The following 23 horses were scratched from races at Golden Gate and Los Alamitos – over just five racedays. Again, it’s more than just the killing.

Tyche Awaits You, injured
Marando Pass, unsound
Bottle of Smoke, sick
Fuente, unsound on track
Continental Union, injured
Slight Approval, unsound
Mary Margaret, injured
Amanda Rose, injured
Reservoir, injured
Lady of the Light, injured in paddock
Smilingatthemoon, injured
Lover Boy Tom, sick
Ketanji, sick
No Eres Tu Soy Yo, sick
Bye Bye Boodle, injured
Desert Dude, sick
Fly Buddy Fly, sick
Do You Hear That, unsound
Runkerry, sick
It’s a Riddle, injured
Thisonesforbarry, injured
Tom Bombadil, unsound
Party Town, injured

There was also this from the LA stewards:

“In the 8th race Dec 11, Jockey Eduardo Nicasio used the crop about 14 times, including striking more than two times without giving the horse a chance to respond and using the crop in the upright position.” That’s three for three on the new whip rules. And no ignorance was claimed: “Mr. Nicasio stated that he knew the rule and knew he had violated it.” Nicasio was aboard 2-year-old Cyber Attack. The race, a QuarterHorse, was only 400 yards. It took Cyber (who “won”) about 19 1/2 seconds to cover that distance – which means he was whipped almost continuously.

In the exact same race, jockey Juan Leon did the exact same thing – 14, more than two, upright position – to Mahomes Magic, also just two. While Mahomes finished last, he still did it in about 20 seconds.

Each of the above was fined and suspended ten days. Steep by racing standards, but ten days for administering brutal beatings to practical babies? Disgusting.

And finally, on a bit of a lighter note, at Golden Gate Dec 10:

“Stewards held an informal hearing for Trainer Monte Meier and his wife Owner Donna Perrone, [who] were involved in an alleged incident in front of the grandstand at the Alameda County Fair July 1. Meier and Perrone became angry, loud, and confrontational when arguing the results of a claim for a horse that went to another trainer. The reported confrontation occurred in front of the viewing public and reflected negatively on horse racing.”

So that, and not the everyday cruelty and wholesale carnage, is what “reflects negatively on horse racing”? Speechless.