Into the Stretch -- Race Horses at Santa Anita Park, California

by Darin Volpe

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Into the Stretch -- Race Horses at Santa Anita Park, California

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Darin Volpe

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Photograph - Photography

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"...and coming into the final stretch it's Powder in the lead! Wonderful Lie is coming up fast on the outside and Tribal Dance on the inside is falling behind,..."

Horse racing is one of the oldest of sports, dating back to Ancient Greece, and probably as far back in history as humans have domesticated horses. The sport is not without its share of controversy including accusations that horses are given drugs to increase performance, injuries and deaths on the track, and even exportation of retired racehorses for food in Japan. The racing industry counters that the medications are necessary for the safety of the horses and that out of almost 2.5 million starters over five years 99.875% finished the race without incident. I couldn't find anything on the horse-to-food ratio, but I suspect that the truth here lies somewhere between PETA and the industry numbers.

Mud flies and nostrils flare on the racetrack of Santa Anita Park as colorfully dressed jockeys ride their racehorses through the last turn and into the stretch. People have been betting on which thoroughbred would win, place, or show, at this landmark racetrack since California legalized gambling on horse races in 1933.

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December 22nd, 2018

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