Oregon: “Extensive exposure of the bone and surrounding fascia, which is covered with a thick layer of dirt and debris.”; Another victim developed pneumonia and ‘dozens of ulcers’ – Horse racing mistakes

Through a FOIA request to the Oregon Racing Commission, I have confirmed the next killings at that state’s tracks in 2025. However, this comes with major caveats. First of all, I know about a murder last year (Lusma). not included in the FOIA response (Oregon’s administration has always been sloppy). Furthermore, the Commission has not reported any training/stall kill. Naturally, I brought all of this to the attention of the Executive Director:

Me: “Good morning. Do you have no information about training and deaths in the stables? No reflection on you as you can only report what you have received, but having done this for a long time it is likely that there have also been deaths during morning training or in the stables. Also, Lusma, who suffered a breakdown in a race at Grants Pass on October 5, has filed a death report with the Jockey Club. Perhaps her connections never informed your office? And finally, there were two other horses that ‘rode away’ that did so.” not returned to racing: Racer Lucero, June 6, Eastern Oregon – ‘went wrong’; Could you check them?”

ED: “I do know that there was one death due to colic during training. However, I only got the information third hand. It was at Grants Pass.”

Me: “So the riders/tracks are not required to report training/stable deaths? And do you have a name/date of the one you heard about?”

ED: “That’s a new policy that we’re just now implementing. I don’t have the name.”

Me: “So for the record, the Commission has no knowledge of horses dying in training or back in their stables? With such an emphasis on greater transparency in other racing states, this seems rather regressive.”

ED: “We are in the process of resolving this. The one who died, we spoke to the general manager, who is relatively new, and we emphasized the importance of this.”

So there you have it. (Note: There is some version of this – let’s call them information gaps). most other states.) Anyway, here are the two that shipped, and how ugly they are:

Re Sicario, June 21, Grants Pass R
“Complete, comminuted fracture involving the proximal humeral physis and metaphysis, the right and left elbow; severe soft tissue hemorrhage.” That’s right And left. Also: “bilateral degeneration of humeral cartilage.” Also: “severe stomach ulcers – dozens of ulcers.” And finally: “severe, chronic pneumonia.” The pathologist further said: “In my opinion [the pulmonary disease] is sufficiently severe to cause some degree of clinical symptoms – for example, runny nose, coughing, reduced exercise performance.” So they raced this poor boy, only three, with pneumonia, not to mention ‘dozens of ulcers’. Murderers and bastards.

Hot Dusty Moon, August 9, Tillamook R
“Severe, acute, open, complete, comminuted fracture of the distal right radius.” They added: “There is extensive exposure of the bone and surrounding fascia, which is covered in a thick layer of dirt and debris.” And of course: “multifocal to coalescing ulcers.” Hot Dusty was four years old.

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