🐎💔 Final Gallop Ends in Tragedy: Racing Community Questions Ethics after Another Fatal Finish
TL;DR:
In the shadow of Arcangelo’s victory at the Belmont Stakes, another thoroughbred named Excursionniste tragically drew its last breath on the same track. The horse world is once again thrust into controversy, pondering the toll the sport takes on its equine athletes. 🏇⚰️💭
Story:
We know it, you know it, and even Grandma on Facebook knows it: horse racing is no stranger to drama. But when the thunderous applause dies down, and the gleaming trophies are set aside, we’re left asking, “At what cost?” 🏆💀🤔
The latest episode of this emotional rollercoaster came this past Saturday at Belmont Park in New York. The Belmont Stakes, the final jewel in the Triple Crown trifecta, saw another champion crowned. The crowd roared, the champagne flowed for Arcangelo’s triumph, but there was a bitter aftertaste. Because, for Excursionniste, another gallant competitor, it was his final race.
Excursionniste was euthanized following a catastrophic injury during the final race of the day, casting a dark shadow over an otherwise sunny celebration. Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone else? Because it’s déjà vu all over again.💭🔄
Believe it or not, this grim incident marked a deadly pattern. A horse has died on race day at each leg of this year’s Triple Crown. That’s right, folks: three races, three deaths. I mean, I’m no mathematician, but something about that equation doesn’t sit right. Anyone else smell something fishy? 🐟👃🧮
We’ve seen the tragic demise of two horses on Kentucky Derby day, followed by another at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. These losses not only tear at our hearts but raise a host of uncomfortable questions: Are we, as spectators, complicit in these deaths? Is the thrill of the race worth this ultimate price? 🎟️⚖️💔
Excursionniste’s story itself is a heartbreaking one. Led by jockey Flavien Prat, the horse was off to a strong start, leading the pack and then coming in a close second at the halfway point. Then, the unthinkable happened. The energetic, powerful creature that had been commanding the turf with thundering hooves was abruptly silenced.
This tragic event is not an isolated incident, but rather a grim tally in a long list of fatalities. In 2022, over 300 horses died as a direct result of racing, according to a non-profit. And if we were to include deaths in training and stalls, as activist Patrick Battuelo suggests, that number could be as staggering as 2,000 annually. Is anyone else getting chills, or is it just me? 😱🐎💔
These sobering statistics are prompting people to ask some serious questions. Is the thrill of victory worth the possibility of such a devastating loss? Do we need to rethink the racing industry’s values and practices to safeguard these magnificent animals? Because let’s be real, without them, there is no race. 🏇🎪💭
So, as we remember Excursionniste and those that have fallen before him, we ask ourselves: is it time for the racing world to confront these ethical issues head-on?
The final question we leave you with is this: Should the industry change to better protect the lives of its equine athletes, or are we content to see this deadly pattern continue? 💡🔄
