Preakness winner Homeboykris dies after victory at Pimlico

[cali]

Preakness undercard winner dies after victory

BALTIMORE -- Homeboykris, a former Kentucky Derby runner, won his final career race Saturday on the Preakness Stakes undercard, but the retirement wasn't scheduled. The 9-year-old gelding collapsed and died after scoring a 1/2-length victory in Race 1 at Pimlico....

A son of Roman Ruler, he visited the winner's circle before the incident on his way back to the barn.

Francis Campitelli trained Homeboykris for owner Stirrup Trouble, LLC, at the time of his death. Campitelli's son, Chris, tweeted that the horse suffered an "apparent" heart attack and will undergo a necropsy to further explore the cause.

"Homeboykris hasn't taken a bad step since we've had him," Chris Campitelli added. "Owner claimed him to assure he went to good home after race career. Freak accident."

It was a grim way to begin a cold, overcast and rainy day, with Homeboykris a hard-knocking former graded stakes winner known for his longevity. The Maryland-bred won 14 of 63 starts, including the Grade I Champagne in 2009 for then-trainer Rick Dutrow. The next year, he ran 16th in the Derby won by Super Saver with MLB manager Joe Torre a co-owner.

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http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/triple/preakness/2016/05/21/preakness-2016--undercard-winner-homeboykris-dies-after-victory-at-pimlico/84701458/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How sad.

[cali]

2. It is sad and I just read that another horse at Pimlico died

[Jeffersons Ghost]

33. You are correct: Here is the rest of the unusual TWO horse death story, along with how they died

Last edited Sun May 22, 2016, 01:19 AM - Edit history (2)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027847205

[Brickbat]

3. It's a cruel sport.

[pottedplant]

7. This needs to change

Horse and dog racing are not sports. It is gambling. The participants have no say in the matter.

[MissDeeds]

11. +1000000

Well said. I agree completely.

[A HERETIC I AM]

12. Never been around Thoroughbreds, have you?

Sure, they don't speak, but there is absolutely no doubt they LOVE to run.

Just like Clydesdales and other draft horses love to pull.

[pottedplant]

13. there is a difference

In loving to run and being made to run for profit.

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Describe the difference to the horse.

[pottedplant]

22. The horse knows

When it is used as a commodity as did the horse run to his death today. The horse is there to make money regardless how sick, lame or tired he is.

[lancer78]

49. Secretariat

used to get very mad when he would lose a race. He also had a good sense for racing, and knew when to go and when to let up. He was as much an athlete as Usain Bolt.

[virgogal]

54. The appalling treatment of Barbaro did it for me. I despise horse racing now.

Money rules.

[dixiegrrrrl]

57. Lame, sick horses are not allowed in the race.

Vet checks of every horse in a race is required.

That said, I am very conflicted about racing these days.

[pottedplant]

59. As long as the drugs are working and they don't get caught

But sometimes they do. Read about gary Asmussen being fined by the New York gaming commission for doing exactly what you insist doesn't happen.
Industry hacks alive and kicking
http://www.peta.org/blog/update-victory-asmussen-fined-sweeping-new-horse-racing-rules-proposed/

[stillwaiting]

28. Loving to run and being forced to run past their limits to the extent

That so many die during horse races are two completely different things.

[gwheezie]

32. Tbreds are such lovely horses.

What joy to watch them run. Horses don't spend most of their lives running for no reason, it's not the most efficient way to get over long distances. It's a good way to escape from predators. Yes, I've seen even old toothless horses take off on a bucking farting run just because they feel good. I've seen a group of yearlings race each other. I've had horses at home for 40 years, they don't spend a lot of times running. And yes even once in awhile one can take a bad step and have a catastrophic injury but as far as horses wanting to race, nope. They are very trainable animals so you can get them to do things that really don't make sense. Racing is not for the benefit of horses, it's a business. And racing is certainly not the only sport brutal to horses so I'm not making that argument. I just think it's ludicrous to defend racing because occasionally horses like to run.

[PaulaFarrell]

37. I have to slightly disagree

I have some ponies and when i used to turn them into a nice green field in spring they would race around like crazy and it was quite worrying. yes, they loved to race each other. they're older now, so don't really, but horses do like to race other. It's in their nature - it doesn't excuse the abuses in racing, but saying horses don't like to race is like saying dogs don't like to bark.

[gwheezie]

40. I see your point

I used race in the sense of they want to race on a track. They'd just as soon race in the pasture and if they got winded or had a foot ouchey, they'd stop galloping unless a mountain lion was chasing them.
My boss mare used to start the race. It wouldn't last long, the others would gallop a few seconds and then admit she won and go back to eating.

[Ex Lurker]

23. The horses would never have been born if not for racing

and it is a sport. Many people don't bet at all.

[Liberal_in_LA]

47. Yes

[Akicita]

4. 24 horses die a week in horse racing. That's way more than elephants in circuses or killer whales

at seaworlds. Where does PETA stand on horse racing?

