The sport of horse racing draws crowds, often in record numbers, to the grandstands. But, despite the thrills and spills of betting, horse racing is a multibillion-dollar industry rife with drug abuse, injuries, and even race fixing. And, for the thousands of horses that are involved in it, the end of their lives is brutal.
Most horses are forced to race beyond their natural abilities, resulting in painful injuries and sometimes fatal collapses. Some bleed from their lungs, an ailment known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. To mask these ailments and artificially enhance their performance, many horses are given cocktails of legal and illegal drugs. One common veterinary medication used by racehorses is Lasix, an over-the-counter diuretic with performance-enhancing qualities. Sadly, these chemicals often cause more harm than good.
A racehorse’s career typically ends in a slaughterhouse or a foreign market, where its flesh is sold as dog food and glue, or eaten as a delicacy. It’s hard to imagine the suffering and pain these animals endure. But, it’s important to remember that it’s not the horses’ fault. They are the victims of a system that rewards greedy owners and promotes injury, exploitation, and death.
In their wild state, horses love to run fast—that’s their nature. But they’re prey animals and prefer to run together as a herd, keeping each other safe. The elation of winning a race is a human construct that doesn’t appeal to horses. It’s a dangerous game they play for money, not glory.
Horse racing is a multibillion-dollar business, and a lucrative one at that. Its fans are drawn by the power and beauty of the animals, the excitement of the sport, and the possibility of a pay day, where they can leave the tight grip of poverty for a week, a month, or, if their horse wins the big one, a lifetime.
Wagering on a race has been part of horse racing for almost as long as the sport has existed in an organized form. The betting is a major draw for both casual and dedicated horse race fans, who often root for a particular horse by name rather than by number. The horse’s name and silks are usually posted on the track’s website the night or early morning before the race. Morning Line odds, also called ML odds, are an estimate of the odds set by the track’s odds maker. Claiming prices are a method where any licensed owner may purchase a runner in a race for a set price before the start of the race.