"TRAINER OF THE YEAR" RUNS HORSE TO DEATH

• by: Friends of Equines FOES of Equine Slaughter
• recipient: THOROUGHBRED RACING /  U.S. HOUSE COMMERCE SUBCOMMITTEE

Heavenly Perfect, a descendent of War Admiral was just
a number to the racing industry - The heart of a racehorse
can be their demise.

To the people who rescued her,  Heavenly Perfect, known
to those who loved her as Melody, was a beautiful loving
mare who lured you into her stall with her low loving nickers
and then when you went into her stall she was there to wrap
her head around you and give you a big horsy hug. To other
horses Melody was nice mare that was the peacekeeper of
her small herd. She got along with everyone and made sure
no one was picked on. But, to the racing industry Melody was
a number... she was tattoo number G24671,
she was known as Heavenly Perfect, a descendent of War
Admiral.

Heavenly perfect was born in 2003 and bred by Magali
Ventures, LLC, she was sold at Barretts Equine Limited
October 2004 Sale of Preferred Yearlings for $33,000.
She had what they wanted, a potential earner and the
heart of a racehorse.

Life does not always end as it begins, for many
racehorses there is a cruel twist that changes their life
and not for the better. Melody was rescued from going
to the slaughterhouse in Mexico on May 23, 2008.
She had run her last physical race 10 days prior and this
time the only wagering going on was between the
killbuyers and the rescuers. It was a claiming race
taking place at a cold dark kill auction in Sugarcreek,
Ohio and if Melody lost, the price would be her life.
That day, Melody and the other horses won their race,
 ... They were rescued.

Sometimes in rescue the most you can do is give the
horses a last chapter that is filled with love and kindness
and a dignified ending. On June 7th Melody was brought
into the hospital because of a bout with colic, which she
was able to get through. What was discovered at the
hospital was disgraceful. Melody not only had laminitis
but it was evident from the x-rays that this rotation began
over 5 months ago, by the time she came to us her coffin
bone was nearly coming through her sole on both front feet.
Melody had 3 chips in her knees, one in the 4th Carpel bone
and 2 in her joints, the x-rays also showed that she had at
least 2 fractures, one in her second carpel bone and one in
her radial carpel bone. These injuries were not new. On a
scale of 1 to 10, ten being the worst, Melody´s arthritis was
an 8.

Here are some videos of her last three (3) races. They are
so close in time, you just got to know she was hurting in every
one of them, but look how hard she tried to win, even with 
founder, fracture, chipped knees and arthiritis. 
What a heart she had for the race and to please her
heartless owner!

PLEASE NOTE: These are YouTube Videos and you can leave
your comments on them underneath the vids, and we ask
that you PLEASE DO and let the world know what you think
of Hollendorfer running Heavenly Perfect in the condition
she was! We WILL NOT let him get away with
it but will make an example of him for all others.
He is now our International Posterboy of Racehorse
Cruelty. Welcome to the Horseracing Hall of Shame, Jerry!

Bay Meadows on Mar 23, 2008 in Race 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZl7gyB-cBY

Bay Meadows on April 6, 2008 in Race 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PJFupVJHvQ

River Downs on May 13, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thzyC6bqqas

One would think that months ago Melody would have
quit racing, but no, her trainers would get everything
they could out of this mare. Her last race was May 13th,
2008, where the only comment about her was " a steady
fade." What would you expect in her condition, her trainer
and owner was Jerry Hollendorfer.  Click below to see his
bio, ranked as the 4th "winningest owner
and trainer in all of North America whos
horses have won him over $90,000.000!

http://www.goldengatefields.com/Handicapping/TrainerBios/JerryHollendorfer/

Jerry Hollendorfer is not new to the racing industry nor
was he new to Heavenly Perfect. According to Equineline
Database he and his partner George Todaro obtained her
in a claiming race in October of 2006. Hollendorfer
developed a reputation as a claiming trainer, but in a
career turning point, Hollendorfer turned
$16,000 claimer Novel Sprite into a $467,586
multiple stakes winner, to receive the Horsemen's
Benevolent and Protection Association's 1986 Claimer
of the Year award. Selected as California Thoroughbred
Breeders Association Trainer of the Year in 1995. With
over 5,000 training victories, his horses have earned
more than $91 million. AS of May 13th Holledorger was
still her owner and trainer of record and on May 13th
Hollendorfer raced Heavenly Perfect at River Downs
Racetrack in Ohio in the condition she was in, the only
comment on her chart said "steady fade."

