Stop Drugging and Racing Horses to Death

Target: Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader

Goal: Stop horses from dying in the Kentucky Derby races.

The racehorse at the center of a recent Kentucky Derby controversy, Medina Spirit, met a tragic fate when he collapsed and suddenly died during a track workout. The champion horse’s trainer came under scrutiny after Medina Spirit failed a drug test in the wake of the Derby. Preliminary theories suggest the three-year-old succumbed to a heart attack. Unfortunately, this fallen animal taken in his prime is only one in a long line of troubling tragedies.

Recent studies indicate a mere ten horse trainers (including Medina Spirit trainer Bob Baffert) have overseen over 160 horse deaths in recent years. Many of these animals, upon autopsy, were found with illegal substances in their systems. Worse yet, the track where this horse died has been the subject of much controversy itself. In the course of one year, 30-plus horses died at Santa Anita Park in circumstances very similar to the death of Medina Spirit. Critics have argued that chronic over-exercising at the track contributed to the fatalities.

Congress has taken on this controversial so-called sport before, but more action clearly needs to be taken. Sign the petition below to urge a comprehensive review on the future of this fading and increasingly deadly pastime.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Senator McConnell,

The Racing Integrity and Safety Act is supposed to bring long-overdue reform to horse racing. The recent tragic death of Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit reinforces that these proposed actions do not go far enough. Each year, over 15 percent of racehorses meet a fate similar to Medina Spirit. These animals are struck down in their prime, often the victims of a toxic cocktail of drugs and unforgiving exercise regimens.

The agency proposed by the recently passed law should not be self-regulatory, as we have witnessed time and again how a lack of accountability and enforcement enables a toxic culture. To date, only three states even have rules banning the type of substance that likely contributed to Medina Spirit’s death, and even these states only prohibit the substance on a race day. You must consider the possibility that horse racing, a sport already on a rapid downward slide in popularity, may be too far gone and not worth reforming or saving.

Please undertake a more comprehensive review of the legislation you helped introduce and take the necessary action, up to and including wholesale bans on this blood sport.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Absolute Charm


49 Comments

  1. Good luck with McConnell the pos.

    • Stephanie Jones says:

      Amen!

    • Laura K Perkinson says:

      IF any of you had even a clue how much they test each and every horse, it is NOT drugs you should complain about but the age! This is why horses die, many are too young and give their all. but drugs>? no so if your going to write a Force Change, do your damn home work first and stop making false claims. it looks bad for the REAL problems!

      • Evan Jane Kriss says:

        The age of horses IS a factor, but so is ILLEGAL DRUGGING. I was a journalist, and investigations have borne this out. So it’s BOTH, not one.

  2. Linda L Cummings says:

    The filthy rich consider this fun.

    • It’s not just filthy rich. It’s all class levels. There is a horse track in Bay Area , ca that has pure trash and gangs going there to watch tortured horses while drinking Michelob.

  3. McConnell ugh UGH some joke the worse there is these greedy creeps should be arrested

  4. You Racing people are Pure EVIL!! Money is all you are in terested in! These Wonderful Horses have NO MERCY at your Hands. You Rich people think this is Fun to watch these Horses suffer!!!
    Makes me Sick you Greedy POS people!!!!!~!

  5. Vivian Vetere says:

    I live near a really nice track where drugs are banned. I know some equine vets and trainers who are completely against drugging. Horses can race successfully without drugs. It is the greed of the owners and trainers who see horses a commodity instead of living, feeling, sensitive creatures. P.S. I am a long term horse owner and dressage rider. Unfortunately, most of the racing industry IS corrupt! Most of these horses are slaughtered if they can’t run. It is a huge complex problem and makes me terrifically sad. And like the other commenter said, good luck with McConnell- that man never does anything!

  6. Barbara Garrison says:

    How many horses have to die before the governing authority steps up and addresses the problem? Are they afraid of the rich, arrogant owners who threaten them if they act on behave of what’s right and truthful?

