By Patrick Battuello | Founder and President
Friends,
While much of the world ground to a halt this past spring, including most every other form of legal gambling, horseracing, with few exceptions, was allowed to continue. This entirely explains the increase in wagering that the industry is fond of touting. But rest assured, this uptick is temporary. As soon as casinos begin to reopen, the numbers will go back to normal.
Our work, of course, continues, too. In addition to our usual daily reporting on the website - facts and data exposing the racing industry that can only be found on horseracingwrongs.org - we have been working diligently on cruelty investigations: identifying and facilitating the rescue of (egregiously) at-risk, still-on-the-track horses and laying bare the stories of just-off-the-track horses who have landed in kill pens or in similarly perilous situations.
We have also been working closely with advocates in both Massachusetts and Georgia. In the case of the former, attempting to keep Thoroughbred racing from returning to New England (Suffolk Downs, New England's sole remaining track, closed last year). With the latter, we are trying to stop racing from being introduced for the very first time; toward that end, we have had conversations with professional lobbyists about enlisting their services.
Meanwhile, the subsidy (corporate welfare) issue is finally garnering attention from politicians. In February, Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania proposed stripping some $200 million of government largess from the racing industry and using those funds to establish 25,000 college scholarships. More recently, Governor Murphy of New Jersey has sought to cut the $20 million subsidy that that state's racing industry is due to receive next year. We wholeheartedly support, and will continue to lobby for, these measures, as without this public funding much of U.S. horseracing would disappear, virtually overnight.
Finally, even in these trying times, our protest work continues. In recent months, brave, dedicated, and passionate activists have staged HW demonstrations in front of tracks in multiple states, including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. As long as the horses are suffering and dying, we will stand resolute and strong. We are their voices.
For the horses,
Patrick Battuello
Founder and President
Your ongoing partnership allows us to continue our work to end horseracing in the United States.
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