The breeze blows through your hair as you step through the gates on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Your friend and you find a nice seat to watch the races and began to skim the program marking possible horses to bet on. You move towards the paddock where you observe the tall, muscular, and young horses shaking their heads and flaring their nostrils. They know what day it is, and they are full of adrenaline. At only 3 or 4, these horses look full grown, but they definitely don’t act it. You’re thinking this just as one rears on her hind feet. Number six. You were already planning to bet on her, but now you will definitely. She won’t be ran until the last race, however, so you move on to the current race. Your friend and your find your seats as the horses line up. The bell rings, and the horses shoot off. It’s an adrenaline filled round as the horses push themselves and their riders do the same. Several of these races occur, as you, the owners, and the horses lose some and win some. The final race is upon you. As they sprint towards the finish line, number six falls to second. At the last possible second, she finds another spurt of energy and jumps back to first just as she crosses the finish line. She won! You won! You head to the window to collect your money and happily leave with more money in your pocket than when you arrived. It was a good day at the track.

Several weeks later, you remember the horse at the track, number 6, and decide to look her up. Upon finding her information, you sit shocked as you see the words “deceased” pop onto your screen. It was only 3 weeks ago that you saw a healthy and spirited four year old race her heart out. What you didn’t see was the morning after when she was found with a swollen leg in her stall. Upon further examination, the vet discovered she tore a ligament while running. The vet suggested stall rest for at least four weeks and then gradual walking. The owner, however, had already entered her for a race the following Saturday, and he was not about to lose the entry fee money. He kept her pent up in her stall all week, and had her given Bute, or equine ibuprofen, throughout the week. On race day, he had mepivacaine injected into her legs, so she could not feel the pain. She ran three more times after this, until finally, her legs gave out. Her ankle snapped during a race, and she was euthanized on the track.

Most racehorse enthusiasts do not keep track of each horse they bet on. They bet, win or lose, and leave the horse and their feelings at the track until the next weekend. The horses, however, do not always get a “next weekend”. Horse racing can be an expensive past time that creates a community, but the greed of owners and betters prevent that from happening. Instead, owners drug their young horses to the point of severe injury and death. Many owners see non-raceable horses as “wastage” : “This industry treats horses as throwaway products” says one industry insider, and “it is so far removed from treating the Equine thoroughbred as an athlete” (Turf Confidential). The sport is incredible to watch, and the horse’s speed and athleticism is breathtaking to experience in person. However, the greed overpowers the wonder when betters stop to take a look into the industry. While some owners truly love their horses, most will do anything to make another dollar. Because of the use of drugs and lack of respect for the equine athlete, greed has conquered passion in the sport of kings.

Drugs may be beneficial to athletes, however even with regulations, drugs continue to be used and abused within the racing industry. Sid Gustafson, a former examining veterinarian for the track, confirms the best treatment for injuries is rest. However, it takes at least several months, sometimes a year, to fully heal injuries racehorses may sustain. “Nobody has time to rest racehorses,” says Gustafson, “... if drugs can save time they are used just for that… the monthly vet bills as Belmont and Aqueduct often exceed the monthly training fee. Ask any owner” (Gustafson). Over the past 50 years, drugs have become an essential part in horse racing. Phenylbutazone, also known as bute, was one of the first drugs to hit the racing industry in the 1960s. Bute acts a tylenol for horses: an anti-inflammatory that “cools hot joints and quiets inflamed tendons to a desirable medical effect, allowing horses to return to training and racing sooner than otherwise, allowing them to maintain their conditioning” (Gustafson). It was seen as a miracle drug when it first came out, and trainers eagerly used it during training sessions to keep their horses running. When used “conscientiously and conservatively”, Bute could provide “humane relief to the rigors of horse horse racing” (Gustafson). As more and more horses tested positive for drugs on race day, many people started saying Bute could not be that harmful. In hopes of eliminating the need for harsher drugs and lowering the amount of Bute used, Bute became legal. However, 40 years later and it is rare to see a horse without bute or Lasix, which prevents internal bleeding, on race day. While many people believed the legalization of Bute would lead to less potent medication usage, today racing jurisdictions are faced with the task of returning to a time when drugs were not allowed in any form on race day.