We called Hollendorfer´s facility to get a comment but
did not receive a return phone call. On May 23, 2008,
10 days after her last race, she was sent to the kill
auction in Sugarcreek, Ohio. On May 23, 2008 with the
combined efforts of the Victoria McCullough Founder of
the Triumph Project through the Davis/McCullough
Foundation and Pure Thoughts, Heavenly Perfect was safe.

The Triumph Project was formed in November 2007 to
assist in raising awareness about horse slaughter and
horse welfare. It is the hope of the "Triumph Project"
that enlightenment of the senseless cruelty that lurks within
the shadows be brought forward and the horses have an
ally and are given a voice.

On July 8th, Melody was laid to rest, no longer would
she endure the pain. Victoria McCullough promised this
mare she would soon be in greener pasture. The
realization of the cruelty to the horses was said
eloquently by Victoria "

For myself and the "Davis McCullough Foundation
we are learning everyday that it is not enough to
save the horses from needless slaughter, there is
yet another abuse that rests in silence, it is
unspeakable that any horse endure this painful
road to a premature death thankfully given in dignity
instead of at the hand of an inhuman and callous worker
with a knife to sever her spine as a reward for her
gallant heart."

This brave mare touched the heart of many in her
short time with us, Dr. Robert Smith somberly stated,
 "Melody was an exceptional horse, I am very sorry
 that a mare with such a heart had to be put down."

It was not the slaughterhouse that killed Melody....
it was her heart.... the heart of a racehorse. They give
their heart and soul to their passion... the race. They
give their heart and soul to their trainers/owners.
These racehorses give their heart and soul to the
racing industry... who in turn, .... chew it up, spit it
out and send the horses to a tortuous end.

If only, 6 months ago, the people in charge of
Heavenly Perfect´s well being had given back
to her what she had given to them, she would
be alive today. A change must be made.

PLEASE NOTE: If you would like  more information
about this story of Heavenly Perfect, please
contact Jennifer Swanson, one of the original
rescuers, by emailing her here;  (below)

Jennifer@PureThoughtsHorseRescue.com

or visiting her website here; 

 www.PTHR.org

PLEASE NOTE: For those of you like us who are
determined to see justice done in Heavenly Perfects case,
there is a Thoroughbred Racing Industry Congressional
House Subcomitte studying race-horse abuse and is calling
for more over-sight. I am sure they woud love to hear of the
torture Mr Jerry Hollendorfer put poor Heavenly Perfect
through by forcing her to race time and time again knowing
she was not fit to race.

Here is a list with some of the SubCommitte-members names
and websites. Please note that they do not answer emails from
people in any state but their own, but the sites do have telephone numbers & addresses if you want to call or write. 

These are the only people who really want to know and to do something about it.

We hope everyone will contact them with their concerns about
the mistreatment of Heavenly Perfect and hopefully we will see
Jerry Hollendofer sitting in the hot seat before the next
Congressional Hearing on the Maltreatment of race horses. 

You can see videos of these congressional hearings below.
Here you can see how serious they are about correcting
these sorts of problems. Once you open the link, click on
the big red button to the right to activate the media player.
Be sure to "undock" it for the larger picture.
Watch it, get mad,  and then contact the Representatives
listed below the link;

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=206060-1

Contact:

The Thoroughbred Horse Racing House Commerce Subcomitte,
Washington, DC

Chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Il.)
 http://www.house.gov/schakowsky/

Ranking Member, Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)
http://whitfield.house.gov/

Rep. Cliff Sterns (R-Fla)http://www.house.gov/stearns/Congressman/Biography.html

Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb)
http://leeterry.house.gov/

Joe Pitts (R-Pa)
http://www.house.gov/pitts/

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: That because of incidents like this, where rescuers discover lame horses being raced, race horse owners and trainers are not bringing their "unwanted" horses to auctions anymore, but are being them to MEL HOOVERS STABLES in New Holland, Pa, where Mel promices them that the horse will be destroyed. Mels is a "direct to slaughter" stable where the horses have NO chance of being rescued. Please see and sign the petition against MEL HOOVER in the link below;

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/horsekiller-has-secret-pact-w-racehorse-owners

ALSO,  Below are listed some major Racing Industry
Organizations and Media Outlets you may also want to
contact and let them know what you think of Mr. Jerry
Hollendorfer and what he did to Heavenly Perfect: 

RACING INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS

American Horse Council
Washington, D.C.
(202) 296-4031

Association of Racing Commissioners International
Lexington, KY(859) 224-7070

Equibase Company LLC 
Lexington, KY(859) 224-2860

Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association
Lexington, KY(859) 259-0451

