While the story was focused on race horses, there were many other horses at that auction as they are each week. Their stories were not recorded and we know nothing about them other than their lives were cut short by an industry that claims they are there "helping" the horse while they profit from their flesh. Sugarcreek is a well known kill auction, but there are others across the country and every week there are wonderful kind people who are there to do whatever they can to save them. In the show we saw the colt, Little Cliff, who was saved because of his name and reputation. Thankfully, Another Chance for Horses was there for him, but there are unsung rescues around the country doing the same thing for the no name horses.
In 2007 the AHDF working with an online group were able to save 42 horses that were in the Bel-Tex feedlot waiting transport to the Juarez Mexico slaughter plant. These mare were either pregnant or had just given birth. Among them was a TB mare whose tattoo was so faded we couldn't read it. She had scars from her racing career and many pin firings. We don't know her history, but we do know that she has a bright future. She was adopted into a loving home with a girl to call her own. We called her Fiona, but she was just one of many. There was also the stunning paint mare, Phantom and her foal Arrow. The minimal paint mare Joy and her foal and so many more. Most have found new loving homes, while others are still waiting. Hopefully the HBO show will move people to action, to support the anti-slaughter bills and to want to help these slaughter bound horses because we can all use all the support we can get.
If the show or the information I provided moves you to help please visit our website for information on how you can help. Don't forget to sign up for our action alerts and updates. Our site also provides contact information for rescues nationwide where you can adopt or help horses locally.
The horses who were lost on April 18, 2008 in order that truth of this hideous cruelty could be brought to light.
No Day Off: 2004 Dark bay or brown filly. Tattoo # H19563. 10 starts 0-0-3. Earned $3,993.00. Last raced, 4-12-08 at Mountaineer Park for owner/trainer Ricardo Hernandez. No Day Off was sent to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08, only 6 days after having not been able to finish in her last race. The comment on her race record reads "gave way, eased upper stretch." No Day Off's only crime was that she was too injured to race competitively. No day off was bred by Jerome C. Burdick and was foaled in Pennsylvania. No Day Off was slaughtered in a Canadian horse slaughter plant in April of 2008 at only 4 years of age.
Balachour Prince: 2001 Bay gelding. Tattoo # E14092. 26 starts, 3-7-3. Earned $43,485.00. Last raced 4-12-08 at Mountaineer Park for trainer, Bart Baird and owner, The Estate of Dale Baird. Balachour Prince was sent to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08, only 6 days after his last race in which he finished 10th, beaten 151/2 lengths. The comment on his race record reads "lost ground, tired."
Balachour Prince was bred by G.J. Collins Bloodstock and Holly Collins and was foaled in Ontario, Canada. Balachour Prince was slaughtered in April of 2008 at 7 years of age.
Crow Autumn: 2002 Dark bay or brown mare. Tattoo #F20759. 37 starts, 0-2-4. Earned $26,370.00. Last raced 4-12-08 at Mountaineer Park for trainer Bart Baird and owner, The Estate of Dale Baird. Crow Autumn was sent to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction only 6 days after her last race in which she finished 7th beaten 171/2 lengths. The comment on her chart reads, "in tight start, tired." Crow Autumn was bred by JB Enterprises Inc., and was foaled in California. Crow Autumn was slaughtered in April of 2008 at 6 years of age.
Arranged Marriage: 2004 bay filly. Tattoo # H27783. 6 starts, 0-1-2. Earned $18,897.00. Last raced
4-7-08 at Mountaineer Park for trainer Bart Baird, owner The Estate of Dale Baird. Arranged Marriage was sent to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08, only 11 days after her last race which she did not finish. The comment on her chart reads "bad step, vanned-off." Arranged Marriage was bred by Bass/Seeligson Partnership and was foaled in California. Arranged Marriage sold for $10,500 at the Barrett's Equine Limited 2007 Fall Mixed Sale. Arranged Marriage, clearly suffering from the injuries sustained in her last race, was slaughtered in April of 2008, at merely 4 years of age.
Point of Attack: 2004 Dark bay or brown filly. Tattoo # H05614. 22 starts, 2-1-5. Earned $25,654.00. Last raced on 3-25-08 at Mountaineer Park for trainer Penny L. Mathias, and owner, The Estate of Dale Baird. Point of Attack was sold for slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08, only 25 days after her last race in which she finished 6th beaten 11- 1/2 lengths. The comment on her chart reads, " Rated pace, wore down.". Point of Attack was bred by Point Break Partners and was foaled in California. This daughter of Bertrando sold for $32,000 at the Barrett's Equine Limited 2006 Mixed Sale. Point of Attack was slaughtered in April of 2008 at only 4 years of age.
