As the Kentucky Derby Nears, Can Horse Racing Ever Be Truly Ethical?

The post As the Kentucky Derby Nears, Can Horse Racing Ever Be Truly Ethical? appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Every spring, the Kentucky Derby arrives in all of its showy glory. There are hats, mint juleps, and the familiar chorus of “My Old Kentucky Home.” And for many of us, it’s the only day of the year we engage with (or perhaps even consider) horse racing at all. But behind all of the pageantry and Southern hoopla, the sport is experiencing a significant shift that includes safety reforms, stricter oversight, and continued questions about what horse racing should look like as we move forward.

In recent years, the horse-racing world has been under a bright spotlight, especially after several high-profile fatalities. There’s a growing awareness of how people think about animal welfare in sports, and the industry has responded significantly, rolling out new governing bodies, national safety standards, and data-driven systems to reduce the risks and improve accountability. So now, the question becomes: are those changes enough, or are these just the first steps on a long road ahead?

The Big Shift

For decades, horse racing in the United States operated under a system that was not particularly unified. Rules differed from state to state, enforcement wasn’t consistent, and there was limited data sharing. That piecemeal approach made it tougher to track patterns, enforce standards, or implement meaningful changes.

But that began to evolve with the creation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), a federally mandated organization tasked with creating more consistent rules. Its two major programs, the Racetrack Safety Program (launched in 2022) and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program (launched in 2023), are the most coordinated efforts (so far) to streamline how the sport is regulated. And the shift isn’t subtle at all. Where there used to be dozens of regulatory approaches, now there’s one system that covers everything, from track conditions to vet records and medication testing.

A spokesperson from HISA tells us, “HISA’s efforts are having a significant and measurable impact. Thanks to rigorous, uniform safety standards overseen by HISA, the sport of thoroughbred racing has never been safer. Racetracks operating under HISA rules reported 1.04 racing-related equine fatalities per 1,000 starts in 2025. The rate has come down one-quarter from the rate of 1.39 reported by the EID in 2021 (the last full year prior to the launch of HISA’s Racetrack Safety Program), and nearly one-half from when the EID began reporting fatalities in 2009 at a rate of 2.00.”

What that tells us is that the numbers are definitely moving in the right direction. Fatalities are down, and the sport is safer than it was a few years ago. But that’s only part of the story.

Spotting Problems Before They Happen

One of the most significant changes under HISA is the introduction of centralized data systems designed to identify risks early on, before they become tragedies.

“HISA maintains the first-ever centralized online database of Covered Horses and Covered Persons involved in the sport, enabling treatment records and other information to be accessed by racetracks and officials across the country,” the HISA spokesperson says. “This facilitates informed decisions to be made about participation in high-speed exercise and races and supports continuity of care. All this information is stored in the HISA Portal.”

That database feeds into a tool called HISA CHECK√, which analyzes treatment histories, performance data, and risk factors to flag horses that might be more vulnerable to injury.

The spokesperson from HISA shares, “Using this robust dataset, HISA CHECK√ analyzes the comprehensive treatment information available in the HISA Portal, along with historical performance data and other risk factors-for example, the length of a horse’s previous layoff (if any), term with current trainer, history on the Veterinarians’ List) to assess whether horses are at increased risk for injury.”

In theory, it’s using data to spot potential problems early. The goal isn’t just to react to injuries, but to prevent them in the first place.

HISA is also paying considerably more attention to infrastructure. Track surfaces, which have been debated for years, are now being tracked and measured much more carefully. “Our accreditation team has visited all racetracks operating under HISA rules, and meaningful collaboration with track management is leading to major improvements in racing’s infrastructure, from improved analysis of track surfaces to enhanced medical support for jockeys,” our HISA contact says. “Information on moisture content, cushion depth, penetration, surface temperature, maintenance routines, and weather data is uploaded daily to the ‘Maintenance Quality System’ database managed by HISA’s partner, Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory.”

It’s a far cry from the days when track conditions were judged primarily by feel and experience!

We’re Making Progress, But it’s Complicated

Despite the advancements, we haven’t completely eliminated fatalities. Horses still die on racetracks, and each incident hits far beyond the sport itself. Every death is a painful reminder that it’s all still a work in progress.

“While HISA has made strong progress since the implementation of its two programs, we recognize there is still work to be done,” the spokesperson explains. “HISA remains focused on reducing equine fatalities, with an enhanced focus on training environments.”

That last point is key. Much of the early reform has focused on race-day conditions, but a significant portion of injuries occur during training. Unlike the more controlled environment of a race, training can vary in intensity, oversight, and overall conditions. That’s really where the limits of regulation become clear. Standardizing race-day protocols is one challenge, but reshaping the culture and practices of training is another one entirely.