InCompass Lexington, KY(859) 296-3000

International Racing Bureau Lexington, KY(859) 223-3597

Jockeys' Guild Nicholasville, KY(866) 465-6257

National Racing Compact Lexington, KY(877) 457-2538

National Thoroughbred Racing Association 
Lexington, KY(859) 245-6872

National Turf Writers Association Lexington, KY(859) 219-9437

Racing Medication and Testing Consortium
Lexington, KY(859) 224-2844

The Jockey Club New York, NY(212) 371-5970

The Jockey Club  Lexington, KY(859) 224-2700

The Jockey Club Foundation New York, NY(212) 371-5970

Thoroughbred Horsemen's Associations, Inc.
Columbia, MD(410) 740-4900

Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association
Lexington, KY(859) 276-2291

Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America
Elkton, MD(410) 392-9200

Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau
Elkton, MD(410) 398-2261

Turf Publicists of America
Elmont, NY (516) 204-5078

United States Equestrian Federation, Inc.
Lexington, KY(859) 258-2472

North American Racing Academy
Lexington, KY(859) 256-3100

University of Louisville Equine Industry Program
Louisville, KY (502) 852-7617

Winners Federation
Wilmington, DE(302) 383-7233  

Animal Welfare (Horse Protection Act)
Riverdale, MD(301) 734-7833

National Center for Animal Health Surveillance
Fort Collins, CO (970) 494-7200

RACING PUBLICATIONS:

Daily Racing Form New York, NY(212) 366-7600

The Blood-Horse Lexington, KY(859) 278-2361

Thoroughbred Daily News Red Bank, NJ(732) 747-8060

Thoroughbred Times Lexington, KY(859) 260-9800 

THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FACILITIES

CANTER  (810) 796-9239

Kentucky Equine Humane Center
(859) 881-5849

New Vocations (614) 771-6825

Old Friends (502) 863-1775

ReRun  (732) 521-1370

The Exceller Fund (818) 429-3418

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation 
(518) 226-0028

UNITED STATES EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION

Executive

David O'Connor President
(859) 225 - 2046 
doconnor@usef.org

John Long CEO
(859) 225 - 6912 
jlong@usef.org

Karen Adams Executive Assistant 
(859) 225 - 2046 kcadams@usef.org

Olivia Arden Sr. Business Analyst
(859) 225 - 2030 oarden@usef.org

Abigail Cook Legislative Coordinator
(859) 225 - 2057 acook@usef.org

Marketing
Kathy Meyer SVP,
Marketing/Communications
(859) 225 - 6941 kmeyer@usef.org

Stacey Meier Director,  National Marketing
(859) 225 - 6974 smeier@usef.org

Brian SosbyEditor, EQUESTRIAN Magazine(859) 225 - 6934 bsosby@usef.org

Sarah EversManaging Editor
(859) 225 - 6937 severs@usef.org


NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA OUTLETS & TURF WRITERS

AAAA

Albany Times Union
Tim Farkas & Matt Graves 
(518) 454-5413 (518) 454-5819
tusports@timesunion.com

Arizona Republic
Dave Lumia & Mark Armijo
(602) 444-8641 (602) 444-8686
sports@arizonarepublic.com

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Wally Hall Robert Yates 
(501) 378-3411 (501) 375-4521

Asbury Park Press
John Quinn Howard Bass 
(732) 643-4000 (732) 643-4015
sports@app.com

Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 Don Boykin & Mike Tierney 
(404) 526-5488 (404) 526-5977
sports@ajc.com

BBBBBB

Baltimore Sun 
Jack Gibbons, Jr. &Tom Keyser
(410) 332-6565(410) 783-2518
sun.features@baltsun.com

Boston Globe
Don Skwar & Ron Indrisano 
(617) 929-2840 (617) 929-2670
sports@globe.com

Boston Herald
Mark Torpey&  Ed Gray 
(800) 234-5680 (617) 619-6430
sports@bostonherald.com

Buffalo News
Howard Smith & Bob Summers
(716) 849-4461 (716) 849-4587
sports@buffnews.com

CCCCCC

Calgary Herald
Tom Moloney& Doug Abraham
(403) 235-7373 
sports@theherald.southam.ca

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cal-sports@calgarysun.com

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tempo@enquirer.com

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postsports@cincipost.com

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Columbus Dispatch
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(614) 461-8522 (614) 461-8798
post@dispatch.com

