WSJ: Activists pushing for re-evaluation of breeze show practices

[Kasept]

Not So Fast: Critics Decry Horse-Auction Exercise
By DIONNE SEARCEY

Running 2-Year-Olds at Top Speeds Puts Animals at Risk, Some Say; Industry Puts Issue on the Agenda for Review

Auction houses that trade some of the world's most valuable race horses face increasing pressure to change a key practice that animal rights activists and some trainers say is harmful to the animals. Critics say running young horses at top speeds—a common practice at auctions where race horses are shown to potential buyers—can put the animals at risk of serious injury. Above, a filly is shown at a Fasig-Tipton auction in Boynton Beach, Fla., in May.

Running 2-year-old horses in so-called breezes—short distances at top speeds, a common exercise at events where owners and agents show off young horses to potential buyers—can put the animals at risk of injury because their muscles and bones may not be developed enough to handle the intense stress, critics say. Amid the growing concern, the North American International Cataloguing Standards Committee, which is a collection of thoroughbred industry organizations, has placed the issue on its Sept. 16 meeting agenda.