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OPEN LETTER Introduction The following letter was sent to Bob Costas, host of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage. To date, no reply. The sentiments expressed, of course, are applicable to all at that network, but most especially to Jon Miller, president of sports programming. Since my letter was mailed, an article in Sports Business Journal quotes Miller as… Continue reading Horse Racing Wrongs: Open Letter to Bob Costas; Eight Belles
by PATRICK BATTUELO Cross-posted with Permission from Horse Racing Wrongs Last week, The Jockey Club gleefully boasted of progress on the “breakdown” front: “An analysis of data from the Equine Injury Database…has shown a 14 percent decrease in the frequency of fatal injury…from 1.89 per 1,000 starts in 2014 to 1.62 per 1,000 starts in… Continue reading The Jockey Club’s Death Database is a Joke
Here we go again. Charts, tables, reports and databases -- usually put together in such a way that not even industry people cannot interpret them -- contributed to on a voluntary basis which will tell us exactly, what? What the trends are? That's about as much as we can hope for, but it is far… Continue reading Tracks to release racehorse fatality data
It is the first Saturday in May and all eyes will be on horse racing as people gather around the US and the world to watch the Kentucky Derby. It is beautiful, moving, stirring and exhilarating. The sport of horse racing is also deadly. This time of year not only sends racing journalists and enthusiasts… Continue reading Horse racing: The deadly side of beauty
By JANE ALLIN Research Analyst, Int'l Fund for Horses “As the 20 horses were being loaded into the starting gate for the (2008) Kentucky Derby, with Eight Belles -- standing in post position five -- poised to make her bid to become only the fourth filly in history to win America's most important race, Ellen… Continue reading Horse Racing: Breeding for Trouble
Cross-posted from the Louisville Courier-Journal Written by GREGORY A. HALL | GHALL@COURIER-JOURNAL.COM The first Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit came months after 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro broke a leg in the Preakness Stakes, raising questions about tracking the number and causes of horse injuries. By the time Eight Belles broke both front… Continue reading Racing industry prepares for third safety summit
NTRA: IS ANYONE HOME? Dr. Patricia Hogan, an accomplished veterinary surgeon who operates Hogan Equine in New Jersey and oversees the Ruffian Equine Medical Center adjacent to Belmont Park, understands that public perception is reality when it comes to equine welfare issues. When the American Veterinary Medical Association and American Association of Equine Practitioners came… Continue reading NTRA re horse slaughter, is anybody at home?
Cross-posted from The Blood Horse March 10, 2009 By DR PATRICIA M HOGAN The American Association of Equine Practitioners recently released its White Paper containing veterinary recommendations for improving the safety and welfare of the Thoroughbred racehorse. It is an admirable effort and contains many constructive suggestions for the racing industry to consider. But in… Continue reading Putting the horse first? by Patrica Hogan DVM (US)
NEARLY A YEAR AFTER EIGHT BELLES became the first fatal injury at America's most famous horse race, Churchill Downs announced yesterday that it is beefing up safety requirements ahead of this year's Kentucky Derby. The company is enacting more than 20 changes, including enhanced drug testing and limits on whips and racing ages, in time… Continue reading Churchill Downs ringing the changes before the Derby (US)
Race horses everywhere will be running on their own soon without performance enhancing drugs, as New York joins the steroid ban tidal wave of enthusiasm. In the meantime, trainer of Big Brown, who failed to deliver the Triple Crown this year, Rick Dutrow, is still being given a pass -- even though he confessed. Suspend… Continue reading NY joins 2 other states in steroid ban on horses (NY)
Tuesday's Horse 