Horse racing is not a sport for the faint of heart. Behind the romanticized facade of Thoroughbred racing lies a world of injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. It’s a world where horses are forced to run for their lives—in full view of spectators sipping mint juleps and wearing designer clothes. In the wild, horses understand self-preservation. If a horse is hurt, it will stop running and rest. But at the track, a rider perched on its back compeles the animal with a whip to sprint for an unnatural amount of time. Ultimately, it’s an impossible task, and it leads to devastating results.
The phrase “dark horse” has several definitions, but in horse racing it means a long-shot winner that no one expected to win. The term originated with a 19th century American owner who would disguise his prize racehorse as an ordinary pack horse when it arrived in a new town, then enter the animal into a competition and, to everyone’s surprise, the dark horse would win. It was an example of what is now known as a con artist trick, but in the early days of horse racing it was simply a way to get the most out of the racehorse and pocket prize money.
While many Americans enjoy the spectacle of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, horse racing is an unnatural activity that causes untold suffering to animals. Horses that are used for racing are subjected to a series of traumatic injuries, from cardiovascular collapse to pulmonary hemorrhage, and they often die in the course of the race.
In addition to the physical toll that racing takes on the animals, trainers have been accused of making matters worse by injecting horses with performance-enhancing drugs and painkillers. The most commonly used performance-enhancing drug is furosemide, which is marketed as Lasix. The drug allows horses to run faster by reducing the build-up of water in their bloodstream. The most common painkillers are narcotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.
As a result of the increased scrutiny that horse racing has been receiving, there is now a growing movement for reform. Many people want to see an end to the use of narcotics and other substances that are harmful to the health of the animals involved in the industry. Some people even want to ban horse races altogether.
While the equine industry claims that horses are born to run and love competing, it’s important for journalists to provide context on this issue. Just like political polls, which can be misleading when reported without the context of a specific election or broader trend, racehorse odds are often presented without any contextual information. The goal of a journalist should be to give readers a complete picture so they can make informed decisions for themselves.