Letter To The Editor: The (Real) Elephant In The Room

I read with optimism HISA's 2025 fatality rate report showing a gradual but steady decline in the rate since 2009. However, I feel that it still doesn't address a major issue affecting U.S. horse racing (as touched upon by Mr. Sonbol in his letter), namely the extremely high level of short-term and long-term injuries suffered by US racehorses.

There have been widespread commentaries (and potential solutions) recently by industry leaders regarding the major concerns affecting our industry, including the fatality rate, the rapid decline in the horse population, the extensive closure of racetracks, the shrinking fan base, aftercare, and the slaughter issue, among many topics.

While all of these matters are critical, one of the most serious issues affecting racing is largely ignored, namely the extremely high level of injuries in U.S. racing. While I do not have the actual statistics, as an owner both in France (my family has owned over 200 racehorses there for over 40 years) and the U.S. (a dozen horses), I have experienced firsthand the difference between the level of injuries with my family's French horses compared to my U.S. horses. While I estimate that 20 to 25% of our French horses have required some form of medical intervention and/or relatively extensive time off (three to nine months), EVERY single horse I have owned in the U.S. has either required surgery, extensive time off, needed to be retired or all of the above.

I currently own three U.S. horses that have all required much time off due to injuries and/or surgery. All three have only raced a handful of times. I know that this issue is affecting every U.S. owner. Why is this standard in U.S. racing?

In many other racing jurisdictions, such as in Europe, Australia, Japan, Honk Kong, and others, horses have much longer racing careers than in the US, and it's very common to see older horses (six and older) still race and be competitive at all levels, including Group 1's.

As a bloodstock agent, I have sadly seen most of my clients experience the same issues, and in some cases, they became so frustrated and exasperated that they got out of racing completely. While most owners know that the probability of actually making a profit is relatively low, they do expect to be able to go to the races regularly to watch their horses compete, and to experience, at times, the joy of winning a race. Instead, they often find themselves playing the waiting game (and paying large vet bills), while their horses are off recovering from one injury or another.

While bigger owners and partnerships might more easily absorb the additional expenses and the delays involved, it is much more difficult for smaller owners who are disappearing at the same alarming rate as the foal crop, trainers and racetracks.

There was some discussion recently about the issue with track surfaces, although more in relation to the fatality rate (not the injury rate), but that conversation seems to have faded.

I believe that there are a number of factors resulting in the various injuries, including, but not exclusively,  dirt surfaces (statistics have proven that), the expedited daily training primarily on the same surface used for the afternoon races, the emphasis on sprints as opposed to distance races (many injuries start developing when horses break from the gate at full speed), and the importance of times in races and at 2-year-old sales. Of course, these are only some of the factors.

The injury issue is so widespread and accepted that relatively short careers are the norm and not questioned. And we accept every year that some top horses, such as Ted Noffey, Paladin, and others this year, will miss our biggest races, thereby depriving the opportunity for fans to enjoy the best horses compete against each other on a regular basis. Furthermore, it's affecting field sizes, which has been a major issue across the country.

I know that resolving this major issue will take the combined efforts of the entire industry and open mindedness and willingness to change, but if we truly care about the well-being of the horses, and the ultimate survival of our great sport, It is time for the industry to stop ignoring the real elephant in the room, before U.S. racing reverts back to being truly the Sport of Kings, i.e., exclusively for the wealthy.

Raoul Temam is a bloodstock agent and owner/breeder in France and America.