Horse racing is a popular sport whereby horses, either ridden by jockeys or pulled by sulkies and drivers, are driven around a course to the finish line. The winner of the race receives the most prize money and the second and third place finishers earn some amount as well. The sport dates back to ancient times and has played an important part in cultures throughout the world. There are many different ways to bet on a horse race; most commonly, people will either bet to win, bet to place or bet to show. When someone bets to win, they are betting that their horse will come in first. To place, they are betting that their horse will come either second or third. To show, they are betting that their horse will come within a certain distance of winning, which is usually determined by the number of laps or the number of seconds in which it must finish the race.
In the wild, horses love to run fast. But, in order to make them competitive with other horses in races, they have to be pushed way beyond their natural limits. They are doused in cocktails of legal and illegal drugs that mask injuries and artificially enhance performance. It is all too common for these horses to develop debilitating medical conditions, such as bleeding lungs and ringbone fractures, as well as heart attacks. The result is that, despite their beauty and power, these sensitive creatures die tragically on the track or in training.
The most common form of horse racing is a flat race, in which horses are led along a straight course by a jockey. The horses are pushed at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Horses can suffer a variety of injuries during a flat race, including leg and foot injuries, fractures, fetlock fractures, lacerations and concussions. It is also common for horses to become exhausted and collapse. Injuries to horses are a significant problem in horse racing, with one study finding that 3 thoroughbreds die every day from catastrophic injuries during races.
As a result, many horses are retired to pastures and, in some cases, slaughterhouses. A few lucky ones may be sent to stud farms, where they will be bred to produce other horses. However, most retirees are sent to slaughterhouses in Canada, Mexico and Japan, where their flesh is used for glue and dog food, and as a delicacy. If this continues, the integrity and safety of the sport will be compromised. This could lose the industry its core audience, which consists of animal lovers and gamblers. This would not only be a tragedy for the horses, but it could also destroy an integral part of American history and culture. As a result, it is critical that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority does its job of protecting horses from the dangers of racing. If it fails, a multibillion-dollar industry, an important aspect of America’s history and its soul, will be lost.