Our mandate as an organization is to educate and expose, expose and educate. The work on these pages – the facts, the data, the documentation – is the primary manifestation of this mandate. Of course, we’re also out there – protesting, tabling, meeting with legislators, talking at high schools and colleges, etc. When trying to reach the masses, however, nothing is more effective and efficient than media, which as those who’ve been following can attest, we’ve been quite successful at (HBO, CNN, ESPN, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, among many others).
Similarly, billboard campaigns. Having already hit NY and California – with more to come – we now take our fight directly to the heart of Thoroughbred Racing in America: Kentucky. For eight hours today, we will have two mobile billboards circling the entrance to Churchill Downs and traversing the streets of Louisville. The message:
Please help us end horseracing in the United States: donate here. Thank you.
A huge shout out to all of those who support HRW in whatever capacity they can.
We must continue to be a voice for the thousands of racehorses who are currently suffering and for those who have died for this vile business.
So happy to see this billboard and if it raises awareness to just 1 person then it’s worth it.
Gladly supported it, but wish I could give more.
My main concern today is that all racehorses make it out alive because it’s a miracle that there hasn’t been a major spill during the Derby because they race in such tight quarters.
Eight Belles this one’s for you.
Gina, My simple and inexpensive way to impact the public is by wearing my T-shirt that says “Horse Racing Kills Horses” to street fairs and other public gatherings. My car has a bumper sticker that says the same thing. The T-shirt was $12.00 and the sticker was about $4.00. I also picket at Del Mar when it is in season I get lots of responses to the T-shirt from people who have no idea about the vile horse racing industry.
Warren Dunn
Oceanside, CA ,
Thank you, Warren.
Just got my tank and hoodie! I can’t understand how people can’t see how bad this life, and certain death, is for these horses. Thank you Warren. Del Mar is coming soon :(
Bob Baffart had a horse in the Eight Belles on Sat., Kalypso. She did not finish the race. The chart says the usual “vanned off.” I could find no info she died.
so, so sad, and to young to compete…baffert has got to go..last year 27 horses in drugging, and now the Derby winner, Medina spirit has test positive with pain killing meds…he pays his way out, even when ASPCA caught him on verbal video….
That’s awesome about the mobile billboards!!!! I wonder how many residents of Louisville, KENTUCKY already know how EVIL HORSERACING is and are sickened by all of the hoopla surrounding the abuse, brutality, cruelty, death, euthanasia, killing of Thoroughbred racehorses for money and so-called fame for the worst of THE WORST two-faced barbaric horse-killers belonging to the “Hall of Fame” which could more accurately be described as the WALL OF SHAME!!!!
Asmussen, Baffert, McPeek, Pletcher all need to go down in flames, so to speak!!!!
This BARBARIC TRAINWRECK needs to be DE-FUNDED NOW!!!!
Great idea! You ARE making inroads and educating the public ! Thanks.
Tearful emoji.
I wonder if the billboard will make eyewitness news or the Louisville papers?
Horse racing is blatant animal abuse. Stop killing these horses.
This site has opened my eyes to horse racing. I always watched the triple crown. I can’t in good conscience do that anymore. Thank you for enlightening me. Now the only “running” I watch is my my two backyard older horses cantering across their field, which is so much more enjoyable. Thank you for all the work you do.
It is horrendous that creatures are killed for ‘sport’. Please end horse racing.
So wrong and upsetting!
Why can’t we be kind to animals and each other???. Why are humans so evil??? STOP the Killing of ALL innocent animals. They are not here to get used and abused by us. They belong to Mother NATURE.
Reblogged this on Armory of the Revolution.
I can’t believe you had billboards at the Derby! How fabulous! Wish I could have seen that! Don’t watch it for the abuse makes me sick!
All horse racing should be banned, it’s just sickening to watch now.
I would have a billboard that read:
Horseracing – the only “sport” that kills 2000 athletes a year.
Horses are Beautiful. They are NOT for racing
Gina, well done for your heartfelt comments. I agree with everything you’ve posted here, and I know the feeling about not opening e-mails and the like, on account of them containing some new terrifying news about the latest abuse of animals.
Horse racing and dog racing are two of the scourges of our society. I live in the UK and my younger brother, now aged 67 years, has been a gambling addict of racing since he was 12 years old. Even now, he hasn’t really kicked the habit. I watched our late parents despair of him. The habit has wrecked his life. He could have had thousands of (British) pounds saved in his bank account, but he has virtually nothing.
Like you, I LOATHE this so-called “business”, and I would like to see ALL of the people promoting it and active within it entered into a giant, once-and-for-all race and made to run at full pace, with people whipping them, as jockeys whip their horses. If they stumble and fall, exhausted, pick them up and relentlessly make them run to the finishing post, then watch them die, as they would their “useless” horses and dogs. Give them the mercy they give their charges, namely NO MERCY.
Kepp fighting, Gina, keep fighting, everybody, never give up the fight – ALWAYS keep the suffering animals at the forefronts of your minds.
Thank-you David.
The recidivism for gambling addicts is 30% while 70% always return to gambling.
It’s a tough addiction to overcome and it’s dangerous because it’s so socially acceptable.
On average 70% of gambling addicts turn to criminal activities to support their problem.
6-10 million Americans are categorized as gambling addicts.
It’s a huge problem and horse racing fuels gambling addicts.
The corruption in horse racing is directly connected to gambling addicts, but the saddest part of this entire scenario is that the voiceless, innocent racehorses pay with their lives.
They are viewed and treated like disposable gambling chips by an industry who deliberately fails them every step of the way – literally, and they don’t care.