Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released the following statement after Mongolian Groom was euthanized due to injuries sustained while racing in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., on Saturday.
Note: Video follows the Senator’s statement.
“It breaks my heart to hear that another horse died because of injuries sustained during the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Racetrack. This year, 37 horses have died at Santa Anita, seven of those since racing resumed in September. That’s simply unacceptable.
“This problem is not unique to Santa Anita. More than 3,000 horses have died at California racetracks in the past two decades, and thousands more at racetracks throughout the country. Unfortunately, most states lack sufficient reporting requirements, so we may never know the exact numbers of horses that die nation-wide as part of the horse racing industry. This is a gap that should be closed.
“Before the Breeders’ Cup, I wrote to the California Horse Racing Board that this weekend would be a critical test for the future of horse racing. Despite increased scrutiny and additional measures that have been put in place, the horse racing industry was unable to make it through a single weekend without a critical injury and euthanized horse.
“In the past, I’ve called for horse racing to be suspended at Santa Anita until it could ensure the safety of horses would be protected. With continued racetrack deaths, it’s clear that not enough has changed, so I renew that call.
“I will work with Governor Newsom to look at all options to protect racehorses and increase transparency at racetracks. If the horse racing industry is unwilling to treat these magnificent creatures humanely, it has no business operating in the United States.”
Pre-existing Condition?
Update (Nov. 5, 2019): The following was tweeted showing Mongolian Groom being jogged on the track on raceday. Look at his motion and how he is favoring his near hind, the one that fractured and subsequently resulted his death. There are some ignorant comments saying he is moving that way because he was between a jog and a canter. Do not be fooled by these horse racing apologists.
Did the exercise rider warn anyone? If he did, nobody cared.
R.I.P. Mongolian Groom
Mongolian Groom was the 37th horse to break down and die at Santa Anita since December. Mongolian Groom’s obvious mental and physical distress is heartbreaking. Why put the screens up? Let people see what their gambling money is paying for.
The End.
Tuesday's Horse 
This is truly heartbreaking. This is shocking to see how severe that hind leg injury was (on paper it looked bad) truly sickening.
To my knowledge, there’s not a medication on the market that would’ve given Mongolian Groom some pain relief in such a short period of time. I couldn’t believe how quickly they got him into the ambulance but plenty of men to force him in!
It was criminal for these callous creeps not to have sedated then euthanased MG right there and then.
Utterly inexcusable, unjustified and indefensible.
It goes against all the veterinarian rules all over the world for a vet not to put an animal out of its misery when clearly there is no hope of the animal surviving.
And in this case, we all know (don’t have to be a vet) even kids in pony club know this, that when a horse breaks a leg as badly as this, it is fatal for him.
I hope senator Feinstein and governor Newsom see this video, especially given their stance on racehorses breaking down and dying.
Thanks for putting this up, Vivian.
PS I was at a meet in Sydney a few years ago when the same hind leg injury was suffered by a horse in a big race, right in front of the grandstand. Though they like to get the horse off the track asap and deal with it out the back, they sedated the horse then euthanased him it took a while of course but the crowd saw for themselves how horrible it was and I have no doubt some would never go to a race meeting again.
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