Noah And The Ark, trained by Todd McKenna, won the Timber Stakes at the International Gold Cup on Oct. 24 and broke down immediately after crossing the finish line.

Noah and the Ark with Skylar McKenna, left, and Todd McKenna in thepaddock before the Timber Stakes (Photo by Tod Marks)Todd McKenna led a badly limping Noah And The Ark, his head dropping almost to his knees with every step, on the long route to the winner's circle, and stood with him in the winner's circle.

The whole time, Noah And The Ark still had to carry the weight of jockey Harry Beswick while he limped behind his trainer.

McKenna then happily went to be interviewed following the race, paying no attention to the horse that had won both hurdle stakes and now timber stakes for him, leaving him to Skylar McKenna, who ran the horse, to walk him back to the barn - not even them giving him the relief of a van ride to his stall. 

McKenna's only excuse was that he asked the jockey, Harry Beswick to get off the horse.

Along with the blatant cruelty to the horse, consider what this does to the image of steeplechase racing in this day of heightened awareness of animal cruelty.

Organizations like PETA are always waiting to pounce.

 

THEN, to add to the lack of care of the horse, people who went to the barn a little while later told The Horse that they found Noah And The Ark loose in the barn - not even in his stall.

The National Steeplechase Association announced on Oct. 28 that McKenna had been fined $10,000 and suspended for the remainder of the NSA season.

Beswick has also been fined, $3,000 in his case, and suspended for the remainder of the year.

Now the Virginia Racing Commission has ruled and given McKenna the same fine and suspension.

This is McKenna's second major violation, having been suspended for a year in 2017 after being seen by a number of people kicking Serene Harbor in the stomach, presumably in an effort to keep the horse, who appeared to be colicing, from lying down, and then taking the horse to the paddock where he did lie down and was subsequently scratched by the veterinarian.

Yet all McKenna gets is a slap on the wrist for his second very serious violation - just a fine which is less than the prize money Noah And The Ark won in the timber stakes, and a suspension of six races, all but two of which all McKenna's owners can still run the horses, albeit under another trainer's name.

Not only was this an appalling sight for those at the races, this was live streamed to the world as it was live streamed on the betting entity Fanduel.

What a terrible look for steeplechasing.

Viewers are up in arms, revolted by this spectacle.

"Todd was given the maximum fine under the rules and he was suspended for the rest of the year," said Bill Gallo, director of racing at the NSA. "He got the maximum fine and a suspension. It wasn't just a slap on the wrist."

That's not the opinion of the numerous trainers, owners and spectators interviewed by The Horse of Delaware Valley.

The overwhelming consensus of those interviewed was he should be suspended for life after two major violations.

McKenna will have to appear before the stewards before the start of the 2027 racing season to reapply for his license.

It is hoped that at that time the stewards take into account that this is his second major violation, having been suspended for a year in 2017, the serious blot of the name of steeplechase racing in front of a worldwide audience and the total lack of care of a horse in his barn and finally do the right thing.