A disgruntled former New York-based racetrack employee has done the unthinkable and has sent shockwaves across the racing community in New York.
No details are available as yet as to why, other than Ramzan Antooa, 38 of Elmont in New York, went back to the barn while full of rage, and opened the door of a 2YO filly.
His desire was to deliberately set her free.
He probably didn’t think the revenge through, because the unraced filly, called PASTA and who was by European superstar Frankel, just lost her head when granted her freedom.
She ran wildly and rabidly, almost impetuously driven by her freedom, around the backstretch barn complex, losing perspective and all common sense.
And so crashed into things. Took a terribly hard tumble too and when finally corralled, her injuries proved to be life-ending.
Vets had to euthanize her. She had cost over $450,000 and never got to race.
Arraigned Friday at First District Court, Antooa was freed without bail. The case is due back in court 21 September and let’s hope justice is served and he gets time.
Antooa’s burglary charge is a felony, while the endangerment charge to the filly is a misdemeanor.
Connections must be horrified by this.
