美国国家公共电台 NPR--Multiple horse deaths before the Kentucky Derby reignites scrutiny about the sport

Multiple horse deaths before the Kentucky Derby reignites scrutiny¹ about the sport

Transcript²

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Wall Street Journal editor Jim Chairusmi about safety concerns in horse racing³ after seven horses died last week ahead of the Kentucky Derby.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Like many people, I watched the Kentucky Derby on TV over the weekend. And amid the pageantry and the clothes and the hats, the TV announcers briefly⁴ noted⁵ that seven horses died at Churchill Downs in the days before the event. What happened? Wall Street Journal sports editor Jim Chairusmi joins us. Good morning.

JIM CHAIRUSMI: Good morning.

INSKEEP: Let's start with the basics. How did these seven horses die?

CHAIRUSMI: Well, the circumstances were different for some of these deaths. We don't know yet the causes, but two of the horses collapsed⁶ following a race and died. And both horses happened to be trained by the same guy, Saffie Joseph Jr. So Churchill Downs came down and suspended him indefinitely.

INSKEEP: OK, so a couple of them just collapsed, cause unknown. There were a couple of broken legs also, is that right?

CHAIRUSMI: Correct, correct. And, you know, horses aren't like people. They can't have bed rest. If a horse can't stand, unfortunately, they have to euthanize them.

INSKEEP: So I'd like to know, is it normal that in a handful of days before a race you would have seven horses die at the same track?

CHAIRUSMI: No. I mean, I think that's why we're talking, because it's an abnormal number. And it's a high-profile event, the biggest week of the year for horse racing. And two days after the Kentucky Derby, we're not talking about the winner, Mage.

INSKEEP: I feel like we're talking about two different things here as well. One is, I guess you'd say, a fragile breed, right? Thoroughbreds are bred for speed rather than durability⁷, necessarily. And then there's the whole question of doping to look into.

CHAIRUSMI: Correct, correct.

INSKEEP: So what safeguards are in place to ensure that horses are as safe as they can be?

CHAIRUSMI: Well, I think that's a big problem. I mean, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority - or HISA - was formed recently to create a uniform set of rules for the sport. But currently, there's not a uniform set of rules. There's 38 states that have horse racing. Each state has their own rules and regulations. And that's where we're seeing the problem.

INSKEEP: Granting that there are different rules in different places, what generally are the rules for doping, drugs that horses can be given?

CHAIRUSMI: Well, there's - you know, there's different rules about how much medication a horse can have, either zero tolerance⁸ or a little bit, race day medication. It depends on the quality of the horse. There really isn't consistent rules across the sport.

INSKEEP: I want to recall that in 2019 - it's a before-the-pandemic memory, so it might be foggy for some people. But in 2019, more than 40 horses died in a short period at the Santa Anita racetrack in Southern California. Ultimately, I think, no one was held responsible for that. But there were efforts at reform. Are things any better or different than they were four years ago?

CHAIRUSMI: Yes, things have changed. They stiffened⁹ the rules. They changed the rules on medication, race day medication. And the jockeys are not allowed to whip the horses as many times as they used to. We have seen a reduction in numbers. I think it was only about a dozen horses died last year at Santa Anita. So we have seen some progress.

INSKEEP: Are there loud voices questioning whether horse racing is simply safe enough for the animals?

CHAIRUSMI: Absolutely. You know, when these things happen, the animal welfare groups speak up. And when people are paying attention to the sport and this happens, it's not a good sign for the sport.

INSKEEP: And so that's really what is distinct here, is not only that the horses died, because that is happening, but that it happened at such a high-profile moment.

CHAIRUSMI: Correct.

INSKEEP: Jim, thanks so much, really appreciate it.

CHAIRUSMI: Thanks a lot.

INSKEEP: Jim Chairusmi is a sports editor for The Wall Street Journal.

(SOUNDBITE OF NILS FRAHM'S "AMBRE")

1 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

7 durability   

n.经久性，耐用性

参考例句：

• Nylons have the virtue of durability.尼龙丝袜有耐穿的优点。

8 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

9 stiffened   

加强的

参考例句：

• He leaned towards her and she stiffened at this invasion of her personal space. 他向她俯过身去，这种侵犯她个人空间的举动让她绷紧了身子。
• She stiffened with fear. 她吓呆了。