[pottedplant]

8. trying to educate

For a very long time.
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/horse-racing/

[trumad]

27. Link?

[Akicita]

43. The washington post. I can't get back to it cause I used up my free articles.

[trumad]

45. So you can't prove it

[cureautismnow]

55. Here's a link to the original source.

"On average, 24 horses die each week at racetracks across America."

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/us/death-and-disarray-at-americas-racetracks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1

[Akicita]

62. Thank you. Some people are so mistrusting.

[melman]

64. Not only that

some people act like a tough guy and challenge someone for proof, then disappear when the proof is delivered.

[Akicita]

65. So true.

[trumad]

66. Oh bullshit

I don't run from anything. I stand corrected that there was no story about it...although I challenge the story big time.

[pottedplant]

70. Based on what?

Link link link link. Cmon show us how well those horses are treated. Like family, right? Go to center for consumer freedom if you want help with your links. They are chock full of animal industry propaganda.

[trumad]

71. Based on the fact that I follow the report.

What was the NYT story based on? I did t see a link to their findings .

[pottedplant]

75. What figure would convince you

Racing is acceptable? 23? 21?
24/wk is cited in articles from more recent sources as well. If the racing industry has not forced a correction, I'd venture to guess it is spot on.
Public knowledge needs no citation. And there is nothing provided by you to assert a different figure.

[Akicita]

63. I read it. I related it. That's not good enough for you?

[BootinUp]

30. I didn't know that. nt

[SusanCalvin]

34. I did not know that either.

In general, I don't like animals being used for human amusement. Certainly treatment of the non-superstars could be improved.

[Liberal_in_LA]

48. k&r

[Orrex]

53. Yet dogfighting and cockfighting are illegal.

Hmm...

[KamaAina]

82. Um, because they're fighting?

[Orrex]

85. Why should that make a difference?

Boxing is legal, but it's fighting. UFC is legal, but it's fighting.

People in this very thread have asserted that horses know that they're athletes and know that they're competing, but still they die at a rate of 24 per week. I'd be interested to see how many non-fatal injuries occur, too.

Not sure why that's better, or why we're so eager to overlook it.

[LannyDeVaney]

5. Very sad ...

how common is it for a 9 year old horse to run a race? I don't really follow the sport but I thought it was all 2-3 year olds.

[csziggy]

21. The big money and name races are for the young

But a lot of races are for horses of any age. 9 is pretty old for a racehorse, but a gelding with speed who has held up and is still winning and earning money really has no other future. Thoroughbred mares can be bred so they are often kept if their bloodlines are good. Stallions who don't perform on the track are gelding and sold off.

Some young Thoroughbreds with the right temperament, that do not demonstrate the ability to win at racing are sold as prospects for show horses or pleasure horses. Unfortunately many of those cannot hold up physically - they have to be "let down" from racing, then carefully trained so their bones can remodel to support the new stress on them to handle the change in use. Often they don't hold up to being used - they are started under saddle far too young, before their bones are finished growing, and that leads to problems as they mature.

I used to board horses and the worst ones to deal with were horses off the track that had not had a chance to adjust to a whole new life. I bred Quarter Horses for a variety of uses and for quiet personalities. Thoroughbreds (and race horses of other breeds) are selected for speed only - not a good way to create animals that are sane and consistent performers, in my opinion.

[grasswire]

6. what a horrible story

Freak accident? How much money did the owner garner with this last ride?

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Horse racing involves lots of horse death and injury.

It's like a hundred a month or so. Lots of them.

[Ex Lurker]

26. Pleasure horses die every day. Wild horses die every day

My girlfriend got a call from the barn a few Christmas Eves ago that her horse had died. Not a racehorse, just a horse she rode for recreation. It lay down in its stall and never got up again. Nothing lives forever. As I said upthread, these horses were bred to race, and would never have been born if not for racing. Would it been better had they never lived at all? I guess it depends on your point of view.

[tazkcmo]

29. Can't lose what you never had.

So, yes. It is better to not be born than to be born and be exploited till you die.

[pottedplant]

35. Was the gf's horse crammed onto a trailer

And sent to a horrific slaughter in Mexico? Watch the HBO real sports segment "hidden horses"
Link below on website.
Unprofitable horses meet a grisly fate. There is nothing natural or peaceful about it. And no, if this is what they endure they would be better off never having been born. Tossed aside to a hellish existence. How on earth can you defend this??

http://www.all-creatures.org/fact/fact-20080618.shtml

[Ex Lurker]

52. The farm where she rides is full of retired racehorses

in fact, that's a major source for show jumpers and pleasure horses. So you are wrong about that.

[pottedplant]

56. Watch the video

are you saying I'm wrong about thoroughbred horses being sent to Mexico for slaughter? Oh wait, your girlfriend's horse farm occupants trump what is revealed by an investigative journalist?

[Ex Lurker]

58. I'll take my personal experience over an "investigation" by someone with an agenda

but YMMV. We've reached an impasse, so I don't see a point in discussing this further.

