Read about Copper N Cash and Paint Me Mo Famous – and then try to defend horse racing – Horse Racing Mistakes

Through a FOIA request to the Nevada Gaming Board, I have confirmed the following murders on that state’s racetracks in 2025. Note: Nevada only had 9 days of racing last year.

One Smokin Moon, August 17, White Pine R
“Switch during the third race. The horse was able to be loaded into the ambulance and removed from the track. Due to the severity of the injury, the horse was humanely euthanized after consultation with the trainer and owner.” One Smokin was five years old.

Copper N Cash, August 30, Elko R
“Broken after crossing the finish line. A brief examination on the track revealed instability of the fetlock joint with palpable fractures. The horse was able to be loaded into the ambulance and removed from the track. The horse was [then] euthanized.” “Pangible fractures” – yet they still loaded this poor boy into the ambulance. They added: “The state veterinarian performed a brief necropsy and noted severe cartilage tear lines and erosion on the pastern and metacarpal.” Had to be old, right? No, Copper was two years old, and get this: he had raced exactly one week earlier (his first ever). Assholes.

Paint Me Mo Famous, September 1, Elko R
“Catastrophic collapse due to the horse being cut off by another rider. The horse was driven straight down into the ground and turned end over end. The horse had a complete luxation of the RF pastern – which was open and severely contaminated – [and] a secondary injury above the left carpal. The horse was able to be loaded onto the trailer and removed from the track before being humanely euthanized.” An open – through the skin – fracture, and like the two above, was loaded and taken away before being euthanized. I simply run out of words. Paint Me was three and this was her third race in less than a month.

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