Holding Everyone Accountable

Horse racing is so much more than meets the eye. It’s really its own ecosystem that includes breeders, trainers, owners, veterinarians, track operators, and regulators. And ensuring accountability across that spectrum is easier said than done.

“HISA accredits tracks for different term lengths based on their level of compliance with HISA rules and operational readiness,” says the spokesperson.

She goes on to say, “Tracks with strong, consistent safety practices may be accredited for longer periods, while those who are addressing identified gaps or generally strengthening their programs may be accredited for shorter periods to allow for closer follow-up by HISA. This approach is designed to recognize tracks’ current performance and ongoing commitment to meeting HISA’s national safety standards.”

In other words, it’s a mix of enforcement and incentives. It’s rewarding tracks that are doing things right while watching others more closely. But its critics say oversight alone won’t solve the bigger problems, particularly the financial ones.

The Business Side of Racing

At its core, horse racing is still a business. Horses are bred, trained, and raced within a system where money sometimes comes into conflict with their welfare.

We asked the HISA spokesperson about the ongoing conversation around breeding practices and economic pressures. “With respect to economic concerns, one of our top priorities is, by 2030, for 50% of HISA’s budget to be paid for by non-assessment revenue. By 2035, our goal is for HISA to be budget-neutral (meaning that assessments would be eliminated).”

Her answer speaks to financial sustainability for the organization, but it doesn’t really answer the bigger question, which is how does money influence decisions about breeding, training, and racing? Critics argue that the sport still leans too heavily on speed, and that horses are often pushed in ways that prioritize monetary earnings over rest. Supporters say that’s changing, with more focus on long-term health. The truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in between.

Public Perception and Some Misconceptions

Casual fans often see horse racing as glamorous, risky, and even a bit confusing. And part of HISA’s role is to explain what’s different now, and what’s not. That’s where the Racetrack Safety Program and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program come into play.

“The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury,” HISA’s spokesperson tells us. “The Racetrack Safety Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use, and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.”

She goes on to say, “The ADMC Program establishes a centralized testing and results management process that applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across all American Thoroughbred racetracks that HISA governs. The ADMC Program is enforced by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU). HIWU oversees all testing processes, including the selection of horses to be tested, training of sample collection personnel and chain-of-custody procedures. Additionally, HIWU is charged with industry/stakeholder education, laboratory accreditation, results management and adjudication and investigations.”

Put much more simply, this sets up one consistent system for drug testing across all Thoroughbred racetracks under HISA. This way, the same rules apply no matter where a race happens. It’s run by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU), which manages the testing process, decides which horses are tested, makes sure samples are handled correctly, and takes care of results, investigations, and lab standards. In a nutshell, these programs are meant to clean up long-standing issues with inconsistent medication rules and enforcement. But changing the rules is one thing; changing how people feel about the sport is another.

The Ongoing Debate

Even with real progress, horse racing is still grappling with a major question: can it ever be fully ethical?HISA looks at that through a pretty straightforward lens, focusing on three key things. “There are many factors that affect equine safety. But it essentially boils down to three critical questions,” explains the spokesperson. “Is the horse injury-free and fit to run?
Is the track surface in optimal condition?
Are there any prohibited substances in the horse’s system?”

The idea is that if those boxes are checked, the sport can operate responsibly.

So, Where Does Horse Racing Go From Here?

If the past few years have been about putting new rules and systems in place, the next phase is really about fine-tuning them. “We will continue analyzing trends and developing new safety rules, guided by input from our advisory groups and the data that we collect in the HISA Portal,” shares its spokesperson. “We’re also working on expanding the use of data analytics to refine safety practices.”

Looking ahead, the sport will likely lean even more on data, with tools designed to spot risks earlier. It could also mean bigger adjustments in how things are done, from training approaches to breeding priorities and how often the horses compete.

What’s clear is that horse racing is evolving — in some cases because it has to, and in other cases because the industry Is trying to be proactive.

The Kentucky Derby will always be surrounded by fanfare. That’s part of its DNA. But for those paying closer attention, it has also become a lens that reveals how far horse racing has come … and how far it still has to go.

The numbers are getting better. Oversight is stronger. There’s more transparency. And those are real steps forward, but the bigger issue is still there. This is a sport based on speed and competition, and we’re imploring it to meet higher expectations of accountability and care.

It’s a big ask, but not an impossible one. Horse racing has definitely changed a lot, but where it goes from here is still anyone’s guess.

The post As the Kentucky Derby Nears, Can Horse Racing Ever Be Truly Ethical? appeared first on A-Z Animals.