Hundreds of racehorses die at the track each year. Their deaths may be preventable.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

If you read the print edition of the Washington Post, this story is on page D3, in the Sports section of Thursday's paper.

Hundreds of racehorses die at the track each year. Their deaths may be preventable.



Homeboykris won the first race at the Preakness Stakes in May, but it was the racehorse’s last. He collapsed and died following the post-race Winners Circle presentation while returning to the barn. Such occurrences are common; A racehorse per day died at a track so far in 2016. (Mitch Stringer/USA Today Sports)

By Dillon Mullan

July 13 at 5:06 PM 

On the third Saturday in May, five horses took to starting gates across the United States for their final races. On Preakness day, 9-year-old Homeboykris’s deadly heart attack and 4-year-old Pramedya’s fatally fractured leg caught the attention of the sporting world, which had turned its eyes toward the second jewel of the Triple Crown.

In Charles Town, W.Va., 6-year-old View Tree was competing in the sport’s lowest tier — maiden claiming races in which all entrants are for sale and have never won. She did not finish her ninth race and was euthanized.

Six-year-old San Onofre earned $402,730 before his last start at Santa Anita Park in California. In his 45th start, 11-year-old Brother Sy catastrophically fell over a jump during a steeplechase race in Malvern, Pa.

“Every day we’re killing horses for $2 bets. Why do we still abide this in the 21st century?” activist Patrick Battuello said. “We’re so outraged about the Ringling elephants and the Sea World orcas, and rightfully so, but why not racehorses?” ... Each morning, Battuello scans results from America’s tracks in search of catastrophic euphemisms — “vanned off” and “broke down.” Through the first 181 days of 2016, he found 180, but that number only will grow at the end of the year, when he will again send Freedom of Information Act requests to state racing commissions for lists of horses who have died at racetracks. ... In 2015, Battuello confirmed 953.

[KG]

1. past time to quite using animals for sports, entertainment, war and police work.

[Big Blue Marble]

2. Good to see these facts get the publicity they need.

This is a dark sport indeed. Most people only see the excitement and the glamour.
These a sport where a few make money off the suffering of many beautiful animals.
The price is far to high to pay. Boycott horse racing, please.

[yeoman6987]

4. I see it gone in 25 years

I think excitement is too high yet. Things will evolve.

[Big Blue Marble]

5. That is my hope as well.

More humans are coming to consciousness about the suffering our decisions bring to animals.
This article will education even more people as to the state of this "sport."

[LongtimeAZDem]

3. Their deaths are easily preventable; stop racing them (nt)

[1939]

6. If you let the racetracks have casinos with no tie to horse or dog racing

Over half the tracks in the country would end the races tomorrow. Horse 9and dog) racing are not really all that profitable for the tracks anymore.

[Calculating]

7. Horse racing is barbaric

It's harmful to the horses, causes the jockey's to develop eating disorders and just plain needs to go already. I put it a step or two below cock fighting on the cruelty scale.