Helicopter, Armored Vehicles Lead the ‘Bush Track’ Bust!
PETA TIPS LEAD AUTHORITIES TO DRUGGED, ABUSED, AND DYING HORSES AT SEEDY RACES
It was a scene the bookies and trainers will never forget, as the thud of helicopter blades, the blare of bullhorns, and incoming military-style vehicles marked law enforcement agencies’ raid on Carril Mochomos, a black-market Quarter Horse racetrack on the Texas plains.
Fourteen people were charged with multiple crimes, including money laundering, unlawful racing, and racketeering. Officials searched the property and seized devices called “buzzers” used to shock horses, illegal equine and human drugs, and large amounts of currency, cocaine, and gambling devices.
Crime and Cruelty at Underground Races
The raid followed PETA’s complaint to the Texas Department of Public Safety urging an investigation into crimes at the more than 50 bush tracks in the state, and the rampant drugging and abuse of horses, providing specific information to the agency about Carril Mochomos’ abusive horse operation.
The department launched an investigation and indicted at least nine defendants before the raid, based on evidence presented to a grand jury, plus five others on charges including engaging in organized criminal activity, money laundering, racing without a license, and use of proceeds derived from racketeering – all felonies in Texas. The indicted individuals include a jockey, a prominent husband-and-wife broadcaster team, and the operator of the track and his partner.
Hearing “this is a search warrant, stay where you are” blasting over a bullhorn, participants seemed totally unprepared. It became clear who was responsible for the raid when one participant angrily muttered, “Goddamn PETA!”
More than 180 bush tracks operate from California to Delaware, flying largely under the radar. Abuse and unlawful activities are rampant at these underground tracks, where attendees wager hundreds of thousands of dollars and trainers and jockeys drug, relentlessly whip, and electroshock horses.
PETA’s earlier investigation into unsanctioned racing in the state of Georgia documented race teams injecting horses in the neck shortly before races, often on the racetrack itself. Racers experiment with drug cocktails – including cocaine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), and caffeine, even cobra venom – to rev horses up, mask injuries, and kill pain in hopes of achieving maximum speed. The doping, whipping, and electroshocking obviously put horses at extreme risk for accidents and fatal injuries. Horses at bush tracks break down frequently, which usually results in their deaths. Our investigation resulted in charges against seven people.
PETA will keep exposing these crime-ridden races and working with local and state officials to investigate illegal activities – but to keep the raids going, authorities also need to hear from you! Take action for horses by helping PETA shut down unregulated tracks operating in Georgia.
