This has been going on too long and the racing industry has turned a blind eye. The only difference between horse racing and the baseball steroid scandal is the players had a choice. These SOB's were entrusted with the health and care of the horses. Significant fines and long-term jail sentences are the only way to fix this. Include the owners, industry exec's and the trainers. They are all complicit.
It's a shame these beautiful animals are not cared for in a better way. Our house pets have better care then the horses. This is all about money. The horse is seen only as money, not as a animal that deserves our care. Shame on all those who are responsible. Wish you would get the same care you didnt give them when your dependent on people someday for your care.
@@jewelleryaddict Apparently you have never spent any time on the backstretch caring for these horses or observing the people who care for them. It would not occur to me to comment on something I had not experienced firsthand.
We do own 2 horses with our neighbor where we live the past 15 years. Our horses get the best medical care we can afford. They are not mistreated. My husband was a out rider when he was young and followed the tracks before I met him. I am a veteran and was stationed where I met him. My husband is the main horse person and I am learning. I prefer riding my motorcycle. I do love the horses beautiful animals. We are both animal people and have owned/ raised many animals thru our long lives together. So you are wrong. you should not judge people you don't really know.
steroids are used for many things , even for humans , including flus, skin conditions and inflamation and in your feelings the horse must have no such relief?
I have. I have been in the stables, paddock and on the backstretch of many racetracks and saw all of this going on. If your going to say it doesn't then your either blind or lying. Drugs,abuse,etc etc etc...come on!@tessdurberville711
Former backside employee here..a big part of the problem is.... rules vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.. especially in regards to medication...there must be national rules and a legitimate governing body to oversee it...its a brutal sport and anytime people are involved there will be mistakes and discrepancies.... most not all of these horses get the very best care that can be given... there needs to be national standards....
I have a uncle in Santa Barbra, California who has horses and helps other people in the area with their horses. This has been a very long time coming. As most people don't seem to really care about the horses. Thank you.
If this is going on at the pretentious tracks and races, what is taking place at the low end racing circuit, I would imagine the issue is more pervasive. This is very disturbing and exploiting these beautiful horse. National reform must be implemented immediately. These tape recording are horrific. Such trainers should be banned for life. Period!
It's in every level of horse racing. I've seen it first hand growing up at the tracks. It's absolutely terrible!!! Everything in this story is 100% correct.
Ban the Drugs and Doping thats it, if a trainer does anything like that. Ban them for life. That is why you have to treat equine athletes with respect. Also safety needs to be improved and weather could be the factor with the surfaces. Rules need to be changed.
This whole sport is extremely cruel. How can you race horses that are so young? Their bones and hearts are going to break. Equivalent of asking todlers to run races for money. Horrid!
When I met my husband I had never heard ofharness racing. His family had a few horses. My children were literally raised at Lebanon raceway, Ohio . My husband loved, still somewhat loves the sport. He knew everything about every horse entered. We really started noticing a few years back the the books were useless. You were better off watching which driver watched the board the hardest. Unless you were privy the barn bets you may as well have just thrown your money out on the track!! It breaks my heart to see the disappointment in my husband's face as more and more evidence come out. We used to go to all the fairs races, , all of his 8 siblings brought their kids. We would spend all the days there. They stole that from us, from many families. I hope they also get he owner's, Virgil Morgan, he never cared to hide the fact he was juicing. Idk, I'm going to put my money on a horse named KARMA-I hope she gets you all. You're nothing but thieves, you have taken enough of my hard earned money!!
Maybe sometimes, more often though it's the trainer who is cheating, without the owner knowing. Ban cheating trainer's like Bob Baffert for life, put Todd Pletcher on warning, one more charge, your out.
No one talks of the owners. In my Father's Day Horse Racing was the Number 1 Sport in America. In that time, most of the owners made their money elsewhere. They were horse people. They didn't need their horses to make money. That was the Sport of Kings. I used to work at Belmont Park. The Trainers work for the Owners. More attention needs to be put on the type of owners Horse Racing is attracting! Want to place a bet on the Trifecta? The order of finish are the Owners, the Breeding, and the Trainers-Vets-Drugs. And Yes, people in the industry, Do Love the Thoroughbred Racehorse! - To see a Thoroughbred Racehorse, up-close, is an extreme example of a living piece of art!
The owners today are not the same breed that we had in the sport at any time before 1990. So much has changed. I retired all of my horses and stopped breeding in 2020, due to Covid-19. I was not going to keep horses stabled on the track and not even be able to visit them. I brought them home.
It's about damn time! HISA is horse racing's last prayer. They have to start issuing " lifetime " bans on trainer's caught the 3'rd time for giving horse's illegal dope. Bob Baffert has had 31 illegal drug violations against him. 31 times! Todd Pletcher has had illegal drug violations, he will fight it in court, get it laid over and over, until it's thrown out. I'm a horse racing fan for over 50 year's, and I'm sick and tired of the cheating. Stop smacking guilty trainers on the hand by fining them $5,000 in a race worth $1 million dollar's! Ban bad trainer's for life. Tell the crybaby owner's they can get on board and support HiSA, or they can cry on the sidelines. HISA can be what saves horse racing in America, if, it doesn't get watered down, and starts banning cheating trainer's like Bob Baffert for life from ever training another horse again.
Well said. Great comments but most the industry hates HISA because HISA is for the horses and they want to carry on abusing the horses. They might finally learn when racing gets shut down for good
Bob Baffert is crooked, and we all know it. As a exercise rider and jockey... I'm shocked at other riders who agree to ride for Bob Baffert and other known cheaters. Working for these trainers only puts all your fellow riders at risk. We are supposed to protect each other in a job that is already extremely dangerous. Level the playing field and keep our sport clean. Keep each other safe and trainers honest.