DDDDDDD

Daily Oklahoman 
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(405) 475-3314 (405) 475-3315
msherman@oklahoman.com

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Bob Yates & Gary West 
(214) 977-8444 (214) 651-0580
dmnsports@dallasnews.com

Des Moines Register 
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(515) 284-8130 (515) 284-8391
dansjohn@dmreg.com

Detroit Free Press 
Gene Myers & Gene Guidi 
(313) 222-6661 (313) 222-5983
sports@freepress.com

Detroit News 
Bill McMillan NA
(313) 222-2260 (313) 222-6019
sports@detnews.com

FFFFFFF

Fort Worth Star-Telegram 
Celeste Williams &  Tim Price 
(817) 390-7401(817) 390-7210
sports@star-telegram.com

HHHHHHH

Houston Chronicle
Dan Cunningham & Richard Dean 
(713) 220-7891(713) 362-7866
fred.fauor@chron.com

LLLLLLL

Las Vegas Review Journal 
Jay Richards & Richard Eng 
(702) 383-0298(702) 383-0302
rich_eng@yahoo.com

Lexington Herald-Leader 
Gene Abell & Maryjean Wall 
(859) 231-3236(859) 231-1451
hlfeatures@heraldleader.com

Los Angeles Daily News  
Michael Anastasi &Kevin Modesti 
(818) 713-3627(818) 713-3436
dnlasports@dailynews.com

Los Angeles Times 
Bill Dwyre & Bill Christine 
(213) 237-3569(213) 237-7876
sports@latimes.com

Louisville Courier-Journal 
Harry Bryan & Jennie Rees
(502) 582-4361(502) 582-7186
sports@courier-journal.com

MMMMMMM

Miami Herald 
Richard Bush & Clark Spencer
(305) 376-3500(305) 376-2295
sports@herald.com

Minneapolis Star-Tribune 
Glenn Crevier & Rachel Blount 
(612) 673-4447(612) 673-7774
sports@gwstartribune.com

NNNNNNN

New Orleans Times-Picayune 
David Meeks & Bob Fortus 
(504) 826-3405(504) 826-3401
sports@timespicayune.com

New York Daily News 
Leon Carter & Sherry Ross 
(212) 210-1671(212) 643-7845
sherrydarlingnj@aol.com

New York Post 
Greg Gallo & Ed Fountaine 
(212) 930-8000(212) 930-8727
sports@nypost.com

New York Times 
Tom Jolly & Joe Drape 
(212) 556-7381(212) 556-5848
sports@nytimes.com

Newark Star-Ledger 
Chris D%u2019Amico & Tom Lucci 
(973) 392-4023(973) 392-5445
sports@starledger.com

Newsday 
Steve Ruinski & Paul Moran 
(516) 843-2810(516) 454-6892
sports@newsday.com

OOOOOOO

Oakland Tribune 
John Becker & Dennis Miller 
(925) 416-4803(925) 416-4874
incoming@agnewspapers.com

Omaha World Herald 
Steve Sinclair & Mike Patterson 
(402) 444-1311(402) 344-3343
sports@owh.com

Orange County Register 
Bill Gibson NA (714) 796-7804(714) 796-6765
sports@ocregister.com

PPPPPPP

Palm Beach Post  
Tim Burke NA(561) 820-4440 561) 820-4481

Philadelphia Daily News 
Caesar Alksop & Dick Jerardi 
(215) 854-5700(215) 854-5524
dnsports@phillynews.com

Philadelphia Inquirer 
Jim Jenks NA (215) 854-4550(215) 854-4564
gmiles@phillynews.com

SSSSSSS

Sacramento Bee 
Armondo Acuna & Debbie Arrington 
(916) 441-4100(916) 326-5503
sidetracks@sacbee.com

San Antonio Express News 
Mitchell Krugel&  Lee Scheide 
(210) 351-7330(210) 250-3371
sports@express-news.net

San Diego Union Tribune 
Chuck Scott & Hank Wesch 
(619) 293-1342(619) 293-2443
sports@uniontrib.com

San Francisco Chronicle 
Glen Schwarz & Larry Stumes 
(415) 777-7201(415) 543-3754
lstumes@sfchronicle.com

San Jose Mercury News 
Mike Guersch & Ron Bergman 
(408) 920-5354(408) 920-5244
sports@sjmercury.com

Seattle Post-Intelligencer 
Ron Mathes&  Larry Lee Palmer 
(206) 448-8370(206) 448-8164
sports@seattlepi.com

