Arizona racehorses are dying at a record rate. The question is: why?
 

Why? My first take...

'Kevin Eikleberry, a leading trainer, and others attributed the fatality rate to inferior horses. Because Turf Paradise revenues are relatively low, he said, purses are too small to attract top-flight animals.'

'Scott Stevens, a top jockey, agreed that Arizona gets "some of the lower-end claiming horses," which may account for deaths.'

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...te/2585283002/

Just off the cuff I'd have a hard time blaming the horses. If their condition/health is poor enough to incur injury it most likely isn't the horse's fault.

This one is on Turf Paradise.
They're letting horses race that are unfit.
Only they know the reasons.
The Scott Stevens excuse was laughable,he shouldn't of said anything..........nobody with any smarts would believe what he was selling.

What are you two talking about? His explanation is perfectly accurate. Those at the bottom are there for a reason. Many are unsound and they're in training with the worst trainers and help in the business to deal with (or care about) their unsoundness and vet needs.

It's a sad but accurate reflection on life at the bottom for these horses.

Close the track


They are down to $1500 claimers right?

Scott was right on. The economics of TuP doesn’t allow for high quality sound horses. Nor does it allow for them to create and maintain a high quality surface to run on. Nor does it allow high quality trainers who actually give a shit about their horses to operate there.

Turf Paradise is an extremely fast track, probably the fastest track, which usually means that it doesn't have enough cushion.

There are some excellent trainers at the small tracks. And there are dirtbag trainers at the largest tracks. Some really good trainers cut their teeth in the minor leagues, Baffert and the Engelhardts to name a few.

+1

Nope.
All tracks that race horses at the bottom have cripples.
The other tracks with unsound horses don’t have the fatality rate that Turf Paradise does.
Plain and simple:
If you allow broken down horses to race,you will have a high rate of fatalities in your races.
If you don’t allow broken down horses to race....... you will have a lower rate of fatalities in your races.
Turf Paradise chooses to let broken down horses race.

I don't remember ever seeing anything under $3000 there.

I think ASD has a much lower rate and they are racing those same horses too.

^^^^
THIS is the main reason....Track is like concrete.

their track is far easier on horses.

I think you have to know something about the soil to say a track is harder than another surface just because it is fast. Turf Paradise has a very unusual mix of clay and sand that you probably dont see anywhere else in America.

I would venture that the biggest issue is if you dont run the horses you might as well retire the unsound ones since you cant really justify long periods of time off for the type of returns you are going to get at that track.

I have no sympathy for TuP, the owner and management have not done any horseplayer in AZ favors over the past 20 years.

With the weather here and the demographics racing should thrive here. Hell the indians are cleaning up.