Horse racing is a sport with a long history. It has evolved from a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses to an enormous spectacle involving thousands of animals and vast sums of money. But its basic concept has remained the same. Horses are raced over long distances, and the one that crosses the finish line first wins.
The story of the infamously stoic Man o’ War, a legendary thoroughbred who bled to death while running his final race, demonstrates that while the sport may be a spectacle for spectators in fancy outfits sipping mint juleps, there are real costs incurred by the racehorses themselves. Behind the romanticized facade is a world of injuries, drug abuse, and gruesome breakdowns.
Thoroughbreds are bred for maximum physical and mental fitness, with their breeders aiming to produce the fastest, most athletic, and most beautiful horses in the world. But these horses are also often pushed beyond their limits and forced to run at speeds so fast that they can be injured or even bleed from their lungs (exertion-induced pulmonary hemorrhage). To make the most of their bodies, many horses are given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask their injuries and enhance performance.
As a result of these stifling demands, many thoroughbreds end up being euthanized after their career is over. While the number of horses euthanized has decreased in recent years, the overall prevalence of these practices remains high. This article, based on semi-structured interviews with industry and animal advocacy informants, explores the reasons why young, healthy, Thoroughbred horses in peak physical condition break down on the track.
The article concludes that while probabilistic forecasting (aggregating polling data into a concise probability of winning) has become increasingly popular in horse race journalism, the practice is problematic for several reasons. First, it can lead journalists to focus on a narrow set of information and overlook other important considerations. Second, it has the potential to skew readers’ perception of what a horse can do on a racetrack. Third, it can distract from the important issue of ensuring thoroughbreds’ welfare on and off the racetrack.
This is not to say that horse race journalism has no value; it does, and it can teach us a lot about our relationship to the animals we ride. But it’s time to take a closer look at the numbers and consider what else needs to be done to protect horses’ health and wellbeing.