Horse racing has transformed from a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses into an enormous public-entertainment spectacle that involves huge fields, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment and enormous sums of money. But its core concept remains the same: the horse that runs fastest wins. In the long run, this has proved a formula for success. However, the sport has also been marred by numerous scandals involving drugs and injuries, a loss of public favor and the departure of many would-be fans.
The race that sparked a reckoning of the ethics and integrity of horse racing was the 2008 Kentucky Derby, won by Eight Belles over her stablemate Medina Spirit. Both horses had been bred in Ireland, and both were subjected to a cocktail of legal and illegal substances designed to mask injuries and enhance performance. They were forced to sprint—often under the threat of whips and even illegal electric-shocking devices—at speeds that are so fast that they frequently sustain injuries, including hemorrhage from their lungs.
Like Eight Belles, Medina Spirit died while under the exorbitant physical stress of a race. In fact, horses die routinely in races and while training, although their deaths rarely make headlines.
In the modern world of horse racing, there are few other sports that offer the same spectacle, high stakes and social intrigue as a thoroughbred horse race. But behind the romanticized facade is a world of injuries, drug abuse and gruesome breakdowns. While spectators show off their fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, the horses are running for their lives.
In addition to being brutally competitive, horse racing is also extremely expensive, with a purse—the total amount of money bet on a particular race—often exceeding $10 million for a major event such as the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness Stakes. To recoup these expenses, the industry relies on a small but dedicated group of people to manage and groom the horses, as well as on an army of gamblers to place bets.
The sport’s popularity has declined in recent decades, as Americans have turned away from gambling and other forms of entertainment. But it has retained a loyal group of customers—often older and retired—who can be seen at the track, wearing their lucky colors and cheering on the winner. The roar of the crowd has a rhythm and a ring that is almost universal.
The sport has a history of controversies, and new would-be fans are often turned off by controversies that involve doping and the death of horses. The type of race known as a steeplechase, in which a horse jumps over obstacles, dates back to at least the 5th century bc, when it was a favorite sport of cavalry officers. Today, such races are often held on natural terrain, but they can still be arduous for the horses, who are usually forced to race at excessive speed. The lungs of such horses often bleed, and the blood is visible on the course.