Explosive Light: 1991 Bay gelding. Tattoo # U00446. 16 starts 1-1-0. Earned $9,375.00. Explosive Light was a steeplechaser who last raced in 1997. At the time he was last raced, he was trained by F. B. Miller and owned by John H. Peace. Explosive Light was bred by Fares Farm and was foaled in Kentucky. The well bred son of Majestic Light (73) -- Explosive Tobin (86), by Explodent (69) sold at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale in 1992 for $220,000. Explosive Light was sold to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08 and was later that month slaughtered at 17 years of age, following many years of service to his human connections.
Emerald Crossing: 2002 Bay mare. Tattoo # F24713. 7 starts, 0-2-0. Earned $3,339.00. Emerald Crossing last raced on 3-8-06 at Penn National where she finished 2nd, beaten only 1-3/4 lengths. The comment on her chart reads, "3-wide, evenly stretch." At the time of her last race, Emerald Crossing was trained by George R. Albright and owned by Landslide Farm. Emerald Crossing was sold to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08. Emerald Crossing was bred by Redmond C. S. Finney and was foaled in Maryland. Emerald Crossing was slaughtered in April of 2008, at 6 years of age.
Bohica: 2002 Bay mare. Tattoo # F34049. 34 starts, 3-7-3. Earned $33,290.00. Bohica last raced 7-9-07 at Mountaineer Park for owner/trainer Ashley J. Lewis, where she finished 9th, beaten 32-1/2 lengths. Bohica was sold to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08. Bohica was bred by F. W. Allen and was foaled in Florida. Bohica was slaughtered in April of 2008, at 6 years of age.
Another Passion: 2004 Bay filly. Tattoo #H14386. Starts 2, 1-0-0. Earned $6,925.00. Another passion last raced on 6-17-06 for trainer Art Sherman and owner Frederick J. Liebau, Sr. Another Passion won her last race by 3 lengths. Another Passion was sold to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08. Another passion was bred by Janet Sexton and was foaled in California. In January of 2008 Another Passion sold for $900.00 at the Barrett's Equine Limited January 2008 Mixed Sale. Another Passion was slaughtered in April of 2008 at only 4 years of age.
November News: 2003 Dark bay or brown gelding. Tattoo # G28014. November News never raced. He was bred by Kathryn C. Schultz and was foaled in Florida. November News was sold to slaughter via the Sugarcreek Auction on 4-18-08. November News sold for $3,000 at the Ocala Breeder's Sales Company 2004 Winter Mixed Sale. November News was slaughtered in April of 2008 at only 5 years of age.
***Please note that Balachour Prince, Crow Autumn, Arranged Marriage, and Point of Attack were all owned by the Estate of Dale Baird. All but, Point of Attack (who was trained by Penny Mathias) were trained by the late Dale Baird's son, Bart Baird.
Dale Baird has been heralded as the most winning trainer in US history, winning over 9,000 races before his death in 2007. Baird has been twice nominated for consideration by Racing's Hall of Fame. Thankfully, he was denied entry both times. What a lot of people didn’t know about Dale Baird was that while he was no doubt America's winning-most trainer, he was also a man who thought nothing of sending hundreds if not thousands of horses to slaughter, once they were no longer of any use to him. He may very well have been the trainer who in his lifetime sent more horses to slaughter than any of his counterparts.
The sale of Balachour Prince, Crow Autumn, Arranged Marriage, and Point of Attack to slaughter on April 18, 2008 proves that despite Dale Baird's death, his legacy of cruelty and total disregard for the welfare of horses, continues on with his son, Bart Baird. The Baird family reign of equine cruelty must end. Dale Baird must never again be considered for entry into racing's Hall of Fame. To do so would be an insult to all true horsemen. "Trainers" such as Dale and Bart Baird have no place among the many fine horsemen within the racing industry, and they along with others like them, should be banned from racing. ***
The above information about the horses was provided by Gail Vacca who assisted in identifying the horses during the filming of the HBO show.
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3 comments:
I was happy to see more exposure to the plight of the unwanted horse in the US on HBO. However, there was so much more to the story than they were able to tell.
I just wanted to mention that there is a group trying to film a documentary, have you heard of it?
Here is the link to the information. She is trying to raise funds to make the documentary at this time. Please take a moment to visit her site. If you have already seen it, then I apologize.
http://www.voluntaryinstinct.org/id5.html
It is true that the show failed to cover all the issues. However, with the time constraints and topic they chose to cover they did do a great job. Any real exposure we have on the issue is excellent.
It would take a full length documentary to cover it all. Saying that, I know there are a few film makers who want to do documentaries on the issue. I had not heard of this one and will certainly check it out.
Thank for your support and for caring!
I am the founding editor of Racehorse Memorial Wall, Worldwide (since August 2005). Today a visitor to the memorial wrote to me about No Day Off, asking us to memorialize this racehorse who was sent to slaughter. I was appalled (as I always am) when I heard about this horse, but when I came upon your site and list of horses lost to slaughter the day No Day Off was sent, I am beside myself. I am going to list these horses and direct my readers to your site for more information and help you bring this to ever more clear and honest light. Change must come. THANK YOU for researching the individual horses lost on that shameful, brutal day. God save the horses! ~Connie
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