  7. Maria Bertrand says:

    And the greed goes on and on…. Anyone abusing any horse or any animals with drugs…. I HOPE YOU GET FORCE DRUGS INTRAVENOUSLY ON A CONTINUAL LOOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

    ANIMAL CRUELTY LAWS SHOULD ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM ASAP….AND THEN MAXIMUM CHARGES SHOULD BE MADE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED IN ANY CAPACITY. NO ONE SHOULD WATCH THESE RACES…!

    HORSES DON’T WANT YOUR F….ING DRUGS IF THEY COULD SPEAK. YOU JUST ABUSE THEM AND THEN DISCARD THEM. YOU WILL PAY….THE LORD IS WATCHING…

  8. sick of adults in charge says:

    McConnell? REALLY? That cunt would EAT A HORSE if put in front of him!!! POS! One correction i want to make is these horses are FAR FROM THEIR PRIME!!! THESE HORSES ARE TODDLERS! this IS THE REASON THEIY ARE BEING KILLED DAILY! THEIR DELICATE BONES ARE NOT YET DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO HANDLE HOW EXTREMELY HARD THEY ARE FORCED TO RUN RESULTING IN BROKEN BONES-THEN KILLED!

    GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT !

    VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL! WOULD YOU FORCE YOUR TODDLER TO RUN A MARATHON?

  9. These horses are not much more than babies.
    If you love to run with your horse then only owners should be on their backs. Horses live to run and please us hence this vile ‘sport’.
    If you want to race put a soft rope gently in their mouths for guidance jump on their back and have at it.
    My horses loved it. Used to get so excited when we went out carrying the ropes instead of bridles.

  10. The jockeys should not ride the horses, since they know for sure they will be hurt!

  11. McConnell doesn’t care about people let alone animals…
    SHAME ON THOSE DAMNED KENTUCKIANS WHO CONTINUE TO VOTE FOR HIM 🤮

  12. The human race stinks

  13. Joanne Berger says:

    Something definitely needs to be done in the horse racing industry with the drugging of these animals.
    Also something needs to be done for the Tennessee Walking Horse industry with the chains and the soaring and the weighted shoes, those poor horses are tortured everyday.

  14. I wish the Government could get involved and outlaw horse racing totally in addition to any other venues that abuse animals for profit. What a shame that these beautiful animals end up in the hands of greedy money makers who could care less about their health and welfare.

  15. sandra+weber says:

    It’s shameful the way these horses are treated. They are innocent animals at the mercy of human greed.

  16. Sandra Crowson says:

    When you can breed these horses like they do its ashame. Slaughter and Amish.

  17. Horse racing is not what it once was. Horse were treasured back then and drugs were not part of the race. Today all has changed. Horses are not guaranteed a decent retirement even if they were amazing winners. Too often they are sold to slaughter houses, abused, and this is not a fitting ending for horses who gave it the best they had to give. Today even wild horses are rounded up by the BLM and their helicopters to pay supposed adopters $1000 each horse which the adopters turn around and sell for more money to slaughter houses where they are killed mercilessly in fear and anguish. These wild horses have been on their land for centuries and do not deserve to be moved to slaughter at tax payers expense. Few, if any, tax payers support such inhumane action o death. And race horses need to have drug free racing or stop the sport altogether. Humans turn once admired sport into drug, greed and finally brutal murder. We need to do better for horses!

  18. Shirley Lemieux says:

    It is still hard to believe that these race horses for the longest time have been drugged with enhancing performance drugs. Why do the same problems exist for so many years in this Country? This should not have happened to this young race horse and could have been prevented.

  19. Evan Jane Kriss says:

    Not likely McConnell will do anything to interfere with his state’s most profitable business. Tragically, it’s the horses that pay with their lives.

  20. Michelle Stewart says:

    All animal racing (horses and dogs and any other animals) must be made illegal and stopped all over the world.

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