LUR: Response to New York Times article

Dead Athletes. Empty Stands. Why Are We Still Paying for This?

Published 28 Feb 2025

New York Times

By Noah Shachtman

Link to article here.

Article Summary

• Declining attendance – The article claims that while horse racing once drew massive crowds, today, tracks like Yonkers Raceway see only a fraction of their former spectators, despite online betting.
• Financial reliance on casino revenue – Racing receives a share of casino profits, which the article argues is an artificial lifeline that keeps the sport afloat rather than actual public interest or demand.
• Claims of excessive subsidies – The piece suggests that states like New York, Maryland, and Pennsylvania funnel billions from slot machines into horse racing, implying taxpayer dollars are being misused to sustain a struggling industry.
• Horse welfare concerns – It cites figures from anti-racing activists claiming 11,000 racehorses have died since 2014, questioning the industry’s commitment to safety despite recent reforms.
• Criticism of labor conditions – The article highlights alleged poor working conditions for grooms and stable staff, portraying them as underpaid, overworked, and in precarious employment situations.
• Comparison to other sports – Racing is portrayed as an outlier in receiving government support, contrasting it with football and basketball, which have large fan bases and, according to the article, don’t “routinely kill their athletes.”
• Allegations of industry corruption – The article implies that racing is deeply intertwined with political lobbying, citing examples of politicians attending events and receiving campaign support from industry leaders.
• Shift in gambling trends – The rise of sports betting is presented as a major threat to racing’s financial model, with the article suggesting that states should let the industry shrink rather than subsidize it further.
• Concerns over breeding practices – The article argues that modern breeding prioritizes speed over durability, leading to a fragile equine population more prone to injuries and breakdowns.
• Comparison to dog racing’s decline – The piece suggests horse racing is on a similar trajectory to greyhound racing, which has been banned or phased out in most states due to welfare concerns.
• Doubts over long-term viability – The article concludes by questioning whether the public should continue supporting horse racing, arguing that without state-backed financial support, the sport would collapse.
• Call to end subsidies – The overarching message is that states should stop funding racing, let it shrink to whatever level the market naturally supports, and redirect funds elsewhere.

LUR Response Summary

1. This article is misleading and ignores racing’s real progress.

U.S. horse racing is safer, more regulated, and more economically impactful than ever before. Fatalities have dropped 27% under HISA, racing generates $36.4 billion in economic impact, and aftercare programs have rehomed over 18,500 retired racehorses. Instead of outdated narratives, focus on the real story: a sport that is improving and evolving.

2. The truth: racing funds itself, supports jobs, and prioritizes safety.

The U.S. racing industry contributes over $200 million in taxes annually, supports 491,000 jobs, and is investing more than ever in horse welfare and safety measures. Fatalities are at an all-time low, and major events like the Kentucky Derby continue to draw millions of fans. The sport isn’t dying – it’s adapting and growing.

3. Horse racing today is built on integrity, safety, and sustainability.

This article ignores racing’s biggest reforms, including the strictest veterinary oversight in history, enhanced safety protocols, and record-breaking aftercare initiatives. The 2024 Keeneland Sale hit $412 million, proving investor confidence in the sport’s future. Racing leading in animal welfare, economic impact, and sport integrity.

4. Horse racing remains a deeply rooted American tradition and is investing in a strong, long-term future

Horse racing is an enduring part of America’s cultural fabric, with marquee events like the Kentucky Derby drawing 16.7 million viewers in 2024, a 13% year-over-year increase, making it one of the most-watched sporting events in the U.S. Fan engagement remains strong, with $11.2 billion wagered on U.S. horse racing in 2024, while over $2 billion is currently invested in racetrack infrastructure projects at venues like Belmont Park, ensuring the sport’s long-term future. Racehorse safety is at an all-time high, with fatalities down 27% since the implementation of HISA, enhanced veterinary oversight, and strict medication regulations making the sport safer than ever.

LUR Full Response

The article is misleading, selective, and ignores real progress

The article cherry-picks data, misrepresents subsidies, and ignores the major strides racing has made in safety and integrity. The real facts show that:

1. Racing contributes billions to the economy and generates substantial tax revenue.
2. Bloodstock investments and horses in training are paid through private investment, not public funds.
3. Racehorse safety is better than ever, with fatalities at historic lows.
4. The sport is evolving, breaking wagering records, and expanding internationally.
5. The industry invests millions in aftercare and equine welfare, ensuring horses have futures beyond racing.

Instead of relying on outdated narratives and misleading statistics, discussions about horse racing should focus on fact-based analysis, ongoing safety improvements, and the sport’s economic significance.

This is not a sport in decline. It is a globally evolving industry that continues to adapt, grow, and improve.

1. Horse racing is an economic benefit to society, not a drain on public funds

The article frames horse racing as a dying industry dependent on subsidies, but the reality is that it generates billions in tax revenue and economic impact each year. It is a well-established business sector that drives significant economic activity and provides long-term employment.

• In the United States, horse racing contributes $36.4 billion annually and supports 491,000 jobs across agriculture, tourism, and veterinary services.
• In New York alone, horse racing generates over $3 billion in economic activity and supports nearly 19,000 jobs.

