RACED AS A 2-YEAR-OLD *Many of the horses who did not race as a 2-year-old were in fact raced as a