Information on Deaths & Cruelty in Horse Racing

“There are those who argue that whipping doesn’t hurt horses, but that’s nonsense, and we all know that. Whips are noxious stimuli; they hurt, that’s why they’re used. Run fast or I’ll hit you again.” – Dr. Rick Arthur, California Horse Racing Board, Medical Director 10/7/19

“Part of the problem in horse racing is, we have commoditized horses, and when you commoditize horses, you treat them like livestock because they have a value. As one trainer told me, ‘I don’t like to leave any money on the table.’ But the other side of that is not good, because that means you want to get the last pound of flesh out of that particular animal.” – Dr. Rick Arthur, California Horse Racing Board, Medical Director, Town & Country, 10/27/19

At Belmont, data published by the state gaming commission shows that at least 322 horses died between 2014 and 2021, making it the fourth-deadliest track in the country during that timespan.  If the legislature approves Hochul’s loan, the number of horses dying at Belmont would almost certainly increase. That’s because as part of the deal, the Aqueduct racetrack in Queens would shut down, and the races that happen there would move to Belmont. (During the multi-year renovation, Belmont races would move to Aqueduct.)

From 2017 to 2021, Belmont and Aqueduct combined had more deaths than any other track in the country, with 274 horses dying during the five-year span. The next deadliest was Charles Town Races in West Virginia, with 262 deaths. These numbers don’t include horses that die at training facilities, or that are sold to slaughterhouses after their racing careers. -New York Focus