On August 16, 3-year-old Thoroughbred Wisecraken became the 11^th horse to die at Saratoga Race Course since late May. The bloodbath at the track must be stopped.

PETA is calling on the New York State Gaming Commission and the New York Racing Association to suspend all racing at Saratoga pending a thorough investigation into every death and the implementation of stronger safety protocols.

In a horrible event, Maple Leaf Mel breaks down at Saratoga Race Course in summer 2023.

We also urge the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority to step in and press for the track’s closure.

Churchill Downs shut down after multiple deaths, and Saratoga is obligated to do the same.

The racing industry must also implement technology that is scientifically and statistically proven to save lives. Until racetracks install synthetic surfaces and utilize CT scanning equipment to detect injuries—among other improvements—they can’t pretend to be mystified by fatalities.

What You Can Do to Help Horses

On average, 24 horses experience fatal breakdowns at racetracks across the country every week, and this number doesn’t even take into account the ones who are discarded by the racing industry when they’re no longer considered profitable. Thousands of “unprofitable” or simply unwanted Thoroughbreds from the U.S. are trucked or shipped to Canada and Mexico and slaughtered each year.

Horses used in the carriage and racing industries are afforded no protection under the federal Animal Welfare Act, so the responsibility of looking out for their welfare falls to local animal control officials and compassionate people like you. Current anti-cruelty laws provide horses with few safeguards, and many animal welfare agencies just don’t have the resources or the time to monitor horse-drawn carriages on a regular basis. Animals can easily be overworked when profit-driven operators fail to follow regulations. That’s why we must always speak up for animals in need.