public to be a companion animal, much the same as a dog or cat. In this societal context, welfare issues affecting the horse resonate with the public like never before.


In order to address the impact of societal change upon the Thoroughbred racing industry, the AAEP recommends:


• Racing industry support for a strategic plan that places the safety and welfare of the horse among its highest priorities. It is imperative that the industry urgently demonstrate an ability to affect sweeping change without government intervention. The AAEP recognizes and supports efforts by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) to accomplish this goal.


• The continued collaboration of multiple racing organizations (NTRA, TOBA, HBPA, ARCI, The Jockey Club, AAEP, racetracks and sales companies and others) to address the challenges affecting racing. An excellent opportunity for a cooperative industry-wide effort is the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance, and the AAEP enthusiastically supports this effort.


• When the substantive issues of race horse welfare have been addressed by the industry, an aggressive public relations effort must be mounted to educate the public about what is being done to protect the welfare and safety of the horse (e.g.: racetrack injury reporting program, racetrack surface testing and medication studies).


The Business Model of Racing


Thoroughbred racing is a $15 billion industry in the United States, and the business model has evolved over the years to favor training and racing of two-year-old horses that compete for championship purses late in their two-year-old year. Their peak earning potential is in the three-year-old year, with a gradually diminishing emphasis on continued racing into the four-year-old year and later.


Thoroughbred racing operates on a year-round schedule in 38 separate racing jurisdictions. Because a larger field of horses promotes more wagering, which in turn increases purse size, small field sizes have caused racing secretaries in some instances to apply pressure to trainers to enter horses who might not otherwise be suitable for racing. This practice must be eliminated, as it encourages entry of horses at shorter intervals that may place them at increased risk of injury due to increased frequency of high-speed cyclic loading. Another concerning trend is an increasing number of racino executives that do not have experience in horse racing or horse care. We believe it is imperative that senior racetrack management become knowledgeable about the issues and business practices that directly affect the welfare and safety of the horses that race at their tracks.


As noted, two-year-old racing is an important aspect of the industry business model. Some degree of training and racing of two year olds is not harmful to the welfare and safety of the horse. In fact, a review of Jockey Club information indicates that horses that race as two year olds are more successful and race longer than horses that do not race at


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