Earlier this month, we reported on driver Trae Porter leaving welts on two horses on the same day at Harrington. Worse yet, Porter had been busted for the same crime – causing welts – at the same track back in May. In the July post, I asked you to voice your outrage, and at least one of you did. Here is the response that HW supporter Karen Elger received:
Thank you, Karen. The moral: Nothing changes unless they hear from us.
With that in mind, among the several whipping violations reported in harness world last week was this one in Kentucky:
“Mr. Cordarius Stewart was the driver of Perfect World in the 2nd race at the Red Mile on Jul 20. After inspection in the Test Barn, it was confirmed welts were left….” For this, Stewart was fined but $300 and suspended one day. Once again, I guess, the welts were productive, for the 3-year-old Perfect “won” her race.
Kentucky Racing Commission: 859-246-2040
“Integrity Hotline”: 866-993-3949
Chief State Steward Barbara Borden: barbara.borden@ky.gov
Red Mile Judges Office: 859-258-7654, 859-255-0752
I am always confused and dismayed that we have such varying laws pertaining to animal welfare. Why is it ok to whip a horse at all? Is it ok to whip a dog? No, that would be cruelty. So why do people think it’s ok to whip, drug, spur, use lip chains, etc. on horses? It’s not. Full stop. End horse racing and all other horse “sports.”
I want to believe Mr. Robert Corey when he implied that he would like to have the rules changed to punish the harness racing drivers who violate the whipping rules more severely by suspending them sooner and for a longer period of time. He didn’t exactly say it that way but that’s what I would like to believe he meant.
It seems to me that his job would be less grievous if he could just issue a punishment that is not just a slap on the wrist and then have to watch the same driver commit the same crime again a few days or weeks later and still not have a stricter punishment in place.
I can’t even imagine watching these drivers whipping the Standardbreds repeatedly and sadistically leaving welts and not being able to beat the crap out of the offending drivers. I can’t even imagine being in that job without having adequate laws in place to get their license revoked.