The history of horse racing goes back at least hundreds, and probably in some form, a couple thousand years. It has taken place in developed and undeveloped areas of the world. In the U.S., marketers pushed the title of the “sport of kings” to hark back to the feudal participants in Europe. They sought to bring its status up from its humble beginnings in the rural South, where the primary participants were slaves fresh off the plantations. But Jim Crow laws soon aligned it with folks with money and political power, changing its face forever.
Let’s take a quick look at the contemporary “sport of kings”. And as you read on, keep in the back of your mind what might this really mean. Is it a “sport” that you might want to teach your children how to play? And, really, just what is the relationship to royalty? In our understanding of this “sport” let’s pick the low hanging fruit first.
Whipping. The use of brute force appears to be the way to make a horse go faster. I’m not sure how this can be ignored. Let me be clear, the use of a whip inflicts pain. Folks in the “industry” will tell you this is just for motivation, and it doesn’t hurt the animals. I’m not all that bright, but this seems to eschew common sense. Tell me about how it didn’t hurt the last time you were whipped?
Let’s move on to death. Across the U. S. this year there were 493 racing horses “euthanized”. Through November (L A Times Nov 2, 2019) there were 37 horses “euthanized” at Santa Anita Race Track, not including training deaths. According to an article in the Oct 22 Patch, there were 17 horse deaths at Los Alamitos. As I interpret the information, the deaths were initiated by owners and their veterinarians because of the significance of the suffering and pain from broken bones and crushed organs.
I can only conclude that horse racing is not a sport and is in no way related to any modern day kings, at least those here in Los Alamitos. And the horses are not treated like athletes, in any sense of the word.
I have heard stories around city hall, over the last 18 years, about how the founding city mothers and fathers were offered the race track, but declined, except for the name … which they gave away.
I propose that it is time to take back our good name from the killing fields. Call it whatever you want, like Cypress Rack Track … that’s fine with us. We want no part of it.
Elliott Singer
Los Alamitos