[pottedplant]

61. Yes HBO and Bryant Gumball are known radicals with an agenda

thousands of thoroughbreds are sold for slaughter every year. Those are the facts.

[Bluenorthwest]

68. If you think 'nothing lives forever' is a useful lesson to others you are wrong.

Horse racing is the abuse of horses, the death rate is not a natural one.
Nothing lives forever, therefore war is not a big deal, right? Because we all have to die anyway. So bombs away.

[malaise]

10. Too sad

[melman]

14. Long past time for this brutal "sport" to be banned

[Ex Lurker]

36. Would you ban rasing domestic cattle as well? NT

[pottedplant]

38. On topic, big guy

Or are you here on behalf of Berman? Next you'll be talking about teeth.

[Ex Lurker]

41. It is absolutely on topic

as post #39 proves. And I don't get your reference about Berman and teeth.

[melman]

39. I would

but that's not realistic unfortunately. Horse racing is a totally different matter, and could easily be done.

[KamaAina]

83. What about basketball?

Loyola Marymount player Hank Gathers collapsed and died on the court some years ago. By that logic, we should ban the sport immediately and declare the four teams still alive in the NBA playoffs co-champions.

[melman]

87. What about it?

Basketball players choose to play basketball. Horses do not choose to be involved in racing.

[pottedplant]

89. If there were

24 players a week keeling over and an effort by team owners to sell underperforming players to Mexico for a gruesome slaughter, you might have a point.

[trumad]

15. Incorrect headline.

He did not win the Preakness.

[melman]

17. Right

because that's the important part of the story.

[trumad]

18. Ok...you deleted the first time

And then you just posted the same shit.

Yeah it's important because it's inaccurate. Unless of course you prefer inaccurate shit.

[melman]

24. I deleted because I replied to the wrong post

The only thing that's important is that the animals were killed.

[malaise]

20. Holy Shite

another horse was put down after breaking a leg. The jockey fractured his collarbone.

[trumad]

25. Incorrect headline.

Not the Preakness winner

[brush]

31. You should edit the title of your article

"Preakness winner" leads people to believe that the winner of "The Preakness" died after the race — "The Preakness" being the second leg or horse racing's triple crown.

That is not what happened.

[Coventina]

42. Fuck horse racing and anyone who has anything to do with it.

For the horses.....

[Akicita]

44. That attitude is anti-little people.

[Coventina]

51. Meh. No one is holding a gun to their heads to participate in that "sport."

[trumad]

46. Fuck people who are against it

See how that works.

[Coventina]

50. Anyone who is pro-horse racing is pro-cruelty.

I don't like people who are pro-cruelty.

[trumad]

67. Let me guess---total veg--- you don't wear leather products---etc?

[pottedplant]

69. And you are ok with running horses to death

And selling off horses for slaughter because you wear leather? Put your blinders on because, after all, first they come for the horse racing, then the come for the meat etc? People have to grow the fuck up and face reality. If that reality sickens you, then work for change. If it doesn't phase you, well, I think it says something about you. This has nothing to do with leather and there is a world of difference between, say trophy hunting and using animals for "sport" and eating them. And yes I am a non-leather wearing vegan.

[trumad]

72. Bull fricking shit you are.

I love the way people on the nets pretend to be something to fit their narrative.

[pottedplant]

76. Ok

As I sit here eating tofu scrambler wearing my Bzees shoes which by the way are extraordinarily comfortable. I am a 56 yoa vegan who has not worn leather since 1987. Deal with it.

[pintobean]

78. Tough guy went to a safe haven group to whine about you

http://www.democraticunderground.com/120464613

[melman]

79. lol

[pottedplant]

84. Thanks

I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from me!

[pintobean]

86. I don't know if he ever gets happy.

[Coventina]

88. That's hilarious!!

Thanks for the laugh!!!

[Coventina]

73. As a matter of fact, yes, but please reread Potted Plant's response.

Horse racing is done for human amusement, nothing more.

To equate it to eating animals for sustenance is ridiculous and dodging the argument.

I don't condemn people for eating responsibly sourced meat, although it isn't my choice, because animals do it as well.
I don't think animals are evil for doing what they have been biologically designed to do.

And before you try to use that argument to argue for horse racing - sorry.
You can't justify horse-racing any more than you can justify putting gazelles in the Colosseum for lions to chase.
It is a human perversion of natural processes.

[riderinthestorm]

60. I'm doing my best to save and rehabilitate OTTBs

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018813317

Here's what I do.

I also hate horse racing but I don't ever foresee it's demise.

I do what I can.

[Coventina]

74. I thank you for the good work you do.

[WinkyDink]

80. I know it's not your point, but this horse was NOT the "Preakness winner." He won a race the same

day.

[KamaAina]

81. Worst. Headline. Ever.

The winner of the Preakness, held later in the day, was Exaggerator. The race Homeboykris won was on the undercard.