Seattle Times 
Cathy Henkel & Mart Koivastik 
(206) 464-8278(206) 464-3255
sports@seattletimes.com

South Florida Sun Sentinel 
Fred Turner & Dave Joseph 
(954)356-4635(954) 356-4676
djoseph@sun-sentinel.com

St. Petersburg Times 
Jack Sheppard & Bernie Dickman
(727) 893-8123(727) 893-8782
sptsnews@sptimes.com

TTTTTTT

Tacoma News Tribune 
Dale Phelps  
(253) 597-8681(253) 597-8360
sports@mail.tribnet.com

Tampa Tribune 
Mike Pennetti NA 
(813) 259-7655(813) 259-8148
sports@tampatrib.com

Toronto Globe 
Steve McAllister & Beverly Smith 
(416) 585-5333(416) 585-5085
globesports@globeandmail.ca

Toronto Star 
Graham Farley & John Chuun 
(416) 869-4361(416) 865-3999
sports@thestar.com

Toronto Sun 
Pat Grier & Rob Longley 
(416) 947-2266(416) 947-2454
copy@tor.sunpub.com

VVVVVVV

Vancouver Province 
Paul Chapman &Tom Wolski 
(604) 605-2014(604) 605-2223
provsports@png.canwest.com

Vancouver Sun 
Steve Snelgrove & Dennis Feser 
(604) 605-2395(604) 605-2524
sunsports@png.canwest.com

WWWWWWW

Washington Post 
George Solomon& Andrew Beyer 
(202) 334-7350(202) 334-7685
sports@washpost.com

WIRE SERVICES

The Associated Press 
Rich Rosenblatt 
(212) 621-1631(212) 621-1639
rrosenblatt@ap.org

The Associated Press 
Beth Harris 
(213) 626-1200 (213) 346-0200
bharris@ap.org

Bloomberg News 
Pete Coates 
(609) 750-4688(646) 268-5238
pcoates@bloomberg.net

Canadian Press 
Neil Davidson 
(416) 507-2154(416) 507-2074
ndavidson@cp.org

Reuters 
Larry Fine 
(646) 223-6290(646) 223-6299
larry.fine@reuters.com

United Press International 
Bob Kieckhefer 
(312) 781-1608(312) 781-1603
rkieck@aol.com

NATIONAL DAILIES, MAGAZINES & PUBLICATIONS  

USA Today 
Tom Pedulla 
(703) 276-3693 (703) 284-3381
tpedulla@usatoday.com
Reid Cherner (703) 854-3694
rcherner@usatoday.com

Sports Illustrated 
Mark Godich 
(212) 522-5630 (212) 977-4540
mark.godich@simail.com

The Sporting News 
Barry Reeves 
(314) 993-7759 (314) 993-7794
breeves@sportingnews.com

Newsweek 
Mark Starr 
(617) 425-0077 (617) 425-5199
mstarr@newsweek.com

Time
Bill Saporito
(212) 522-2004 (212) 522-3002
bill_saporito@timemagazine.com

THOROUGHBRED OUTLETS

Daily Racing Form 
Rich Rosenbush 
(212) 366-7651 (212) 366-7718
John Eastwood
jeastwood@drf.com

Equibase 
Rhonda Norby 
(859) 224-2856 (859) 224-2811
rnorby@equibase.com

NTRA Communications 
Eric Wing 
(212) 907-9283 (212) 927-9281
ewing@ntra.com

The Blood-Horse 
Ray Paulick 
(606) 278-2361 (606) 276-4450
Ron Mitchell
Rmitchell@bloodhorse.com

Thoroughbred Daily News
Andy Belfiore
(732) 747-8955 (732) 847-8955

Thoroughbred Times 
Mark Simon 
(606) 260-9800 (606) 260-9812
Michele MacDonald 
mmacdonald@thoroughbredtimes.com

TVG 
Shawna McLean 
(310) 979-5046 (310) 207-7310
smclean@tvgnetwork.com
Tim Rutter 
(310) 979-5056 (310) 207-7310

Winner Communications 
Chris Lincoln 
(918) 496-1900 (918) 496-8606
clincoln@winnercomm.com

NATIONAL CABLE NETWORKS

ESPN News 
Vince Doria 
(860) 585-2330 (860) 585-2213ESPN
SportsCenter
Bob Eaton 
(860) 585-2135 (860) 585-2422

Fox Sports Net 
Steve Hauser 
(310) 369-9160 (310) 969-6049 


Thank you.