Horses are beautiful animals. Not just a "piece" of property. They aren't machines. They are euthinzed, because of injuries and the costs of medical expenses. The arrogance of the owners, to abuse these animals for their own monetary gains is atrocious.
Doping has been a problem for a very long time. Sir Barton, the very first Triple Crown winner in 1919, was known to be a "hop" horse. Bedwell, his trainer, was known to be a trainer who would use "any means" to win. Even with "help", Sir Barton couldn't take Man O' War. So... And the Janney's are top notch folks. Been around racing a very long time. I hope to see more on this. I've been a horse racing nut since I was 5 and saw Chateaugay win the Derby in 61. I want to see the sport "clean"!
In 1919, there were hardly any rules or anyone to enforce them. No pre-race examination, no test barn, no helmets or vests for riders, no injured jockeys fund, no humane euthanasia, lip tattoos, etc. etc. Do you really want to compare it to 2023?
In 1978 -- Sports Illustrated had the cover story on Thoroughbred racing: "Confessions of a Master Fixer". If the harsh spotlight included what happens to every Thoroughbred that goes through the sales ring -- and not just allow the industry to drive the narrative of focusing on the very few success stories (when compared with the numbers offered at auction) -- any justification to continue this sport would cease in 24 hours.
I'm sure my friend Gloria Verrecchio, DVM CERP Certified Equine Rehab Practitioner, would have some choice things to say about the state of horse racing.
.... I never realized how prevalent this problem is .... Someone I know very well - became an equine vet with the sole ambition of working with these animals .... Then became so disturbed by the practice that she opted out completely.
😢😢😢This is a DISGUSTING Sport!! I can't believe this is still happening! Have you seen the way they stall the horses...and how they get treated and whipped and forced under saddle? I Really despise this Sport!
I owned racehorses on and off for more than 20 years, finally got out after getting tired of seeing these horses forced to live in 12x12 boxes for 23 hours a day. Old sore horses medicated to the hilt and forced to run sometimes 20 plus times a year. Horseracing is in steady and accelerating decline.
Drugs are not allowed in European horse races. Why is doping allowed in America? Also, there has been a significant increase in inbreeding in the Thoroughbred over the past 15 years; without genetic diversity, you can get health and behavior issues. The Thoroughbred has no genomic selection or population management that is addressed at an industry-wide level. Will they be addressing abuse in other horse sports as well? Thank you for the reporting! Other videos: "Breakdown: Death and Disarray at America's Racetracks" "The dark side of Australia's horse racing industry | 7.30" "Racing for their Lives: An In-Depth Look at Doping in the U.S. Horse Racing Industry" "Sports: Where Do Racehorses Go? | The New York Times" "Should horse racing be banned? | Human Animal"
It seems money is more important than the health and well being of a race horse. With the right owners,trainers and jockey plus good intentions, horse racing and its history is amazing.
Doping is horrible but the sad reality is greed. What needs to happen is not start these horses before the age of three. Horses need to be allowed to grow up. Injuries happen from many causes, but most often of probably since their growth plates have not been able to grow and mature. It’s not the track, their bones and muscular skeleton We have a baby in our barn who is three years old and she is still not finished growing. She’s going to start under saddle around 4 years and then start being ridden at age 5. Look at the rear hips of these racing horses. If they are still higher than their back and withers, that means they have not fully grown.
Finally!!! The truth is coming out about horseracing, shady trainers, and doping. This industry is so corrupt! I know first hand. They need to ban horseracing altogether. Bigtime!!!
2 year old horses shouldn't even be ridden, never mind raced, and raced hard. Yes, the Triple Crown races are 3 year olds (who should just be *starting* to train with a rider), but they begin racing at 2, when their bodies aren't finished developing to safely (for the horse's development) carry a rider. I believe unless the industry leaves behind ALL the poor horsemanship behind, it should be shut down.
Ruffian was bred to break. Research her family, her sire Reviewer & her dam Shenanigans. Breeding not only determines precocity, speed & endurance tendencies, but also physiological strengths & weaknesses passed down through the dam & sire lines. In Ruffian's case the chances of her staying sound were extremely low.
@@noblshtplz yes sir. Agree , I'm familiar with her family tree and that Reviewer broke down three times during his career and died due to a fracture at stud, as well as Shenanigans being euthanized from complications from a fracture. Exactly why I got out of this industry this year.
America back in the day felt they needed to do sports different than the old country - hence American Football and Baseball which IMO are the best team sports in the world. However with Horse Racing attempting to be different didn't work. Left hand oval dirt racing is unsafe, not condusive to exciting racing or turn of foots, and is a pale shadow of top class Turf Racing which historically has had better horses, a lot more variety and is safer.
Naming your racehorse "Having a meltdown" seems like tempting fate 😂 Glad to see they're finally doing something about doping race horses though, it's been an open secret for a long time and even though it puts horses and jockeys in danger, owners still end up doing it because they worry that if they don't but other owners do they'll lose.
Are you glad to finally see the gang members or the cartel stop bringing narcotics into the country stay out of our sport worry about the Dope that’s going in your kids veins
Even horses clean of drugs will break down on legs that stand in stalls 23 hours a day for years on end. There are laws preventing human prisoners from being permanently confined to cages without any outside time yet horse’s innocent of crime are not only held in cages but then required to be magnificent athletic runners having only been allowed to use their legs for 5-6 hours per week. This is rocket science, y’all.
If you’re an ACTUAL news agency how about talk to the majority of the actual trainers the family trainers! How can a person who was an executive of the NBA be in charge of something they know nothing about? HISA is destroying the sport
You know I love that you did thus story bc it should be told. But, what about the horses that are claimed. The horses just like he said made disappear...they end up on slaughter trucks. Why don't you do a story ON THAT!!!
