Is This Election a Horse Race?
When people refer to this election as a horse race, they mean that the campaign is getting increasingly polarized and that it may be difficult for voters to find a candidate who aligns with their views. For example, if you are an avowed liberal who opposes abortion and supports gay marriage, you will likely have difficulty finding a candidate who shares your views. In such a circumstance, you may be tempted to pick a third-party candidate who shares some of your views and who has a good chance of winning. But this strategy is a risky one because it is possible for a third-party candidate to win the election and cause significant political damage by implementing policies that you do not support. In addition, a third-party candidate could easily get the Democratic nomination and potentially become president. Therefore, it is important to understand how each candidate’s positions align with yours before deciding who to vote for in the race.
In a horse race, each participant is assigned a different amount of weight to carry during the race (hence the name handicap). This system was designed to counteract the traditional idea that the best horse wins by assigning a ‘handicap’ on the basis of past performance. Each horse that has run a few times is given an official handicap rating by the BHA Handicappers, which is then used to determine how much weight it will carry in a specific race.
During training, a horse is taught how to accept the riding equipment and carry a jockey. The trainer also teaches the horse how to perform at various paces and distances. A horse is a very fast-moving animal and can be prone to injuries and breakdowns if it is not properly conditioned for its racing career. The most common injuries are fractures and lacerations, but horses have been known to hemorrhage from their lungs as a result of sprinting so quickly that they can’t fill their lungs with enough oxygen.
Once a horse has reached its peak age for running speed, it is withdrawn from the race circuit and often shipped off to be slaughtered in Mexico or Canada. The horses’ only hope of a happy ending is through the efforts of independent nonprofit horse rescue groups and individuals who network, fundraise, and work tirelessly to save them.
If the racing industry wants to retain its relevance and reputation for fairness, it must begin by addressing its lack of an adequately funded industry-sponsored wraparound aftercare solution for all horses that leave the track. It must stop ignoring the concerns of animal rights activists and those who are waking up to the fact that horses deserve better than a life that includes dangerous drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns, euthanasia, and a horrific ending in foreign slaughterhouses. Donations by racing aficionados and gamblers are essential, but they do not cancel out participation in the ongoing exploitation of young horses. Let us not forget the fate of Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan, and Laoban.
When people refer to this election as a horse race, they mean that the campaign is getting increasingly polarized and that it may be difficult for voters to find a candidate who aligns with their views. For example, if you are an avowed liberal who opposes abortion and supports gay marriage, you will likely have difficulty finding a candidate who shares your views. In such a circumstance, you may be tempted to pick a third-party candidate who shares some of your views and who has a good chance of winning. But this strategy is a risky one because it is possible for a third-party candidate to win the election and cause significant political damage by implementing policies that you do not support. In addition, a third-party candidate could easily get the Democratic nomination and potentially become president. Therefore, it is important to understand how each candidate’s positions align with yours before deciding who to vote for in the race. In a horse race, each participant is assigned a different amount of weight to carry during the race (hence the name handicap). This system was designed to counteract the traditional idea that the best horse wins by assigning a ‘handicap’ on the basis of past performance. Each horse that has run a few times is given an official handicap rating by the BHA Handicappers, which is then used to determine how much weight it will carry in a specific race. During training, a horse is taught how to accept the riding equipment and carry a jockey. The trainer also teaches the horse how to perform at various paces and distances. A horse is a very fast-moving animal and can be prone to injuries and breakdowns if it is not properly conditioned for its racing career. The most common injuries are fractures and lacerations, but horses have been known to hemorrhage from their lungs as a result of sprinting so quickly that they can’t fill their lungs with enough oxygen. Once a horse has reached its peak age for running speed, it is withdrawn from the race circuit and often shipped off to be slaughtered in Mexico or Canada. The horses’ only hope of a happy ending is through the efforts of independent nonprofit horse rescue groups and individuals who network, fundraise, and work tirelessly to save them. If the racing industry wants to retain its relevance and reputation for fairness, it must begin by addressing its lack of an adequately funded industry-sponsored wraparound aftercare solution for all horses that leave the track. It must stop ignoring the concerns of animal rights activists and those who are waking up to the fact that horses deserve better than a life that includes dangerous drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns, euthanasia, and a horrific ending in foreign slaughterhouses. Donations by racing aficionados and gamblers are essential, but they do not cancel out participation in the ongoing exploitation of young horses. Let us not forget the fate of Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan, and Laoban.