According to the chart, Jericho Willie was a “scratch” Saturday at Cal Expo. Turns out, he was scratched because he had died – that very day. Details will have to wait till our FOIA. For now, all the CHRB is saying is “other,” which usually means a “sudden death” of one kind or another. Jericho was nine.
In the Steward’s Report for Turfway Feb 7, we learn there was an inquiry into “the troubled start of Bold Adventure. After reviewing the replay and interviewing both the starter and rider, the stewards determined that the assistant released the horse in a timely manner, and that the horse reared up and lunged as the gate opened, causing his own trouble.” Yes, “he caused his own trouble.” The soon-to-be-9-year-old Bold was raced anyway (his 46th time under the whip), finishing second-to-last, 20 lengths back.
Finally, in our Oregon report, we relayed how Lil Bit of Heaven was killed in his second race in as many days. In the FOIA, there was also this note on the death of Dodropin (“comminuted fracture,” you might remember) at Grants Pass Jun 30: “Had run a lot of races back-to-back.” Indeed, this poor girl had been put to the whip four times in a bit over a month: May 25, Jun 16, Jun 23, and death day, Jun 30. Bastards.