No one claims a horse to sell it to a knacker. It goes through channels first. That would not be cost effective. Horses that do not sell at Horses of Racing Age and Breeding Stock sales are in danger of being bought by those people. I found that out the hard way when an unraced mare that caught my eye in the catalog did not meet her reserve price. When I called, the bloodstock agent admitted putting her on a truck. The mare was from England. How does someone justify flying a horse to another country, never racing or breeding her and then discarding her? It was years ago and it still makes me ill.
3:36 if it isn’t drugs, owners/breeders must be stupid to race such clumsy horses that can’t run straight on a flat surface. Maybe we need mandatory autopsies in these strange instances or random pre race drug tests and definitely let’s keep track of who owns, trains and vets these horses - maybe tracks need better security in non public areas? Let’s increase punishment for animal cruelty.
Permit me to enlighten you. Every owner, trainer, assistant trainer, stable foreman, groom, hotwalker, exercise rider, pony boy/girl, licensed and fingerprinted and has a photo I.D. with a validation sticker for the current meet. You must also be on an employees list of the trainer that you work for. The backstretch/aka backside stable is fenced and there are gates with guard boxes. Good luck getting past them without your I.D. Veterinarians, farriers (blacksmiths), vendors from horse supply/ ta k shops, feed store delivery people, etc. No one gets in without a license or visitor's pass which only trainers can issue and are only good for 1 day. I have said these are "inside jobs" (the doping), but no one looks beyond the trainers and owners. There is a staff in every single barn and a pecking order. These investigators are not looking at the disgruntled employee willing to slip something into the horses feed tubs for a $50 or $100 bill. A lot of these workers are uneducated, possibly here illegally (fake green cards), sending money home, and have no loyalty to the trainer because if he gets suspended or ruled off, there are a hundred other trainers they can go to work for (no resume required, no questions asked) the very next day.
Really ? Did anyone see what they did to all the wild horses with the government in California? So they can monopolize the horse racing business ? People need to start researching , they rounded them up the government did with helicopters and thousands matter of fact they wiped out all wild horses for your entertainment.
I do, and the industry for promoting it. With big money futurities, and that is in all horse industries. Reining and barrel racing and trotters and the list goes on. But if people were aware of the destruction in a young horses body by these very stressful physically demanding training activities and working activities would they say something? Demand training only begins after 3 years of age?
Horse racing is barbaric! Those horses spend 23 hours a day in a stall by themselves. They don't get to socialize with other horses at all. They're way too young to be raced in the first place. Ban horse racing!
Are used to love horse racing. But now I realize how bad it really is. Horse racing, the big, lick competitions, jumping, etc. need to be stopped. The horses are routinely, abused, neglected, doped, and pushed to their death. They are disposable. Poor breathing, Poor training, ridden, and raced long before they are done growing. Maybe, if no horse was permitted to compete before its fifth birthday things might change. Then the horses would not be disposable as three year olds. And their bodies would be strong enough to handle some of the punishment they get. If eight bells would've broke down on camera horse racing in this country would've ended. But instead she broke both front legs off camera. She had bad breathing, she came from a fire in a dam with bad legs. But they still bred her and ran her as a three year-old. You shouldn't even get on a horse till they're at least four years old. So sad and completely preventable.
Horses shouldn’t be ridden at ages 2 and 3. Their bones aren’t fully matured. The racing industry abuse of these lovely horses is horrendous. It’s always about the money.
Exactly, CBS is sensationalizing their deaths for what? Viewership which equals money. How is this any different than the “cheaters” and “abusers” that put unsound horses in the track? It’s pure Greed any way you spin it.
What Great Humanitarians the People at 60 Minutes are. There are millions of Hungry and Homeless Americans from coast to coast, yet all 60 Minutes cares about are some doped up, overpriced horses. Whatta valuable public service they provide. I can rest assured now that America's horses are better cared for than its human inhabitants. ( makes Horse Sense to me !!! )
Come on folks if your not cheating your not trying this has been going on for 50yrs in all sports with humans so why not horses . Ive been saying for 5 decades time for a national governing body for all sports in the good ole usa.
@@marklewen9384 Horse racing is not the same as food supply. They are two separate things...Their whole reason for existence is completely different...horse racing is done by people who want to get rich for themselves and themselves only...raising animals for food doesn't just benefit the farmer, it benefits all people...apples to oranges...
@@Johnny53kgb-nsaI wish I could adopt all of them. Most of them go to the slaughter houses. They race 2 year olds too. Their bones aren't even developed at 2. I am a test barn inspector. I know what goes on and I know the two people that were arrested. Shame on them. Every year 10's of thousands of American horses go to slaughter. They are shipped thousands of miles to Mexico and Canada and are brutally slaughtered . . . it's barbaric. Then the meat winds up on someone's plate in European countries. I heard that Nancy Pelosi could have signed a law that would have prevented horses from being driven thousands of miles to there death. Most humans suck.
@@Johnny53kgb-nsaThank you! These are the same "flower children" who want all of the circuses closed down, the zoos, and SeaWorld because of a one-sided video they watched, but not one of them even thinks about where the animals they want to "protect" will wind up.
We as Horseman deserve better than this smear of our integrity our love for the animal 90% of most horses are taken care of better than most children in the United States this is a disgrace to try to smear horse racing 7:55 when it's already in trouble from the media and people that don't have an idea we're not monsters that's what it made us look like you only showed the bad
That's all they ever show. They never speak to anyone besides a trainer, except perhaps a jockey, because to the general public the foreman, groom, exercise rider, hotwalker, pony boy/girl are non existent.
Their first cause is to wake up well rested. From there the second cause night be to drink it use the water. The third will be something along the way of waking up. That's three steps, making your own choices as you go. I agree to waking up well rested. I love good sleep and a good morning, breakfast...try going that way. That's a House.
@@tessdurberville711 the problem with being the horse capital of the world is that now greed runs everything to do with horses in that town. And horses kind of helped make that town. So you have an entire town where maybe not every person is greedy, but the town itself is centered around greed. And that greed directly affects lives (horses).
