In my last article, I pledged to write non-industry newspapers to request regular coverage of horse racing.
Since the article was published on this site, a small group of various racing enthusiasts have started a “Campaign for Coverage.”
This is my first “Letter to the Editor” to support the “Campaign for Coverage.” It was sent to The Chicago Tribune, The Altanta Journal-Constitution and The Denver Post – three major non-industry publications that do not engage in regular coverage of horse racing. To join the “Campaign for Coverage,” please click here.
Dear Editor:
I am writing to ask why your publication does not provide regular coverage of horse racing. Racing is a multi-billion dollar industry with roughly 50 million fans that follow the sport. For many fans, including myself, racing holds an endless array of captivating stories that merit coverage in the media at large.
Behind nearly every horse that sets foot on the race track, there is a human interest story. The beauty of this sport does not lie in simply watching a horse win or lose a race. It is also not a sport where “victory” is defined solely by winning a bet or earning purse money.
This sport is a portrait of the human spirit in its purest form. At the heart of racing, a handful of individuals set out with a dream, a single horse and aspirations to conquer a feat that appears impossible.
For the media at large, this sport is summed up in two minutes with a winning horse on Kentucky Derby day. However, for those involved in the sport, the upcoming Kentucky Derby started with the birth of roughly 32,000 registered foals in 2008.
The dreams surrounding those foals weren’t followed in the media. However, those foals held the dreams of countless breeders, owners, trainers and many other individuals in the industry. In large part, those stories will remain untold in the media since most of those horses aren’t on the Triple Crown trail. Yet, I am certain that there were inspiring stories behind those horses that merited reporting - Thousands of stories that will never be printed.
The story that is guaranteed to be printed is the winner of the Kentucky Derby. The media reports on quantifiable numbers. And, the Kentucky Derby has numbers that quantify its’ popularity, ranking among the fifth highest-rated sports broadcast, behind events like the Super Bowl and NCAA Men’s basketball finals.
Yet, there are a few numbers that the media should focus on right now. Currently, there are 364 horses nominated to the Triple Crown series. In other words, there were 364 horses that inspired their connections to believe that they might have found “the horse” that can win some, or all, of the Triple Crown races. Imagine the dreams and sacrifices that many of those individuals endured in the past three years to arrive at this moment. There are stories that lie within those numbers.
But, the media isn’t covering those stories.
And, currently, there are many prep races being run in various parts of the nation to determine the final twenty horses that can garner enough graded earnings to qualify for a spot in the gate on Kentucky Derby day.
But, the media isn’t covering those qualifying races.
In my mind, the failure to provide media coverage for the Kentucky Derby prep-race season is like ignoring the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament until the championship game. The heart of the coverage would be lost without reporting on the teams that made the “Sweet Sixteen,” “The Elite Eight” and the “Final Four.” Likewise, the failure to write about the Derby prep-race season ignores the excitement of those races, the accomplishments of the equine athletes and the stories on their human connections until Kentucky Derby day itself.
This is an important moment for media coverage in the Triple Crown season. And, I hope that you begin covering the journey of the equine athletes, and their connections, as they compete for a spot among the final twenty horses that are privileged to enter the gates at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby day.
And, after the winning garland of roses is placed on the Kentucky Derby winner, it is my hope that you continue coverage of racing beyond the remaining Triple Crown season and the Breeders’ Cup races in the fall.
I believe that regular media coverage of this sport is a valuable undertaking, not simply for the beauty of the sport, but also, for your publication. There are 50 million fans that follow horse racing. There are 50 million people who want to hear about this sport. I hope that in the future, your newspaper follows this sport along with those 50 million fans of racing.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Wirth
