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Time to Rein in the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority

Written by PETA

Posted 05-05-2008

193 Comments

For years now, the horse racing industry has systematically ignored efforts by the animal protection community and its own disgusted insiders, including some veterinarians who aren’t afraid where their bread is “buttered,” to make life more tolerable for the horses it profits from. Given this weekend’s horror at the Kentucky Derby, we’re hoping that the members of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority and others within the industry will now be forced to take these issues seriously. If they don’t care about the suffering of these animals, perhaps their PR people will give them a reason to care.

This morning, PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk sent a letter to the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority proposing changes in the rules that would result in a drastic reduction of the types of injuries that claimed the life of Eight Belles in the running of the Kentucky Derby. The maudlin expressions of regret and sadness over the Eight Belles incident that we’re hearing from people within the industry are ringing pretty hollow right now. If they genuinely want to do something to try and prevent incidents like this in the future, they can start with the following:

Suspend the jockey and bar the trainer from racing other horses
Thoroughbreds under the age of three should not be permitted to race
Synthetic surfaces or grass turf—which result in dramatically fewer injuries—should be mandated at all racecourses
The number of races that horses run in a season should be limited
Whipping should be banned

You can read PETA’s letter here. I’ll keep you posted.

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horse racing, investigation, Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles, huskies, basketball, of, North, White Rain Carolina, UNC, tar heels, wildcats, sparty, the best damn sports show period, celtics

Recent Comments

tbsaremylife commented:

4-15-2009 8:43 PM

PLEASE READ THIS COMMENT IT IS NECCESARY!Clearly a lot of these comments written by peta activists are rather ignorant. You obviously dont realize that there IS a lot being done to help regulate horse racing. Young horses do need to run quite hard as youngsters to develope their bones. even though it does sometimes get a little too rough age has nothing to do with it. It is the drugs and the breeding. too many north american horses are bred for light skeltons to make them fastbut this causes them to be a little too fragile. breeding needs to be regulated as well as ban of drugs. I think each stallion can only cover no more than 100 mares a year to keep the poplulation a lot lower so each fioal is valued a lot more and so the bredding is a lot more careful. PLEASE VISIT MY BLOGS ON BLOGSPOT.COM my username is tbsaremylife thanks
Steph commented:

8-27-2008 12:04 PM

I watched the stretch of the Derby and I saw Eight Belles' head go up but never saw her take a bad step. Wouldn't she have stumbled a little if you all say she hurt herself during the race. I mean an exprienced horseman would have been able to see a small misstep and how come no one's mentioned watching her legs in the stretch. If anything that should have solved if she was hurt or not. I know someone is going to say that you couldn't tell but doesn't that just prove that she wasn't injured during the race. If she was running fine then she was fine. You can tell if a racehorse is injured during a race and she looked fine to me. Also she broke down after the race. Not right after the finish line like she would have if she was already injured. Feel free to debate this but I want proof that she was injured during the running by her legs and not because her head moved a certain way. I'm surprised no one brought this up.
W.C. commented:

7-22-2008 8:31 AM

Not training and racing horses younger than 3 years old would increase injuries and death among fully mature horses. All young horse need to run hard when young because that's when their bones develop the strength to withstand their ability to run as fast as they do adults. All the studies done by the most elite research facilities have concluded that. I share PETA's concerns about anaimals but you really need to understand what you are talking about before you start trashing people industries and animlas you know nothing about. There is a lot of room for improvment in racing especially drug related but age is not the issue that many ignorant people believe.
Holly commented:

6-24-2008 2:01 PM

S.Q. Rest assured that we and other groups and individual good people realize there are many angles to the great problems with horse raceing and the treatment of all horses. Many of us have worked with horses and do understand from personal experence. One thing for sure we are not going away We plan to make change happen in the best interest of these wonderful animals. We will not stop... Go Vegan save up to 100 farm animals per year per person...
S.Q. commented:

6-14-2008 8:59 PM

I don't think it's fair for PETA to make all these accusations because they are emotionally charged on the issue. And people have no right to point their prejudiced fingers at anyone until they see the issue at many angles. Have any of you ever been to a race track or a stable or farm? Making all these complaints makes you seem ignorant and whiny. Yes I understand you are upset but just because you see this filly break down it doesn't mean you can say whatever you want without verifiable sources. The accident was heartbreaking I agree but next time try to be rational about what you say.
Holly commented:

5-22-2008 9:45 AM

You are most welcome Lynda. I do thank you for your posts also. I can tell how passionate you are about our animal friends and their needless suffering. I feel so strongly about this issue of our Great Horses I do think the truth does need to be told. Horse owners need to take off their own blinders... Have a nice day Lynda and keep up the good work! and to the others who post the truth have a nice day. Go Vegan...
lynda downie commented:

5-21-2008 10:23 PM

Holly I've appreciated reading all of your knowledgeable and thoughtful posts on this issue. Thank you.
Holly commented:

5-20-2008 8:59 PM

AW PETA is looking at Slaughter houses and are working to save all animals that are destined to go there. What you dont realize is that many of those 13thousand horses that went to slaughter and will go to slaughter were and are race horses who were and will be all used up or did not make money at the track or were geldings who could not breed and many other horses including used up Amish Horses Carriage Horsesand TB and ponys who were personal pets who got sick and were to expensive to treat or dispose of... Animal Rights groups look at All horses and all other animals used by humans from birth through life to death. We want to relieve the suffering of all of them... The Death of Eight Bells brings the abuse of these fine animals to the attention of the World and we know that the end result of these fine animals in most cases is death at the Slaughter House... Go Vegan...
AW commented:

5-20-2008 4:19 PM

Eight Bells wasn't on any steroids and there wasn't any possible way for her to be saved. Larry Jones did nothing wrong and the jockey did nothing wrong. It was an accident. Eight Bells was one horse and I was sad to see what happened but she was feed properly and taken care of and was humanily euthanized on the track so that she didn't suffer. This year already 13000 horses have been taken to Mexico for slaughter. PETA should be more worried about that then going after horse racing. The number of horses that break down on the track isn't even close to the number of horses being slaughtered. How about instead of a picture of Eight Belles on the homepage they get a picture of 13000 thousand horses many emaciated sick and hurt horses getting ready to be slaughtered.
Sondra commented:

5-20-2008 3:00 PM

The picture on PETA's homepage is heart wrenching no one can imagine the pain that that horse must have felt when his legs snapped it reminds me why I am dedicating my life to helping animals and I feel GREAT about that!

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