I’m so sad, you guys used to show both sides of a story, letting the watcher make their own decisions. 60 minutes was my source for accurate information. Those days are gone. Will you go back?
Do you mean it didn’t even scratch the surface of TB racing corruption? That is, inferior care, breeding for speed instead of soundness, backside drugs, throwing horses into the slaughter pipeline, burning tattoos off or digging microchips out, what about all the cheap claiming tracks and the BS that goes on there? Is that what you mean?
@@horsetrackguy I have witnessed (and reported) more abuse and neglect amongst privately owned pleasure horses, lesson horses and show horses than in horseracing.
Race horses are the most cared for animals on earth, including the Human. One of the highest life spans on earth for animals. How long do they live, 25 Years.
I don't agree with drugging being the sole blame for all these horse deaths. I myself have been involved with two horse deaths and neither of them from drugs. And the reason Baffert has such a high number of horse fatalities is because he trains and runs way more horses than any other trainer. I am curious why the necropsies on all these deaths is kept secret or at least not made public. Surely they aren't all drugs but I feel that running a horse with a known weak spot in a leg is as bad as running a drugged horse, but like people, some horses are born with weak bones. Much tighter and more closely watched goings on around the stable is necessary. And depending on the reason for the fatality, penalties should be much more severe. And I personally feel that Baffert's being picked on by someone at Churchill that personally doesn't like him or is jealous of him.
They have been jealous of him from the minute he moved onto the backstretch at Santa Anita. He graduated from the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program. A lot of the older trainers barely had high school diplomas and either followed their father's into racing or worked their way up starting as hotwalkers. So there was a prejudice right from the beginning against the "college boy". Then he began winning.
No, no, no. There is no way to save horse racing. And there is no reason to save it. Greed triumphs over humanity and decency. This is a purely evil sport that must be banned
It would be refreshing and less one sided if the tv news would ever cover all the honest hard working humans involved who truly love horses.
Yes there are but the good doesn’t outweigh the bad, not even close
This has been going on too long and the racing industry has turned a blind eye. The only difference between horse racing and the baseball steroid scandal is the players had a choice. These SOB's were entrusted with the health and care of the horses. Significant fines and long-term jail sentences are the only way to fix this. Include the owners, industry exec's and the trainers. They are all complicit.
It's a shame these beautiful animals are not cared for in a better way. Our house pets have better care then the horses. This is all about money. The horse is seen only as money, not as a animal that deserves our care. Shame on all those who are responsible. Wish you would get the same care you didnt give them when your dependent on people someday for your care.
@@jewelleryaddict Apparently you have never spent any time on the backstretch caring for these horses or observing the people who care for them. It would not occur to me to comment on something I had not experienced firsthand.
We do own 2 horses with our neighbor where we live the past 15 years. Our horses get the best medical care we can afford. They are not mistreated. My husband was a out rider when he was young and followed the tracks before I met him. I am a veteran and was stationed where I met him. My husband is the main horse person and I am learning. I prefer riding my motorcycle. I do love the horses beautiful animals. We are both animal people and have owned/ raised many animals thru our long lives together. So you are wrong. you should not judge people you don't really know.
steroids are used for many things , even for humans , including flus, skin conditions and inflamation and in your feelings the horse must have no such relief?
I have. I have been in the stables, paddock and on the backstretch of many racetracks and saw all of this going on. If your going to say it doesn't then your either blind or lying. Drugs,abuse,etc etc etc...come on!@tessdurberville711
Quit racing 2 year olds! They’re bred for speed and not durability. Bones do NOT mature at a faster rate no matter the breeding.
Agree with you 100%!
Money is the key reason why many expensive two year old race horses start their racing careers at two years old.
Many horses owners are impatient!
They have been runnng at 2 for over 150 years . Stop, the problem is we breed them for speed due to the money
As a die hard racing fan PLEASE clean this up !!! Noone wants a horse to suffer over STUPID MONEY !!!
Former backside employee here..a big part of the problem is.... rules vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.. especially in regards to medication...there must be national rules and a legitimate governing body to oversee it...its a brutal sport and anytime people are involved there will be mistakes and discrepancies.... most not all of these horses get the very best care that can be given... there needs to be national standards....
I have a uncle in Santa Barbra, California who has horses and helps other people in the area with their horses. This has been a very long time coming. As most people don't seem to really care about the horses. Thank you.
Its odd That this segment hasn't been seen on tv yet...but good for 60 minutes for doing a report on horse racing...
If this is going on at the pretentious tracks and races, what is taking place at the low end racing circuit, I would imagine the issue is more pervasive. This is very disturbing and exploiting these beautiful horse. National reform must be implemented immediately. These tape recording are horrific. Such trainers should be banned for life. Period!
It's in every level of horse racing. I've seen it first hand growing up at the tracks. It's absolutely terrible!!! Everything in this story is 100% correct.
Ban the Drugs and Doping thats it, if a trainer does anything like that. Ban them for life. That is why you have to treat equine athletes with respect. Also safety needs to be improved and weather could be the factor with the surfaces. Rules need to be changed.
This whole sport is extremely cruel. How can you race horses that are so young? Their bones and hearts are going to break. Equivalent of asking todlers to run races for money. Horrid!
Toddler Racing🤔. What an adorable idea!
For the love of God, please END this cruel "sport".
When I met my husband I had never heard ofharness racing. His family had a few horses. My children were literally raised at Lebanon raceway, Ohio . My husband loved, still somewhat loves the sport. He knew everything about every horse entered. We really started noticing a few years back the the books were useless. You were better off watching which driver watched the board the hardest. Unless you were privy the barn bets you may as well have just thrown your money out on the track!! It breaks my heart to see the disappointment in my husband's face as more and more evidence come out. We used to go to all the fairs races, , all of his 8 siblings brought their kids. We would spend all the days there. They stole that from us, from many families. I hope they also get he owner's, Virgil Morgan, he never cared to hide the fact he was juicing. Idk, I'm going to put my money on a horse named KARMA-I hope she gets you all. You're nothing but thieves, you have taken enough of my hard earned money!!
