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
Anyone that pays to watch horse has been tortured as a scumbag POS! Ban horseracing now!
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!!!!!!
This petition is asking a vile cruel man mcConnell to do something kind. He has a hand in this vile industry ,profiting from it. He’s not a leader. He’s a coward Mitch will never do sn6 to stop this torment of horses
Cassy I agree with you!!! PEOPLE ARE CRUEL THEY DESERVE TO BE TORTURED TOO!!! KARMA…… STOP THIS HORRIBLE TREATMENT TO ALL ANIMAL’S EVIL BEING’S MISTREAT …….
Antiquated,barbaric horse torture! End it now!!
Animals abusers/murderers deserve to be brutally EXTERMINATED, ASAP!
UNFORTUNATELY MAN IS CAPABLE OF ANY INIQUITY THAT WILL ENRICH HIM EVEN AT THE COST OF THE SUFFERING OF ANOTHER LIVING BEING WITHOUT THINKING THAT THIS WILL LEAD HIM TO HIS ETERNAL CONDEMNATION …
Yes – abusing or being responsible for the death of any living being created by God won’t go unpunished, either in this world or when the greedy coward finally dies …
If only.. & if only the E.C. came Immediately!
Incidentally, I don’t believe Humans were created by God.
THESE CRIMINALS SHOULD BE IN PRISON FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY LEADING TO THEIR DEATHS, COWARDS!!!
Agree with every comment above. Just because an event, horse-racing, has been going on forever doesn’t mean that it should continue. These so-called “sports” are cruel to the horses all for the love of money and prestige. People, in general, have evolved from earlier generations and most of us are sick of exploitation of animals. Horse racing should be abolished.
Horse-racing is a SHAME on humanity, and should be wiped off the surface of this planet! Horse-racing is “entertainment” for PRIMITIVE, DEHUMANIZED, DESENSITIZED, SADISTIC, PSYCHOPATHIC, CYNICAL and extremely GREEDY bastards only. Those who engage in horse-racing are the LOWEST of the LOW!
PROTECT beautiful horses and SHUT-DOWN the horse-racing HELL!!! The human race is nothing but MORAL FILTH!!!
Agree all comments whats wrong with laws and people. DEAL WITH THIS NOW OR BAN RACING.
It’s all about GREED, GREED, GREED!!!…at the expense of these beautiful innocent animals. PROSECUTE THESE POS!!!!
This is discusting to drug there horses that is cheating and anyway I am against horse racing and they are always underweight and sad I spoken to a lady to rescues ex horse racing and they looked terrible conditions and now it happy and put on weight and running around.these idiots who owns these horses dont know anything about them when they dont want them they are sent to the nackers yeard to be horribly abused and slaughtered plz dont support horse racing it very cruel
Signed @10775.
Ban horse racing. Ban animal “agriculture” and ban all forms of exploitation toward animals.
Horse racing is not a sport – it is cruel killing and torture. All involved in horse racing should be prosecuted and severely punished…IN MY OPINION
This petition is asking a vile cruel man mcConnell to do something kind. He has a hand in this vile industry ,profiting from it. He’s not a leader. He’s a coward Mitch will never do anything to stop this torment of horses
Ban anyone who has a drugged horse period! This inherent cruelty should push people to fight to ban horse, dog, etc
Racing forever!
Stop this form of animal abuse just to satiate for human entertainment. It is such a barbaric form of of pleasure. It seems as if perhaps some trainers and perhaps handlers as well as the riders are being deceitful regarding the health and welfare of the horse. If they are aware of the drugging practice they should all be guilty of abuse and should be handed serious consequences. Please start being “a human” being kind and respectful towards animals.
Lilypearl
Horse lives matter too damn it.