The Deadly Reality of Horse Racing: A Closer Look at Churchill Downs' Tragic Incidents.

Seven horses died before the 149th Kentucky Derby, highlighting the pervasive cruelty in the horse racing industry. Even customary practices in horse racing are unethical and might be unreformable. Horses are unable to withstand moving at such speed when they are so young and underdeveloped, and are pushed to exhaustion. The ribbons, trophies, prize money, and gambling winnings earned in exchange for horses’ suffering might mean everything to jockeys and fans, but they mean nothing to the animals themselves. Horse racing remains popular, but it treats horses as property and deprives them of meaningful protection under the law. Horse slaughter is effectively banned in the US, but the slaughter of American horses has continued due to loopholes. A bill pending in Congress, the Save America’s Forgotten Equines Act, would ban the export of horses for slaughter.