Well said. Harness racing is on its last leg in much of the country, and corruption & race fixing is responsible for much of its decline.
Time is short and judges are reesponsible for calling horses in for more drug testing .
@@patcogni7892 : The Big Lick (Tennessee) is going to end, too. Grotesque abuse of horses... incomprehensible!
Lot of this comes from greedy owners. They will insist the trainer do what ever it takes to win.
Maybe sometimes, more often though it's the trainer who is cheating, without the owner knowing. Ban cheating trainer's like Bob Baffert for life, put Todd Pletcher on warning, one more charge, your out.
@@Johnny53kgb-nsai own horses...its the trainers AND the vets, and those cutting edge drug labs in san francisco...
Trainers have to win or owner sends horse to another trainer. Uninformed owners might not know (or choose to remain ignorant)
No one talks of the owners. In my Father's Day Horse Racing was the Number 1 Sport in America. In that time, most of the owners made their money elsewhere. They were horse people. They didn't need their horses to make money. That was the Sport of Kings. I used to work at Belmont Park. The Trainers work for the Owners. More attention needs to be put on the type of owners Horse Racing is attracting!
Want to place a bet on the Trifecta?
The order of finish are the Owners, the Breeding, and the Trainers-Vets-Drugs.
And Yes, people in the industry, Do Love the Thoroughbred Racehorse! - To see a Thoroughbred Racehorse, up-close, is an extreme example of a living piece of art!
Your comment is excellent. I agree completely! ❤🐎
Thank you!
The owners today are not the same breed that we had in the sport at any time before 1990. So much has changed. I retired all of my horses and stopped breeding in 2020, due to Covid-19. I was not going to keep horses stabled on the track and not even be able to visit them. I brought them home.
Well said 😊
It's about damn time!
HISA is horse racing's last prayer. They have to start issuing " lifetime " bans on trainer's caught the 3'rd time for giving horse's illegal dope. Bob Baffert has had 31 illegal drug violations against him. 31 times! Todd Pletcher has had illegal drug violations, he will fight it in court, get it laid over and over, until it's thrown out. I'm a horse racing fan for over 50 year's, and I'm sick and tired of the cheating. Stop smacking guilty trainers on the hand by fining them $5,000 in a race worth $1 million dollar's! Ban bad trainer's for life. Tell the crybaby owner's they can get on board and support HiSA, or they can cry on the sidelines. HISA can be what saves horse racing in America, if, it doesn't get watered down, and starts banning cheating trainer's like Bob Baffert for life from ever training another horse again.
no Baffert has therapeutc overerages. not illegal substances
Well said. Great comments but most the industry hates HISA because HISA is for the horses and they want to carry on abusing the horses. They might finally learn when racing gets shut down for good
Couldn’t agree more with u💯
Very good that this is brought into the light!
How about $50,000 fines instead of a few thousand??? How about going after the veterinarians supplying the drugs???
50K is nothing
@@michellenainkristinabusch1221 : Well, right now the fines are usually well under $2,000.
Bob Baffert is crooked, and we all know it. As a exercise rider and jockey... I'm shocked at other riders who agree to ride for Bob Baffert and other known cheaters. Working for these trainers only puts all your fellow riders at risk. We are supposed to protect each other in a job that is already extremely dangerous. Level the playing field and keep our sport clean. Keep each other safe and trainers honest.
Horses are beautiful animals.
Not just a "piece" of property.
They aren't machines.
They are euthinzed, because of injuries and the costs of medical expenses.
The arrogance of the owners, to abuse these animals for their own monetary gains is atrocious.
These horses wouldnt exist without the owners. They were created to race which they love...
Does it make sense to you to "abuse" a horse that you want to do well?
Doping has been a problem for a very long time. Sir Barton, the very first Triple Crown winner in 1919, was known to be a "hop" horse. Bedwell, his trainer, was known to be a trainer who would use "any means" to win. Even with "help", Sir Barton couldn't take Man O' War. So... And the Janney's are top notch folks. Been around racing a very long time. I hope to see more on this. I've been a horse racing nut since I was 5 and saw Chateaugay win the Derby in 61. I want to see the sport "clean"!
In 1919, there were hardly any rules or anyone to enforce them. No pre-race examination, no test barn, no helmets or vests for riders, no injured jockeys fund, no humane euthanasia, lip tattoos, etc. etc. Do you really want to compare it to 2023?
@@tessdurberville711 Sure. People are the same, under the skin, they haven't changed. If they can get away with it, they'll do it.
In 1978 -- Sports Illustrated had the cover story on Thoroughbred racing: "Confessions of a Master Fixer".
If the harsh spotlight included what happens to every Thoroughbred that goes through the sales ring -- and not just allow the industry to drive the narrative of focusing on the very few success stories (when compared with the numbers offered at auction) -- any justification to continue this sport would cease in 24 hours.
I'm sure my friend Gloria Verrecchio, DVM CERP Certified Equine Rehab Practitioner, would have some choice things to say about the state of horse racing.
And this didn’t address all the other things that are wrong with this industry. The nursemare situation is atrocious
.... I never realized how prevalent this problem is .... Someone I know very well - became an equine vet with the sole ambition of working with these animals .... Then became so disturbed by the practice that she opted out completely.
That feels so crappy, but this is the very sad world we live in
ITS ABOUT TIME GOV. DOING SOMETHING .
I totally agree. Stop smacking trainer's on the hand when busted for giving horse's illegal dope. Ban them for life!
😢😢😢This is a DISGUSTING Sport!! I can't believe this is still happening! Have you seen the way they stall the horses...and how they get treated and whipped and forced under saddle? I Really despise this Sport!
