On November 4th, the 154th running of the Melbourne Cup took place in Australia at Flemington Racecourse. The Cup first took place in 1861 and by 1866 it was attracting the best thoroughbreds and even larger crowds. The Melbourne Cup is now one of the most prestigious races and open to horses from all over the world, imported each year to compete. It is televised to over 700 million viewers worldwide and countries all over the world hold events to celebrate the race.
This year’s race was won by Protectionist, a five-year-old German horse. Unfortunately, the elation of the win was dampened by the fatality of Japanese horse Admire Rakti and the 7th runner up, Araldo from Great Britain. Pending autopsy results, just 20 minutes after finishing the race it is suspected that Admire Rakti suffered a heart attack due to ventricular fibrillation. Araldo kicked out at the guard rail upon finishing the race, resulting in a broken cannon bone and necessary euthanasia after an unsuccessful surgery. As per usual, these events stirred up mixed emotions about the racing industry and animal welfare.
The statement released by the Australian Racing Board reminds the public that racing is “amongst the most regulated and accountable industries, let alone in sports” The belief that racehorses are exploited is one that cannot stand alone. If individuals want to judge racing, they must also be critical of all equine events during which deaths also occur. If you believe the racing industry is all about making money regardless of the expense, visit a racetrack, training barn or breeding farm and I promise you will come away from the experience with a different view. I urge everyone to educate themselves on the strict regulations outlined by the Ontario Racing Commission, before making what would be an uniformed opinion on an industry that highly values its athletes.
This year’s race was won by Protectionist, a five-year-old German horse. Unfortunately, the elation of the win was dampened by the fatality of Japanese horse Admire Rakti and the 7th runner up, Araldo from Great Britain. Pending autopsy results, just 20 minutes after finishing the race it is suspected that Admire Rakti suffered a heart attack due to ventricular fibrillation. Araldo kicked out at the guard rail upon finishing the race, resulting in a broken cannon bone and necessary euthanasia after an unsuccessful surgery. As per usual, these events stirred up mixed emotions about the racing industry and animal welfare.
The statement released by the Australian Racing Board reminds the public that racing is “amongst the most regulated and accountable industries, let alone in sports” The belief that racehorses are exploited is one that cannot stand alone. If individuals want to judge racing, they must also be critical of all equine events during which deaths also occur. If you believe the racing industry is all about making money regardless of the expense, visit a racetrack, training barn or breeding farm and I promise you will come away from the experience with a different view. I urge everyone to educate themselves on the strict regulations outlined by the Ontario Racing Commission, before making what would be an uniformed opinion on an industry that highly values its athletes.