Illegal Match Racing?

[Appsolute]

Illegal Match Racing?

I have never witnessed it, and just recently became aware that it is a big problem in some areas. Here are articles from various states:

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/larry_barker/illegal-horse-racing-runs-wild

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/illegal-horse-races-cruelty-investigated-in-central-california/

“We found stimulants like amphetamine, methamphetamine (and) cocaine,” said Dr. Scott Stanley of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. “In some cases, we found all of those in a single syringe.”

Two men sentenced in illegal horse racing

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/17879043/raid-busts-illegal-horse-racing-operation

Kaufman County Horse Facility Raided

http://www.azfamily.com/news/Authorities-dismantle-illegal-Ariz-horse-track-158679285.html

Did you as a horse person know about this? (as I said – I did not). I am an OTTB lover – and apparently TBs are picked up at auctions for match racing – and often used up, and thrown away (again).

[BansheeBreeze]

Yup, heard plenty about them, very popular in New Mexico, and I also saw people in California training for it. Lots of drug cartel people and big money. Very very dangerous places to be, shootings and stabbings are not uncommon.

[Angelico]

Anything that doesn’t reap gratitude for the state politicians and racing commissions must be labeled as “cruel” and “terrible”.

There is no huge money to be made at these events. There are bad events, and breakdowns. However, lots of these “meets” are simply a bunch of old geezers with slow horses and social security checks gathering to have fun and relive the “glory days”.

Cartel ruins everything I guess…

[BansheeBreeze]

Maybe that’s how it used to be but certainly not the case in the Southwest/Mexican racing. I’ve heard of $100,000 purses and don’t doubt it. I know a rider who was flown to a remote track on a private jet for a big match, escorted by armed guards, rode the race and was rushed off as soon as it was over. Horses are pumped full of any and all drugs that can get them across the wire for an extra couple bucks. Unsound, snap off legs and keep running because they are so jacked up, they don’t care. This isn’t like the good ol bush tracks of yesteryear.

[jetsmom]

Yes, we have it out here. There is an illegal track on the east side of el paso where it goes on. Lots of horse carcasses in the desert beside it, where they shot the ones that got injured or that were no longer wanted.

[rustbreeches]

I’ve got an underground track 2 miles from my house. It is a huge deal with QH Futurity people and good horses from several states come in for their big spring meet. My favorite local tack shop has a good (for this area) selection of racing equipment. The underground racing and rodeo scene is huge in this area. I will say the vets are all much more strict here in CO about EVERYTHING than they were anywhere on the east coast. You have to have a rx for a needle to get one at the vet supply

The only reason the racing is illegal is the government isn’t getting their cut

[gaitedincali]

I know we have it going on out here.

Years ago a friend sold a race-bred QH colt who was about 15mo old. Two weeks after the sale he broke his leg during a match race and was shot. Buyer tried to double back and sue my friend over it claiming the colt must have been injured when he was sold.:no: I guess it didn’t occur to him that entering an unfit 15mo old in a race might have been the cause of the problem.

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=rustbreeches;7050650]
I’ve got an underground track 2 miles from my house. It is a huge deal with QH Futurity people and good horses from several states come in for their big spring meet. My favorite local tack shop has a good (for this area) selection of racing equipment. The underground racing and rodeo scene is huge in this area. I will say the vets are all much more strict here in CO about EVERYTHING than they were anywhere on the east coast. You have to have a rx for a needle to get one at the vet supply

The only reason the racing is illegal is the government isn’t getting their cut[/QUOTE]

I’d be curious to hear exactly where this is.

And my experiences at the vet supply place absolutely do not mirror yours. I routinely buy boxes of needled without a script.

[Texarkana]

There was an illegal track not far from where I lived in Texas. Naive me drove by the place on numerous occasions and just figured it was a training barn. I even considered stopping in many times and asking if they needed some part time help, but luckily I was always too busy. A few months later it was all over the news when the feds shut the whole farm down on drug charges.

[summerhorse]

@Angelico

Anything that doesn’t reap gratitude for the state politicians and racing commissions must be labeled as “cruel” and “terrible”.

There is no huge money to be made at these events. There are bad events, and breakdowns. However, lots of these “meets” are simply a bunch of old geezers with slow horses and social security checks gathering to have fun and relive the “glory days”.

Cartel ruins everything I guess…

I’ve seen You tube videos, I wouldn’t call all the horses slow. Not in the league of graded stakes horses but they can move along just fine. Unfortunately they tend to have spectacular breakdowns too. The money to be made is in the betting not to mention the selling of um, refreshments. But compared to organized racing the money is small, it is where anybody with a horse can show up and race.

[TXPiaffe]

There are tracks here around the Midwest that do this as well, Lincoln, Omaha, Council Bluffs, etc. Sad to see some of the horses jacked up on whatever it is they are pumping through them.

[Simkie]

@TXPiaffe

There are tracks here around the Midwest that do this as well, Lincoln, Omaha, Council Bluffs, etc. Sad to see some of the horses jacked up on whatever it is they are pumping through them.

Are you talking about Lincoln Race Course, Horseman’s Park and…maybe Prairie Meadows? Those are sanctioned tracks, not illegal bush meets.

[TXPiaffe]

Simke, No I am not talking about those tracks. I am talking about the bush tracks off the beaten path that the Hispanics go to. The ones that the horses may or may not come back to the barn from.
I do know what a legal track is, I worked on them for 15 years.