The horses make these owners so much money u would think they would take good care of them they just care about the money
It's not just racing it's all sports
But the horses have no choice. This is abuse.
@@EyeTunz Exactly
😔 OMG, This story is so Sad for the innocent Horses.
Thank you for covering this👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I owned racehorses on and off for more than 20 years, finally got out after getting tired of seeing these horses forced to live in 12x12 boxes for 23 hours a day. Old sore horses medicated to the hilt and forced to run sometimes 20 plus times a year. Horseracing is in steady and accelerating decline.
Drugs are not allowed in European horse races. Why is doping allowed in America? Also, there has been a significant increase in inbreeding in the Thoroughbred over the past 15 years; without genetic diversity, you can get health and behavior issues. The Thoroughbred has no genomic selection or population management that is addressed at an industry-wide level.
Will they be addressing abuse in other horse sports as well? Thank you for the reporting!
Other videos:
"Breakdown: Death and Disarray at America's Racetracks"
"The dark side of Australia's horse racing industry | 7.30"
"Racing for their Lives: An In-Depth Look at Doping in the U.S. Horse Racing Industry"
"Sports: Where Do Racehorses Go? | The New York Times"
"Should horse racing be banned? | Human Animal"
It seems money is more important than the health and well being of a race horse. With the right owners,trainers and jockey plus good intentions, horse racing and its history is amazing.
Doping is horrible but the sad reality is greed. What needs to happen is not start these horses before the age of three. Horses need to be allowed to grow up. Injuries happen from many causes, but most often of probably since their growth plates have not been able to grow and mature. It’s not the track, their bones and muscular skeleton We have a baby in our barn who is three years old and she is still not finished growing. She’s going to start under saddle around 4 years and then start being ridden at age 5. Look at the rear hips of these racing horses. If they are still higher than their back and withers, that means they have not fully grown.
You will never have clean Horse racing
A number of veterinarians invest in horses for tax reasons ironically and what they know about drugs they learn more about the edge of racing business
Increase the starting age to 3yo…would greatly reduce on injury for horse and all jocks and riders.
Ohio has the worst judges and officals over looking a colony of known doping and multiple penalized trainers..
25 horses A DAY DIE ON RACE TRACKS while running!!! Imagine how many MORE die off the track!!!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬
Finally!!! The truth is coming out about horseracing, shady trainers, and doping. This industry is so corrupt! I know first hand. They need to ban horseracing altogether. Bigtime!!!
2 year old horses shouldn't even be ridden, never mind raced, and raced hard. Yes, the Triple Crown races are 3 year olds (who should just be *starting* to train with a rider), but they begin racing at 2, when their bodies aren't finished developing to safely (for the horse's development) carry a rider. I believe unless the industry leaves behind ALL the poor horsemanship behind, it should be shut down.
My own take is lasix. I was on lasix for a few days. I passed out at work. It is too draining and a tired horse makes a bad step.
They receive electrolytes.
Horrifying.
THANK YOU
Did not know the Janneys owned Seabiscuit; I knew they owned Ruffian. I guess they don't want to bring Ruffian up here in light of how she died. 🤬
Janney's never owned Seabiscuit but their cousins were the Phipps family that bred and had Seabiscut until he was 3 years old and then sold him.
But…. Details… they don’t matter🙄
Ruffian was bred to break. Research her family, her sire Reviewer & her dam Shenanigans. Breeding not only determines precocity, speed & endurance tendencies, but also physiological strengths & weaknesses passed down through the dam & sire lines. In Ruffian's case the chances of her staying sound were extremely low.
@@noblshtplz yes sir. Agree , I'm familiar with her family tree and that Reviewer broke down three times during his career and died due to a fracture at stud, as well as Shenanigans being euthanized from complications from a fracture. Exactly why I got out of this industry this year.
@@barbarascotto3873
"Fractures" from being insured, like Alydar?
Wow you really informed people what really goes on, banned substances way to go.
It is weird that it takes race horses to focus on the health and welfare of animals.
People are just sick,anything just to get an extra buck,shame on all of them that put those horses through that ,especially the ones who passed away
Now do it with the NBA.
And NFL
Those are PEOPLE MAKING CHOICES …for THEMSELVES FFS!!!! This is ANIMAL ABUSE & killing!!!
America back in the day felt they needed to do sports different than the old country - hence American Football and Baseball which IMO are the best team sports in the world. However with Horse Racing attempting to be different didn't work. Left hand oval dirt racing is unsafe, not condusive to exciting racing or turn of foots, and is a pale shadow of top class Turf Racing which historically has had better horses, a lot more variety and is safer.
Naming your racehorse "Having a meltdown" seems like tempting fate 😂
Glad to see they're finally doing something about doping race horses though, it's been an open secret for a long time and even though it puts horses and jockeys in danger, owners still end up doing it because they worry that if they don't but other owners do they'll lose.
Are you glad to finally see the gang members or the cartel stop bringing narcotics into the country stay out of our sport worry about the Dope that’s going in your kids veins
Even horses clean of drugs will break down on legs that stand in stalls 23 hours a day for years on end. There are laws preventing human prisoners from being permanently confined to cages without any outside time yet horse’s innocent of crime are not only held in cages but then required to be magnificent athletic runners having only been allowed to use their legs for 5-6 hours per week. This is rocket science, y’all.
I meant to say “this ISN’T rocket science.”
@@angelafestervan7596
There is an edit button.
Have you spent much, or any, time on a backstretch....ever? 23 hours? No.
@@tessdurberville711 I meant to type “This isn’t rocket science, y’all”
Ok, 22 hours. Not 23.
@@angelafestervan7596
You did not answer me, and 22 is still incorrect.
@@tessdurberville711 I think you mean “backside”. Backstretch happens on the track during a race. That explanation should answer your question
Big Government protecting us all. What would we do without them? You can always count on 60 Minutes to remind us of how lucky we are!
