Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Horseracing is a $40 billion industry that generates roughly 400,000 jobs nationwide. 1 The increasingly larger purses and high stakes involved in racing have driven trainers and veterinarians to turn to the use of performance enhancing drugs as well as the overuse of prescription drugs in order to keep horses racing and money flowing.Unfortunately, the use of these drugs can lead to dire and sometimes fatal consequences for horses and jockies alike.On average, twenty-four horses die each week at racetracks across America. 2 One famous case that first brought the need for more regulation in horseracing to light was the unfortunate injury and eventual death of Barbaro in the 2006 Preakness Stakes.3 Shortly after, the filly, Eight Belles who almost won the 2008 Kentucky Derby, fell during the race with two broken front ankles.4 The filly then had to be euthanized by injection on the track in front of a national television audience.5 As a result, Congress held hearings and, amid the pressure of federal regulation, the industry promised changes.6 1 Ray Paulick, Horse Racing Back in Front of Congress at PA Hearing, PAULICK REPORT (April 30, 2012), http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/horse-racing-back-in-front-of-congress-at-pa- hearing-watch-live-follow-ray/.
Author: Katie Elizabeth Bartek
Language: English
Topic: Doping in Sports
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W204880539