How anyone can still tune in to watch horse racing, especially after Eight Belles broke both her ankles and was euthanized at last year's Kentucky Derby? Well, some mint julep–sipping, tacky hat–wearing folks still do—and for them, this past week was another showcase of horse horrors.

1. Monday: Raspberry Kiss and Dr. Rap, two young Derby horses, were involved in a collision that resulted in a broken hip, and eventual euthanasia, for Raspberry Kiss.
2. Friday: Stormalory, who was projected to win the American Turf, suffered fractures and was euthanized.
3. Saturday morning: I Want Revenge, the Kentucky Derby fave, was scratched early in the day because of an ankle injury and is expected to be off the racetrack until at least summer.
4. Saturday afternoon: The Derby's projected winner, Friesan Fire, had part of his hoof ripped off right after the start but managed to finish the race, bleeding the whole way, 18th of 19 horses. (Somehow, I'm not surprised that Friesan Fire is trained by Larry Jones with Gabriel Saez as the jockey, the same duo who sent Eight Belles to her early grave last year.)

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"He got hit real bad leaving the gate," Larry Jones said. "He's bleeding. If you see blood on the track, it's his."

All of the above occurred at just one track during just one weekend, but injuries and death are routine at racetracks.

Anybody want to guess what the upcoming Preakness and Belmont Stakes have in store for horses?

Posted by Karin Bennett

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Bodies may not be buried at Churchill Downs, but with so many horses having drawn their last breath there after having been run to death, it might as well be a cemetery. And for two days it will be, because PETA has erected 265 headstones outside the racetrack this week.

Why 265, you ask? We included 263 headstones to represent the horses who have died on the track since last year's Kentucky Derby and whose names we know, one headstone for the approximately 832 other horses who have died but whose names are not known—because racetracks are so bad at reporting breakdowns and deaths—and one headstone for the approximately 12,000 thoroughbreds who are sent off to slaughter each year.

Churchill Downs is, of course, home to the Kentucky Derby and is where Eight Belles lost her life one year ago. Since the Eight Belles tragedy, Churchill Downs has made some reforms in the ways that horses are treated on its track, but banning the use of legal drugs to mask injuries hasn't been one of them. PETA is calling on the people who run the track to ban the use of all drugs in the week before a race. By bringing attention to the thousands of lost lives that don't make headline news, our display will hopefully inspire horse-racing officials to take action.

After all, by my calculations, the horse-racing industry has caused 13,095 horses to die this past year. That's enough to fill a cemetery plus some.

Update: Check out these pictures from the unveiling, then go browse more art by Dan Lacey, who painted the gorgeous picture of Eight Belles.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Curious about the names of the horses who have died on racetracks during the past year? Click here.