What government? It's called selective decision making... whomever has the most funds...WINS...
If you’re an ACTUAL news agency how about talk to the majority of the actual trainers the family trainers! How can a person who was an executive of the NBA be in charge of something they know nothing about? HISA is destroying the sport
Wonderful capstone treatment
You know I love that you did thus story bc it should be told. But, what about the horses that are claimed. The horses just like he said made disappear...they end up on slaughter trucks. Why don't you do a story ON THAT!!!
No one claims a horse to sell it to a knacker. It goes through channels first. That would not be cost effective. Horses that do not sell at Horses of Racing Age and Breeding Stock sales are in danger of being bought by those people. I found that out the hard way when an unraced mare that caught my eye in the catalog did not meet her reserve price. When I called, the bloodstock agent admitted putting her on a truck. The mare was from England. How does someone justify flying a horse to another country, never racing or breeding her and then discarding her? It was years ago and it still makes me ill.
3:36 if it isn’t drugs, owners/breeders must be stupid to race such clumsy horses that can’t run straight on a flat surface. Maybe we need mandatory autopsies in these strange instances or random pre race drug tests and definitely let’s keep track of who owns, trains and vets these horses - maybe tracks need better security in non public areas? Let’s increase punishment for animal cruelty.
Permit me to enlighten you. Every owner, trainer, assistant trainer, stable foreman, groom, hotwalker, exercise rider, pony boy/girl, licensed and fingerprinted and has a photo I.D. with a validation sticker for the current meet. You must also be on an employees list of the trainer that you work for. The backstretch/aka backside stable is fenced and there are gates with guard boxes. Good luck getting past them without your I.D.
Veterinarians, farriers (blacksmiths), vendors from horse supply/ ta k shops, feed store delivery people, etc. No one gets in without a license or visitor's pass which only trainers can issue and are only good for 1 day.
I have said these are "inside jobs" (the doping), but no one looks beyond the trainers and owners. There is a staff in every single barn and a pecking order. These investigators are not looking at the disgruntled employee willing to slip something into the horses feed tubs for a $50 or $100 bill. A lot of these workers are uneducated, possibly here illegally (fake green cards), sending money home, and have no loyalty to the trainer because if he gets suspended or ruled off, there are a hundred other trainers they can go to work for (no resume required, no questions asked) the very next day.
Necropsies are performed on every horse put down on the track because they are all insured.
Not to mention putting the jockeys at risk.
YES!
After only a few days issue already swept under rug.
IF A TRAINER GET CAUGHT CHEATING,BAN THEM FOR LIFE.
Really ? Did anyone see what they did to all the wild horses with the government in California? So they can monopolize the horse racing business ? People need to start researching , they rounded them up the government did with helicopters and thousands matter of fact they wiped out all wild horses for your entertainment.
The Governor of California not only hates horseracing, but apparently any and all horses.
Wouldn’t they be called watchhorses? 😂😂😂
They need to stop running babies, horses don't mature until they are 5 and they are beginning training on these babies at 18 months
Blame the owners and the breeders.
I do, and the industry for promoting it. With big money futurities, and that is in all horse industries. Reining and barrel racing and trotters and the list goes on. But if people were aware of the destruction in a young horses body by these very stressful physically demanding training activities and working activities would they say something? Demand training only begins after 3 years of age?
Horse racing is barbaric! Those horses spend 23 hours a day in a stall by themselves. They don't get to socialize with other horses at all. They're way too young to be raced in the first place.
Ban horse racing!
That is not true. How many backstretch stable areas have you worked in/visited?
M&Ms can cause a horse to test positive for a drug they never had
I had not heard that before. Is it the sugar?
How about changing age of horse racing from 2 years to 4 years at least?? Give those babies a chance to grow up.😊
FINALLY 😢
Are used to love horse racing. But now I realize how bad it really is. Horse racing, the big, lick competitions, jumping, etc. need to be stopped. The horses are routinely, abused, neglected, doped, and pushed to their death. They are disposable. Poor breathing, Poor training, ridden, and raced long before they are done growing.
Maybe, if no horse was permitted to compete before its fifth birthday things might change. Then the horses would not be disposable as three year olds. And their bodies would be strong enough to handle some of the punishment they get. If eight bells would've broke down on camera horse racing in this country would've ended. But instead she broke both front legs off camera. She had bad breathing, she came from a fire in a dam with bad legs. But they still bred her and ran her as a three year-old. You shouldn't even get on a horse till they're at least four years old. So sad and completely preventable.
Did you mean ...from a sire and a dam with bad legs?
The breeders are the main problem with horseracing and the owners are second.
Baffert can't win anymore breeders cups, I wonder why?
End horse racing! It is inherently, cruel, abusive and many times fatal for the horse!
Horses shouldn’t be ridden at ages 2 and 3. Their bones aren’t fully matured. The racing industry abuse of these lovely horses is horrendous. It’s always about the money.
give some warning before showing gore ffs
Exactly, CBS is sensationalizing their deaths for what? Viewership which equals money. How is this any different than the “cheaters” and “abusers” that put unsound horses in the track? It’s pure Greed any way you spin it.
The time in Jill is nothing they coming aut and doing again. To much corrupción..
What Great Humanitarians the People at 60 Minutes are. There are millions of Hungry and Homeless Americans from coast to coast, yet all 60 Minutes cares about are some doped up, overpriced horses. Whatta valuable public service they provide. I can rest assured now that America's horses are better cared for than its human inhabitants.
( makes Horse Sense to me !!! )
Come on folks if your not cheating your not trying this has been going on for 50yrs in all sports with humans so why not horses . Ive been saying for 5 decades time for a national governing body for all sports in the good ole usa.
The truth of this widespread doping problem with HISA is measured in picograms 🙄
HISA should just go after the obvious dopers one at a time.
