A horse race is a contest of speed in which a human rider or sulky pulls a horse or team of horses. The term is also often used metaphorically to refer to a tight competition in other contexts, such as a political contest or a close academic competition. Despite this broad scope of application, the metaphor has a particular resonance in the case of thoroughbred racing and the way it is often conducted.
When it comes to horse racing, most observers agree that the sport is rife with controversies about the treatment of the animals. The industry has responded with some improvement, but it is still a flawed business that treats its horses as disposable commodities. The animals are drugged, whipped and pushed to the breaking point and beyond. Many die in the process, and those that are not killed live out their work lives in solitary confinement in a stall. The sport is a major contributor to the tens of thousands of American horses annually who are slaughtered in foreign slaughterhouses.
Despite the controversy, the sport has continued to flourish in the United States. The country has more racetracks than any other nation and is home to the most famous racing events in the world, including the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, the Belmont Stakes, the Breeders’ Cup, and the Dubai World Cup. The sport has also become a major source of gambling revenue. In fact, some of the most prestigious races in the world are run at casinos.
The most coveted races offer the biggest purses. A horse’s performance in a race is determined by its ability, the amount of weight it carries, and a number of other factors, including its position relative to the starting gate, its sex, and its training. In the most prestigious races, the horses are allocated equal amounts of weight in order to ensure fairness.
Whether or not you are a fan of horse racing, there is no denying that the sport has made its mark on our culture and history. For some, the spectacle of a thousand-pound horses galloping bareback around the piazza of Siena is enough to draw them in. Others may be swayed by the high stakes and the electric atmosphere. Still, a few facts will make it impossible to ignore the cruelty behind the sport.
Breeding 1,000-pound thoroughbreds with massive torsos and spindly legs for a sport that involves racing them to exhaustion is a recipe for breakdowns. These animals don’t reach full maturity — or fuse the growth plates in their spines and necks, a necessary step to preventing spinal injuries — until age 6, yet most are rushed into intensive training at the tender age of 18 months. Many are raced until they are injured or break down, and many are shipped to slaughterhouses abroad. In addition, the drugs they are given to stimulate their speed and keep them going can cause serious health problems.