When a racehorse can no longer run, they lose the respect of their owners and trainers and become what the industry refers to as “wastage”; therein lies the psychological issue of racing: the animal is no longer respected. Wastage in horse racing is any racehorse that can no longer be raced due to lack of speed, an injury, or behavioral issues. One of the biggest issues the racing industry faces is what to do with horses that can no longer race: ‘“The racing industry is churning out all these horses with no contingency plan for when they can’t race any more,” says Ward Young of the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses. Once they are no longer an earning proposition they start costing money. That means they need to offload the horses as soon as possible”’ (Turf Confidential). Horses may make their owners half a million dollars or more, but when they can no longer race, they are sold to the first buyer and forgotten. Many horses are later discovered to have died in a slaughterhouse. The most well-known example of this would be Ferdinand. Ferdinand won the 1986 Kentucky Derby and earned over $3,000,000 during his racing career. Many racing enthusiasts would assume he lived his days out munching on grass and breeding other derby winning thoroughbreds. However, United States race horse lovers found out he was slaughtered in Japan in 2002. Reporter Barbara Bayer explains the situation perfectly: ‘“Unfortunately, to those well-versed in the realities beyond the glitter and glory of the racetrack, it comes as no surprise," Bayer wrote. "Ferdinand's story is the story of nearly every imported stallion in Japan at that point in time when the figures no longer weigh in his favor. In a country where racing is kept booming by the world's highest purses and astronomical betting revenues, Ferdinand's fate is not the exception. It is the rule”’ (Paulick). It is a sad reality for thoroughbreds no longer racing. In recent years, steps have been made to prevent this from happening, but it is impossible to completely eradicate thoroughbreds from the slaughter house. Too many racers are bred, break down, and sold to the first willing buyer. While preventative measures have been made to keep thoroughbreds from the slaughterhouse, the industry still has a long journey before race horses are completely safe from becoming dog food.

While horse racing has many dangerous flaws, with a few changes, it can once again become the sport of kings. Drugs are an important part of the racing industry, but equine nutritionist, Dr. John Lew, offers a better long-term solution. While it may require more work up front, it will keep horses healthy and running longer than they do today. As Dr. Lew states, “... if an athlete needs to run faster, jump higher or cover more distance -- and remain healthy throughout an entire career -- proper nutrition is key” (Barrel Horse News). In addition, Dr. Kristen Brennan, an equine research project manager conducted a study on the effects of nutrients on joint inflammation. As stated, many trainers and owners use Bute to cover inflammation. However, Dr. Brennan discusses the benefits of Omega-3s, which can be found and easily added to horse feed. She says, “[Omega-3s] are a very potent and effective way to control whole-body inflammation, which is very common in racehorses because of the high levels of stress they experience” (Barrel Horse News). Dr. John Lew suggests everything a racehorse eats be evaluated by an equine nutrition expert. If this were to be required by racing jurisdictions, the racing industry may see more natural nutrients and less drugs in horses’ systems on race day. Many owners fear that losing their ability to use drugs will weaken and slow their horses, however, “Foreign horse racing jurisdictions run without medication, and their safety records are better than the United States’. Horses running clean are less likely to break down than those running on medication” (Gustafson). Even without drugs, horses cannot run forever. Racing jurisdictions should require owners to have a plan when their horses can no longer run. Even a plan to simply euthanize a racehorse that can no longer run is better than no plan that leads them to a brutal end.

If stricter regulations are created for race day tests and owners begin to race for the love of sport rather than greed, the sport of kings may once again become just that. Despite good intentions from racing jurisdictions, the legalization of drugs did not prevent an increase in drug use or the use of stronger drugs. The use of drugs has an easy fix: simply making drugs in a horse’s system illegal on race day. Furthermore, requiring owners to have a “retirement” plan for horses when they can no longer run would lessen the number of thoroughbreds bound for slaughter at the end of their career. These laws may be easy to create, but hard to implement. However, with these laws in place, overtime, the love of racing will return and the greed of money will recede. As the caretakers of these willing animals, how many painful deaths and experiences must the horses and viewers face before permanent and helpful regulations are made?