Authorities in West Texas conducted a major raid on an illegal quarter-horse racetrack, arresting nine individuals for crimes such as promoting gambling, money laundering, racketeering, and the manufacture and delivery of controlled substances. The racetrack, known as Carril Mochomos, is located near Levelland in Hockley County, Texas. It had been operating openly, with footage from its Facebook page showing professionally produced highlights of races.
During the raid, police discovered 135 grams of cocaine and various illegal gambling devices. This operation was a culmination of an investigation led by animal rights group PETA into unlicensed horse racing. PETA identified as many as 50 illegal “bush tracks” across Texas, which lack regulatory oversight and where drugging and abuse of horses are rampant. They estimate there are more than 150 such tracks operating throughout the United States.
Carril Mochomos not only operated illegally but also advertised its events openly on social media, producing high-quality videos of racing events complete with informational graphics. A Facebook post from September 13, written in Spanish, advertised the track’s third anniversary, inviting visitors to bring their own beer and promising free candy and a bounce castle for children.
PETA disclosed that it had provided information on Carril Mochomos’ activities to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), which coordinated the raid alongside the Texas Racing Commission and various law enforcement agencies.
The investigation by PETA also revealed similar illegal racetracks in Georgia. This led to animal cruelty charges against six jockeys and a felony commercial gambling charge against an on-track bookmaker. Notably, five of the jockeys charged in Georgia also race at licensed racetracks across the United States.
At the Rancho El Centenario bush track in Georgia, PETA claimed to have witnessed trainers injecting horses with stimulants to enhance their performance. Over six visits to the track, PETA investigators collected 27 discarded syringes, which were later found to contain a variety of drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, Ritalin, and caffeine.
Racegoers would wager hundreds of thousands of dollars at these events, while trainers and jockeys resorted to drugging, whipping, and electroshocking horses to secure victories, according to PETA. The organization reported that jockeys whipped horses relentlessly—often more than 20 times in succession—and that team members struck the horses from behind as the starting gates opened. This harsh treatment extended to whipping and hitting the horses before races, during loading, and in the starting gates.
The findings from PETA’s investigation in Georgia prompted the California Racing Board to take action. It became the first state racing agency to ban its licensees, including jockeys, trainers, and owners, from participating in bush track racing.
