Bay Area

Filly Dies After Winning Race, 4th Racehorse Death This Year at Golden Gate Fields

A 3-year-old filly was euthanized at Golden Gate Fields last week after winning her last race, the fourth horse death reported at the Berkeley track this year. The horse, Ultimate Diva, was entered in race 3 on March 3 at the track. But after taking the lead early and finishing in first place, the filly “suffered a catastrophic injury past the wire and was euthanized on the track,” according to the Equibase race card about the event.

Published

1 year ago

March 13, 2023

Oakland Post

The thoroughbred's death is the fourth so far this year at Golden Gate Fields, and the track's 19th since January 2022. In 2021, 26 racehorses died at the track.

By Kathleen Kirkwood
Bay City News

A 3-year-old filly was euthanized at Golden Gate Fields last week after winning her last race, the fourth horse death reported at the Berkeley track this year.

The horse, Ultimate Diva, was entered in race 3 on March 3 at the track. But after taking the lead early and finishing in first place, the filly “suffered a catastrophic injury past the wire and was euthanized on the track,” according to the Equibase race card about the event.

Details on the horse’s injury were not available, but the California Horse Racing Board lists the death as “musculoskeletal,” meaning a bone injury.

The thoroughbred’s death is the fourth so far this year at Golden Gate Fields, and the track’s 19th since January 2022. In 2021, 26 racehorses died at the track.

Causes of death listed by the horse racing board include colic-gastrointestinal, neurological, cellulitis, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and unknown. Some causes are still pending and three of the deaths are listed as accidents.

Samantha Eachus, an advocate for horses who is critical of the racing/gambling industry, flagged the most recent death at Golden Gate Fields as a sign that horses are ridden far too young, aren’t exercised enough and fed a diet that’s only aimed to improve their racing, not their health, she said.

Over a two-year period, Ultimate Diva won $32,380 for her owner, listed as Baseline Equine LLC, according to statistics listed by Equibase

“They are ridden much younger than they should be ridden and are used as money-making machines,” Eachus said. “There’s no amount of money that is worth racing a young horse to death.”

Golden Gate Fields did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The California Horse Racing Board, which tracks racing horse fatalities, has taken measures that have reduced deaths at California tracks by more than 50 percent over the past three years, spokesperson Mike Marten said.

One of those has been a requirement that every horse is reviewed by an expert panel to determine its fitness for a race.

Copyright © 2023 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

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KathleenKirkwood1828p03/06/23

CONTACT: Samantha Eachus (707) 694-0659

CHRB spokesperson Mike Marten (714) 240-1870 MikeM@chrb.ca.gov

Golden Gate Fields questions@goldengatefields.com (510) 559 – 7300

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: An image related to this story can be obtained from the following Bay City News Service link:

https://www.baycitynews.com/images/BCN-20221209-HORSEDEATHS-01.jpeg

Animal rights activists with Direct Action Everywhere hold signs outside Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, Calif. on Dec. 9, 2022, with the names of racehorses that have died (Direct Action Everywhere via Bay City News).

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

6 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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Bay Area

State Controller Malia Cohen Keynote Speaker at S.F. Wealth Conference

California State Controller Malia Cohen delivered the keynote speech to over 50 business women at the Black Wealth Brunch held on March 28 at the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center at 301 Van Ness Ave. in San Francisco. The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

Published

1 week ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

American Business Women’s Association Vice President Velma Landers, left, with California State Controller Malia Cohen (center), and ABWA President LaRonda Smith at the Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the ABWA at the Black Wealth Brunch.

By Carla Thomas

The Enterprising Women Networking SF Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA) hosted the Green Room event to launch its platform designed to close the racial wealth gap in Black and Brown communities.

“Our goal is to educate Black and Brown families in the masses about financial wellness, wealth building, and how to protect and preserve wealth,” said ABWA San Francisco Chapter President LaRonda Smith.

ABWA’s mission is to bring together businesswomen of diverse occupations and provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow personally and professionally through leadership, education, networking support, and national recognition.

“This day is about recognizing influential women, hearing from an accomplished woman as our keynote speaker and allowing women to come together as powerful people,” said ABWA SF Chapter Vice President Velma Landers.

More than 60 attendees dined on the culinary delights of Chef Sharon Lee of The Spot catering, which included a full soul food brunch of skewered shrimp, chicken, blackened salmon, and mac and cheese.

Cohen discussed the many economic disparities women and people of color face. From pay equity to financial literacy, Cohen shared not only statistics, but was excited about a new solution in motion which entailed partnering with Californians for Financial Education.

“I want everyone to reach their full potential,” she said. “Just a few weeks ago in Sacramento, I partnered with an organization, Californians for Financial Education.

“We gathered 990 signatures and submitted it to the [California] Secretary of State to get an initiative on the ballot that guarantees personal finance courses for every public school kid in the state of California.

“Every California student deserves an equal opportunity to learn about filing taxes, interest rates, budgets, and understanding the impact of credit scores. The way we begin to do that is to teach it,” Cohen said.

By equipping students with information, Cohen hopes to close the financial wealth gap, and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full financial potential. “They have to first be equipped with the information and education is the key. Then all we need are opportunities to step into spaces and places of power.”

Cohen went on to share that in her own upbringing, she was not guided on financial principles that could jump start her finances. “Communities of color don’t have the same information and I don’t know about you, but I did not grow up listening to my parents discussing their assets, their investments, and diversifying their portfolio. This is the kind of nomenclature and language we are trying to introduce to our future generations so we can pivot from a life of poverty so we can pivot away and never return to poverty.”

Cohen urged audience members to pass the initiative on the November 2024 ballot.

“When we come together as women, uplift women, and support women, we all win. By networking and learning together, we can continue to build generational wealth,” said Landers. “Passing a powerful initiative will ensure the next generation of California students will be empowered to make more informed financial decisions, decisions that will last them a lifetime.”