Our Strategy – Unrelenting Pressure – Is Working

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Yesterday, BloodHorse, a prominent industry publication, ran an article the title and theme of which was “not enough,” as in not enough is being done to save the sinking horseracing ship. Nothing new here, of course, for the “reform-minded” have been absolutely frenetic since Santa Anita, realizing, now, that society is changing in fundamental ways, and that neither we nor the media is going away. The full article can be read here, but these are my highlights:

“The anxiety level in Southern California is palpable, as it is all across the Thoroughbred landscape. Make no mistake; let’s make one thing perfectly clear: The sport is under attack.

“At Keeneland, one of North America’s iconic tracks…a fifth horse was euthanized… Prior to the fall meet, the Keeneland Association went above and beyond to ensure its racing surfaces were as safe as possible… However, Keeneland is struggling for a reason why. The local Lexington newspaper, which dropped its full-time racing writer years ago, has reported on several of the equine fatalities on page one of the sports section instead of a wrap of the day’s stakes action.

“In Southern California, in the face of all of the catastrophic incidents throughout the year, the group Horseracing Wrongs has placed advertisements on 22 bus benches that say, ‘Horseracing Kills / EndHorseracing.com.’

“On Oct. 8, the Washington Post published an editorial by Patrick Battuello (founder and president of Horseracing Wrongs), ‘The time for horse racing has passed. It’s time to outlaw it.’

Progress, every day. As to the article itself, “not enough”? It will never be enough.

You can’t fix wicked.


27 Comments

  1. Kudos to Horseracing Wrongs and keeping the pressure on the “Greeders” .. The exploitation of these horses needs to end NOW! Thank you Horseracing Wrongs for bringing awareness and educating the public on the dark, evils and torture of these innocent horses for sport.
    #justiceforthehundred

  2. Bus stop advertising, in fact all worthwhile advertising, is not inexpensive. Thanks.

  3. These blood sports need to stop altogether (horse racing and horse fighting, dog and cock fighting to name only a few). These are sick and violent.

  4. Thank you, Patrick.
    Finally, the truth about this gambling business is being exposed. The years of hiding the horrible truths behind the façade of the Kentucky Derby are over. The industry is scrambling but years of unspeakable abuse and corruption are catching up. And the disorganization of the industry in terms of leadership, management and absolute disregard for horse welfare, things the industry seemed to thrive on, are proving to be a huge negative in it’s gradual decline.
    They did it to themselves, like the drunk driver that finally gets caught.

  5. “The legislation would expand a 2010 law signed by President Barack Obama banning so-called crush videos that show animals being crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or subjected to other forms of torture.”
    – NY Times. Do any of these, in your view, apply to horses? Which ones?

    The article worth reading is below and the URL works in an HTML page. Couldn’t test here before posting.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/23/us/politics/animal-cruelty-pact-act-bill.html?te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_NN_p_20191024&section=whatElse?campaign_id=9&instance_id=13336&segment_id=18188&user_id=0bc8e88574b2fde6defd1eb606cf42a2&regi_id=83110089ion=whatElse

    • It’s beyond sad that this kind of animal abuse actually requires a law against it.

      • You echo my sentiments exactly. I have often thought how pathetic it is that decency to animals requires legislators being dragged kicking and screaming into enlightenment on paper because it is so lacking in heart and mind.

  6. Educating the public on how much public money actually subsidizes horse racing in most states, taking money from public goods such as health and education, might go a long way. Pennsylvania did a study, I can’t find it now, that concluded that about half of all purse money goes to out of state and/foreign owners. That’s money that comes from the state because handle doesn’t come close to covering purses. Horse racing is now virtually dead in Michigan because the legislature refused to give a cut of casino revenue, something which props up racing in almost every jurisdiction.

  7. The exploitation of animals for sport and entertainment must end. Have we not done away with live animal acts in circuses !
    “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” M Gandhi

  8. The severe whipping and drugging of horses is illegal. The problem is that these laws are not being enforced. We all need to contact the Attorney General’s Office in NYS and ask that they start an investigation into this corrupt industry.

  9. I think it is obvious as to the reasons why horses suffer life threatening injuries. The race track needs to fill the race card. They put on 9 (nine) races in one day of racing. Some races may have 6 (six) horses on the race card. Some races have more horses so I will say an average of 10 horses which may or may not be exactly correct. However, for the sake of illustrating a point, the race track needs approximately 90 horses to compete in one day of racing. The horses must be vet checked and “okayed” by the licensed veterinarian in order to race. So the tracks and the trainers are in charge of telling the veterinarian what to do which is totally wrong and corrupt. There is so much more than this that is wrong with horseracing! There are so many things that are so obvious about why horses die due to the racing industry and yet they pretend to be ignorant and innocent. That is the sign of an incorrigible criminal. An incorrigible never admits guilt and never changes his/her evil wrongdoings. Incorrigible means not rehabilitatable.

  10. Thank you, Wanda. I agree with you 100 percent. I just want to add that out west, even these figures no longer apply, because Santa Anita can barely get 5-horse fields, and only three days per week! And they continue to kill them off in front of the press, the politicians, and the public. It is INSANITY, and yet, it continues non-stop, as the whole world glares at them and is trying everything to shut them down.

  11. I hope that beyond simply ending Horseracing, we can hold the owners and trainers accountable for the vile abuse they’ve subjected these horses to all these years. Starving their horses to death? What excuse can they possibly give? No one who has even a shred of morality or conscience would even think about doing this!! There needs to be severe consequences for animal abuse – I think that whatever the abuser did to the animal should be done to them.

    • I have always said that that is the only punishment and justice for animal mistreatment. Laws only give a slap on the wrist for the most egregious abuses. The only thing that makes sense is to do to animal abusers what they did to the animal.

  12. It’s incongruous that precious taxpayers money is going to this vile business.
    This should have been completely stopped years ago.
    Thanks for sharing these videos and articles.
    Thanks to Patrick and all HRW supporters including the billboard signs.
    To all the racehorses who died for this vile business and the vile people in it – sorry for you.
    I will continue to be your voice as best I can.

  13. This is encouraging! Kudos to Patrick Battuelo and Horseracingwrongs for all your hard work,dedication, and perseverance! Thank you

  14. This is absolutely a shot in the arm to keep fighting the good fight, END HORSE RACING.

  15. Thank you for all that you are doing! Horse racing must stop. This is Animal abuse.

  16. There seems to be more and more media coverage of breakdowns and deaths lately, except of course for the Paulick Report, which is just excited about the millions of dollars the Breeders Cup represents. I hope the increased scrutiny of the press holds up – it obviously doesn’t stop the racing industry from maiming and killing horses, but at least it keeps their dirty laundry in the public eye. I don’t knows what other industry would have the balls (or perhaps just the sheer stupidity) to carry on business as usual with the amount of negative publicity they’ve been getting recently.

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