Letter To The Editor: Racing’s Future Is Being Decided. Are We In The Room Together?

[Wandering Eyes]

Horse racing is under siege–not by its own reality, but by a story we are failing to control. Worst-case scenarios aren't just seen as common; they've become the rule in the public's mind.

The New York Times, among others, understands this well. So they don't report on horse racing; they frame it. Their stories don't inform, they indict. They take exceptions and present them as norms, controversy as the foundation, and outliers as the rule. And when that kind of misinformation dominates, it's not just the media to blame. It's us, for letting them tell our story in the first place.

The gap between perception and reality is a chasm. When people believe the extreme, they stop seeing the truth altogether. We handed the microphone to those who know the least, and in doing so, we let misinformation spread unchecked.

But the public doesn't see what we see. They don't see the groom arriving at 4 a.m., long before the sun is up, to check on a horse before their first sip of coffee. They don't see the breeder out in the ice and snow, inspecting fences while their mares rest safely in warm barns. They don't hear from the owner who has spent years investing in a horse, only for it to be vet scratched from the biggest race of its life. They don't witness the quiet moments of care, the sacrifices, the relentless dedication, the changes in policy and work being done to protect our equine athletes, and the huge private investment that funds the industry, generates jobs and drives the economies of many significant communities. Instead, they see viral headlines, cherry-picked statistics, and the worst of the worst framed as if it happens every day and by everyone.

Horse racing is far from perfect, and to survive, its business model must evolve. That's a reality no industry or business escapes. I've seen the best of this sport and plenty of the worst. There are extraordinary horsemen and women who live and breathe horse welfare, who put their horses first in ways the public never sees. And there are bad actors too–the drug cheats, the irresponsible, the ones who treat horses as nothing more than a means to an end. As an industry, we have a long way to go–starting with ensuring that both horse and human welfare isn't just a box to tick, but a non-negotiable standard.

However, no industry is immune to bad actors or public scrutiny. We don't judge all professional athletes by the handful who cheat. We don't assume every dog breeder runs a puppy mill. We don't abandon social media because some platforms mishandle data and privacy. Yet in racing, negative stories have shaped the public's perception, unfair reporting has too often gone unchallenged and our positive progress is left untold.

The antidote is consistent transparency. It's the only way to track real progress, arm ourselves with facts, and improve. It gives us measurable benchmarks–whether it is medication disclosure, racehorse retirement tracking, or horse fatalities in both racing and training–so we can prove where things are getting better, and address where it is not. Transparency provides researchers with vital data to drive industry-wide advancements. And critically, it disarms misinformation. When an industry isn't talking, people assume it has something to hide. That's why sensational headlines do so much damage – because we are only just starting to fill the space with facts about progress. Owning our narrative isn't just about reputation. It forces us to be better.

And even more, it forces us to come together. Not only are we not telling the truth about our industry and thereby failing to control the narrative, but we have also failed to convene a unifying voice to collaboratively and proactively speak our industry's truth. We have failed to defend ourselves.

Take a look at other major sporting industries (NFL, NBA, MLB). A public attack to their sport would garner a swift and strategic response from its leadership–a leadership body that is convened to represent the entire industry's best interest. We have seen Roger Goodell grab the mic when the public perceptions of football waned due to sports-related concussions. We witnessed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver face multiple public scandals head-on since his tenure begun… remember, the Donald Sterling saga? There he was responding swiftly with transparency and unification. Many people now posture those defining moments as ones that revitalized those sports.

And it's not just in the sports industry. Healthcare, education, financial services–just look to other sectors that have demonstrated models of how to represent an industry in a moment of crisis. They are prepared and they are willing to counter any attack with unification and transparency. They respond in a manner that exemplifies, “The we is greater than the me.”

So why not us?

I say it can be us. It needs to be us. And there has never been a time like now to unify the industry.

Because here's the thing: horse racing is worth defending. Not just for those of us in the game today, but for the generations to come. Let's start demonstrating a new stride in how we gather together, how we speak about our industry and how defend this sport we cherish because it celebrates the horses we love. We want our young people running toward the sport, not from it. We want them applying for Godolphin Flying Start. Joining Amplify's programs. Promoting Horse Country tours to their peers. We want them seeing an industry that unifies in the face of adversity; and one that is comfortable speaking its truths.

That's what Light Up Racing is calling for right now. We have been diligently meeting with leaders from across the industry – 17 organizations to date–talking about the need to come together and identify not only where we can collaborate in programming but also gauge reception for a unifying voice. We have been asking for support to continue our educational efforts in making sure that when people talk about horse racing, they're getting the full picture. The challenges, yes. But also the progress. We've been talking about galvanizing a marketing campaign to elevate the grassroots voice in our industry; BUT to do it all together. Collaboratively with other entities' marketing efforts. And with a single intent–manage the narrative.

And the numbers speak for themselves: 2.5 million video views, 32,000 website visitors, 1,500 LUR members, all achieved in the first 60 days. We are responding quickly when there's previously been a void. We acknowledge that the work isn't easy, and it won't be solved overnight. But the alternative–silence, retreat, and letting others define us–is unacceptable. It's all of our responsibilities.

Most often, people do not know what to do in the face of adversity, so they do nothing. It's okay to not know what to do, but it is not okay to do nothing. Reach out to us at Light Up Racing (hello@lightupracing.com) and let's talk about how you can be part of this movement. We need you.

It's time to take back the narrative, together. If we don't, someone else will.

So, let's give it a major crack.

Vicky Leonard is the owner and managing director of the advertising agency Kick Collective and TTR in Australia, and the founder of Light Up Racing.

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