Recently The New York Times published stories regarding a PETA investigation of Thoroughbred racing. It was not pleasant reading and apologists for the sport were quick to point out how PETA sensationalizes that which is legal and humane along with that which isn’t. This is especially true in PETA’s references to therapeutic medications. That said, even if in fact the PETA stories aren’t entirely accurate, in spirit, they resonate.
When one of the all-time leading jockeys, Gary Stevens, has a casual conversation with one of the all-time leading trainers, Wayne Lukas, about the use of “batteries” (small prods to shock a horse into running faster), it speaks volumes about part of the essence of the game. Stevens said he only used it when he was youing and now has nothing to hide. The usually verbal and media-accessible Lukas had no comment. But the fact they weren’t speaking of batteries in terms of disgust — it seemed humorous to them — tells the public all it needs to know. At best, there is an acceptance of illegal means to win races. At worst, there is possibly a disregard for the welfare of the horse.
There is also a question of degree. There is no sport or business in the world that escapes corruption and a dark side. Look at what some NFL players have turned into and how widely accepted it is. Baseball and steroids. Bankers. But there are notable distinctions in horse racing compared to these sports and businesses. First, it is a human being training a horse. The horse has no say. Second, there is no active media covering the sport. Whether it be Daily Racing Form or Blood-Horse, two of the most popular racing publications/websites, they each have substantive business relationships with the various stakeholders in the game. These media outlets aren’t journalistic in nature as much as they are promotional. The day has long since passed when mainstream media consistently covered the sport. Third, with most racetracks owned by companies that make the lion share of their revenue from slot machines, there are fewer resources dedicated to racing. So one could infer that the degree of corruption and the pervasiveness of a dark side are greater in racing because there is no media to shed a light and less professional oversight than other sports. But an inference is not necessarily a fact.
There is no black and white conclusion on racing. There are trainers who would sooner go without a meal than not provide the ultimate in care for their horses. There are other trainers who may be ignorant of how to care for a horse or are downright abusive. I have seen a prominent trainer kick a horse in the stomach before a race. I have seen a prominent jockey whip a horse across the face after a race. And there can be a callousness when, for instance, a Hall of Fame trainer stated that they have to die sometime, when referring to horses and slaughter or when a major racetrack operator talks about when they used to back up a van to the stable area to take hurt and/or slow horses to slaughter.
But I am a layman and here’s why that matters in my assessment. There is an exceptional veterinarian I know. Tremendous skill and knowledge, loves horses and yet feels there is a place for slaughterhouses. I was shocked until I heard the reasoning. There are thousands of unwanted horses and they can die a slow, miserable death. In a perfect world all horse owners love their horses and are responsible. We don’t live in a perfect world.This compassionate vet wanted a little less horrific of a way for a horse to die. The companies that own racetracks pay lip service to caring for retired racehorses, but don’t put up any serious money. Granted, they are not the owners of the horses. But without the horses, these companies have no racing and would have no ticket to slot machines.
Likewise, as a layman, I look at the horse as a special animal, almost a pet. I could no more send a horse of mine to slaughter than I could cut off my arm. But people who depend on animals for their livelihood can have a different perspective. Just think of what we eat every day. Think of the farmer raising livestock. There can be a respect for the animals they breed and raise even when knowing it will culminate in slaughter. That trainer or owner who has a racehorse might care for it extremely well until it can’t be competitive on the track any longer. Some of these trainers and owners used to then send their horses to slaughter. This effectively eliminated the expense and got the last few hundred bucks out of the horse. This is so foreign to us laymen. How can you care for a horse, develop a bond and then send it to the killers? The reality is that horses are commodities, not pets, to a percentage of trainers and owners. No bonding.