Progress: WaPo Editorial, Pegasus Protest, LA Billboard

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Some good news to share:

This morning, Horseracing Wrongs was cited and quoted in a Washington Post editorial – but not just any editorial, this comes right from the Board. The title alone is cause for celebration: “Does a sport that gambles with the lives of horses really belong in our world?” Our mentions:

“Horseracing Wrongs [link is provided], a nonprofit committed to ending U.S. horse racing, has counted 26 horses as having died so far this year at U.S. tracks, including four thoroughbreds who were euthanized over a span of six racing days at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans.

“‘The killing is built into the system’ is the blunt assessment of Patrick Battuello, founder and president of Horseracing Wrongs, who has spent the past five years tracking public data on racehorse deaths at the 100 racetracks in 35 states. He has confirmed 1,000 deaths annually but says the actual number is much higher.” (My own Post editorial from October was linked at the bottom of this one.)

Asking “whether the proposed reforms go far enough,” the Board replies: “We have our doubts and think animal rights activists make a powerful case that the fundamental problem is with horse racing itself.” It closes thus: “It is long past time to stop viewing horse racing through the prism of its past glories and answer the question of whether a sport that gambles with the lives of horses — animals we profess to love — has a place in the modern world.” Thank you, Washington Post.

Our activists were out in force at Gulfstream Park yesterday, there to not only protest the Pegasus, but the cruelty that happens at Gulfstream – and, of course, at tracks across the nation – every single day. Holly Wilson, our Florida coordinator, conducted several interviews, most prominently this one with Fox Miami.

And finally, we have partnered with the non-profit Lady Freethinker for a brand-new billboard in Los Angeles; it will run through mid-March:

The momentum is all ours.

15 Comments

  2. So PROUD of these STRONG,BRAVE people…God Bless you all,for taking the positive action of standing up for those who have no voice.

  3. I want horseracing banned and stopped, period. Horses used in this perverted way never signed up for it. Nothing about horseracing shows love of animals. Actions speak louder than words. Trust your eyes and feelings!

  4. Patrick/All,
    THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO! Indeed a huge step forward and cause for celebration. We will never give up until this abominable “sport” has been abolished.

  5. “Whether a sport that gambles with the lives of horses – animals we profess to love – has a place in the modern world” is a slap in the face to the racing industry, because thousands of horses have died under the care of people claiming to “love them like our children”, and that’s not even counting the endless stream of victims in the slaughter pipelines. Realistically racing has never had past glories – it always has been a killing machine – but I personally know people that refuse to look past what they saw of Secretariat on the racetrack to the true horrors of horse racing coming to light today. The cold fact is that you CANNOT love horses and horse racing. And if you truly love horses you should want to know the truth.

  6. This is remarkable. I was so pessimistic until recently. Very discouraged. I was mistaken!
    Pat and Nicole, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

  9. I love the billboard!!
    I too can become overwhelmed with pessimism as we count dead horses. I do believe we are going in the right direction finally.
    Thank you Patrick and Nicole and everyone else who gives a damn!!

  10. Amazing.
    This is not small progress this is HUGE.
    For years horse racing controlled the message and did a good job at hiding the dirty rotten truth.
    Not anymore.
    For every tarp that goes up they will be exposed.
    Thanks to Patrick, Nicole, supporters of HRW, Lady Freethinker.
    The billions in casino profits must end and so should this antiquated business model that has no place in the 21st century – none.

  11. God Bless each and everyone who is helping shut this ‘vile’ horse racing down. The only reason I watched the Pegasus race yesterday was to see if any mention to the filly who died on that track the day before. Nothing, already forgotten!! The nerve of these people putting a 8 yr old who came in third. Some good news is the money is going down for purses. Keep the pressure on for these majestic horses..

  12. Progress indeed! Thank you Patrick.

    The billboard is powerful. I live in Pasadena–where exactly is it located?

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