evergrey,

I also worked at the two SF Bay Area race tracks, but it was many years ago. I quit by 1982'ish after 6+ years of working on the 'backside' (I was a pony girl, asst trainer) I hardly ever saw any horses sent straight to the slaughterhouse. I distinctly remember one man in particular who was also a 'backsider' and he'd go make a deal on some lame-no-longer-could-run horses. He'd take them after a bit of rehab to a sales yard down by Salinas and one out near Hayward. I went with him a few times, to haul horses. I'd say a good majority of these horses went to private buyers, not to the 'meat man'.

But that was then