The article misrepresents revenue-sharing agreements with casinos as “handouts” when, in fact, these agreements allow racing to reinvest in jobs, breeding, and rural economies – a key part of the economic ecosystem.

• Horse racing is privately operated, with independent owners, trainers, breeders, and racetracks managing their businesses.
• Governments regulate the industry in the same way they regulate other businesses, ensuring safety and integrity, but they do not own or control the sport.
• The public does not “own” racing any more than it owns the NBA, NFL, or Formula 1.

Taxpayers benefit from the revenue and employment horse racing generates. If racing were shut down, the public would lose jobs, tax revenue, and economic activity.

The idea that “every dollar they get to skip in taxes is one that, at least in theory, has to be made up elsewhere” is an oversimplification that ignores racing’s net contribution to public finances. Horse racing contributes more in taxes than it receives in incentives.

Furthermore, if public funding for racing is considered excessive, then what about the significantly larger subsidies given to other sports?

• The Buffalo Bills’ new stadium received $850 million in taxpayer funding.
• The Las Vegas Raiders’ stadium received $750 million in public subsidies.
• The Atlanta Braves’ new stadium cost taxpayers $672 million.
• In contrast, horse racing generates more in tax revenue than it receives, while professional sports often take far more in public funds.

The argument that racing receives unfair tax advantages ignores the much larger subsidies granted to other sports, which often do not provide the same level of economic return.

The claim that “owners and trainers run races on tracks we own” oversimplifies the relationship between government, racetracks, and the private sector. Many racetracks are privately owned or operated under lease agreements that generate revenue for the state.

• Churchill Downs, Santa Anita Park, and Del Mar are privately or publicly owned and operated, generating millions in revenue and taxes.
• Even state-owned tracks such as Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack are not freely given to the industry. They operate under strict lease agreements that provide revenue to the government through taxes, licensing fees, and wagering contributions.
• The notion that casino subsidies artificially sustain racing is misleading. In many states, slot machine revenue is allocated to racing because the racing industry helped build the original gambling infrastructure. These agreements are revenue-sharing models, not handouts.

The relationship between government and racing is mutually beneficial, not an act of financial charity.

2. Racing does not rely on “public money” to pay workers or operate

The article suggests that horse racing salaries are funded by taxpayer money, but this is false. The suggestion that “they pay their workers… with our money” is factually incorrect.

• Trainers are paid by owners, and in turn, they pay their stable staff, grooms, and riders. Their wages come from prize money, training fees, and private investments, not state funding.
• Breeding operations, which make up a significant portion of the racing industry, are entirely private enterprises.
• The Keeneland September Yearling Sale grossed $412 million in 2024, proving that thoroughbred investment is thriving without public funding.
• State tax incentives for racing are minor compared to those given to other sports. The Buffalo Bills received $850 million in public funds for a new stadium, while the Las Vegas Raiders received $750 million.

Racing is a private industry with private payrolls, making the claim that workers are funded by public money inaccurate. Unlike many professional sports, horse racing funds itself through wagering, while contributing substantial tax revenue – not the other way around.

3. Horse safety has improved significantly, with fatalities at historic lows

The article sensationalizes equine deaths but ignores the substantial progress in racehorse safety over the past decade.

• Since the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) was implemented, fatalities have decreased by 27%. In 2024, the rate of fatalities fell to 0.90 per 1,000 starts, the lowest on record, and a 55% decrease since 2009 when records began.
• 99.91% of race starts result in no fatal injury, showing that new safety protocols, track maintenance, and veterinary oversight are working.

The article selectively cites statistics from activist groups like Horseracing Wrongs, which distort injury data by including deaths unrelated to racing, including incorrect information and omitting racing’s massive safety improvements.

4. Racing is not declining but evolving and expanding globally

The article falsely suggests that horse racing is fading into obscurity, but the data tells a different story.

• Horse racing is part of the cultural traditional fabric of America.
• The Kentucky Derby had 16.7 million television viewers in 2024, making it one of the most-watched sporting events in the United States. It was a 13% year on year increase.
• Wagering on U.S. horse racing reached $11.2 billion in 2024.
• There is currently over $2 billion invested in infrastructure projects across US racetracks including Belmont Racecourse, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, etc.
• Global expansion continues:
  • The Saudi Cup, launched in 2020, now offers a $20 million purse, the richest in racing.
  • Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, and the Middle East have massively increased prize money, attracting international talent.

Horse racing is adapting to modern audiences, social standards of welfare while expanding globally, and strengthening its economic model.

5. The industry has made huge strides in aftercare programs

The article implies that racehorses are discarded after their careers, but this ignores the industry’s multi-million-dollar investment in aftercare programs.

• The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) has accredited over 80 organizations, rehoming and retraining thousands of former racehorses.
• Programs like New Vocations and the Retired Racehorse Project have helped over 18,500 horses find new careers in eventing, show jumping, and therapy .
• In many racing jurisdictions, owners now pay into mandatory aftercare funds to ensure horses have secure futures beyond the track.

The industry is not turning a blind eye to welfare but implemented some of the most structured, well-funded retirement and retraining programs in animal care.