To the editor:
Swampscott invites residents to don their derby best for a horse racing livecast to kick off the spring. But there is little worth dressing up for in this event.
Horse racing in general is fraught with abuse, and the Kentucky Derby is no exception. Underlying the pomp and circumstance of this southern belle are the carcasses of dozens of horses drugged and pushed past their limits for entertainment and profit. Who amongst us would accept an invitation to the Colosseum to cheer the slaughter of helpless animals? Yet the Derby is little more than a modern-day Roman spectacle. Only two years ago, seven horses died during the Derby, and prior to that, the FBI uncovered a large-scale doping conspiracy directly responsible for the death of more than 20 horses (Drape, J and Hoppert, M. “As Kentucky Derby Nears, Last Year’s Deaths Cast Long Shadow.” NYT, May 2, 2024). More locally, Suffolk Downs, before it closed in 2014 (with only a handful of live races afterward), counted 15 dead horses that year. (Battuello, P. “The Final 15 Deaths at Suffolk Downs.” Horse Racing Wrongs, April 15, 2015).
In 2008, Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly favored closing Wonderland racetrack due to the conditions of confinement, doping and deaths that surrounded the thousands of dogs that raced there — the racetrack itself a pitiful, demoralizing wasteland. We love our dogs, and would never stand for them to be treated that way. But take away the fancy hats and dapper vests, and today’s Kentucky Derby is no different than yesterday’s Wonderland and Suffolk Downs or yesteryear’s Colosseum.
Swampscott is home to a beautiful oceanfront, a picturesque center lawn, and a vibrant community. We have much to celebrate as we welcome the warm weather and each other. Sacrificing animals for entertainment shouldn’t be part of it.
Victoria Kelleher
Swampscott