I have a question. Does this happen in English Racing where so many horses collapses and die?
@michaelpierre4467They've had their fair share of collapses and death especially in the steeplechase races
It happens Everywhere! It's All disgusting! The sport itself is based on cruelty.
Outlaw horse racing...animal cruelty...
Just stop the cheating. Ban trainer's when caught cheating.
Outlaw EATING and FISHING right ?
@@marklewen9384 You're comparing apples to oranges and you know it...
@@susieq5270 bacon isn't cruel to pigs? And IM not vegan
@@marklewen9384 Horse racing is not the same as food supply. They are two separate things...Their whole reason for existence is completely different...horse racing is done by people who want to get rich for themselves and themselves only...raising animals for food doesn't just benefit the farmer, it benefits all people...apples to oranges...
My God horses deserve so much better. I am disgusted.
It feels so crappy that they have animals do doping SMH
I swear to GOD i feel like whars hapoening to those horses is whats happening to me i cant get my health back and i dont know why
Damn disaster. That's boring and is their style but we don't do that so we need a different choice.
It's animal abuse. Period!!!
END HORSE RACING !!!
How many of the 20,000 each year will you adopt?
@@Johnny53kgb-nsaI wish I could adopt all of them. Most of them go to the slaughter houses. They race 2 year olds too. Their bones aren't even developed at 2. I am a test barn inspector. I know what goes on and I know the two people that were arrested. Shame on them. Every year 10's of thousands of American horses go to slaughter. They are shipped thousands of miles to Mexico and Canada and are brutally slaughtered . . . it's barbaric. Then the meat winds up on someone's plate in European countries. I heard that Nancy Pelosi could have signed a law that would have prevented horses from being driven thousands of miles to there death. Most humans suck.
@@Johnny53kgb-nsaThank you! These are the same "flower children" who want all of the circuses closed down, the zoos, and SeaWorld because of a one-sided video they watched, but not one of them even thinks about where the animals they want to "protect" will wind up.
We as Horseman deserve better than this smear of our integrity our love for the animal 90% of most horses are taken care of better than most children in the United States this is a disgrace to try to smear horse racing 7:55 when it's already in trouble from the media and people that don't have an idea we're not monsters that's what it made us look like you only showed the bad
That's all they ever show. They never speak to anyone besides a trainer, except perhaps a jockey, because to the general public the foreman, groom, exercise rider, hotwalker, pony boy/girl are non existent.
Their first cause is to wake up well rested. From there the second cause night be to drink it use the water. The third will be something along the way of waking up. That's three steps, making your own choices as you go. I agree to waking up well rested. I love good sleep and a good morning, breakfast...try going that way. That's a House.
I lived in Lexington Kentucky for seven years and it permanently reversed my opinion on two things: horse racing, and the University of Kentucky
I shipped a mare to be bred at a farm there and followed by car. A week later we both went home. Vile place.
@@tessdurberville711 the problem with being the horse capital of the world is that now greed runs everything to do with horses in that town. And horses kind of helped make that town. So you have an entire town where maybe not every person is greedy, but the town itself is centered around greed. And that greed directly affects lives (horses).
@@Notimp0rtant523
The hospitality was definitely lacking, and I am from Louisiana, so I know hospitality.
@@Notimp0rtant523horse capital of the world is actually OCALA FL
I’m so sad, you guys used to show both sides of a story, letting the watcher make their own decisions. 60 minutes was my source for accurate information. Those days are gone. Will you go back?
Animal cruelty runs ramped in this country from horse racing to Amish puppy mills. It's disgusting.
This was a 100% garbage hit piece that was intentionally misleading
Do you mean it didn’t even scratch the surface of TB racing corruption? That is, inferior care, breeding for speed instead of soundness, backside drugs, throwing horses into the slaughter pipeline, burning tattoos off or digging microchips out, what about all the cheap claiming tracks and the BS that goes on there? Is that what you mean?
Meghan Markle, reporting.
You do understand that these horses are bred for racing?!
Ky derby put a ban on the drug Lasix, could be the cause of death, this would cause the horse to have withdraws, same for a human...
Smdh all for greed$$$$$$👀
Horse Racing cannot be "reformed."
It is entirely based on animal cruelty.
The vast majority of Racehorses live better lives than horses off the track.
@@horsetrackguy
I have witnessed (and reported) more abuse and neglect amongst privately owned pleasure horses, lesson horses and show horses than in horseracing.
Race horses are the most cared for animals on earth, including the Human.
One of the highest life spans on earth for animals.
How long do they live, 25 Years.
My oldest was 32, but that is rare, although there are several who made it 35.
I don't agree with drugging being the sole blame for all these horse deaths. I myself have been involved with two horse deaths and neither of them from drugs. And the reason Baffert has such a high number of horse fatalities is because he trains and runs way more horses than any other trainer. I am curious why the necropsies on all these deaths is kept secret or at least not made public. Surely they aren't all drugs but I feel that running a horse with a known weak spot in a leg is as bad as running a drugged horse, but like people, some horses are born with weak bones. Much tighter and more closely watched goings on around the stable is necessary. And depending on the reason for the fatality, penalties should be much more severe. And I personally feel that Baffert's being picked on by someone at Churchill that personally doesn't like him or is jealous of him.
They have been jealous of him from the minute he moved onto the backstretch at Santa Anita. He graduated from the University of Arizona Racetrack Industry Program. A lot of the older trainers barely had high school diplomas and either followed their father's into racing or worked their way up starting as hotwalkers. So there was a prejudice right from the beginning against the "college boy". Then he began winning.
No, no, no. There is no way to save horse racing. And there is no reason to save it. Greed triumphs over humanity and decency. This is a purely evil sport that must be banned
But the horses must be the priority and making them homeless will not protect them. It needs to be done properly.
Some time the breakdowns comes from the bad work that the farriers do!!
People have to race to eat