Most anyone who works around racetracks can gain access to racehorses before a race and stuff small sponges up the noses of certain racehorses which will slow them down during a race and this type of horse race rigging happens. Since a racehorse breathes through its nose during a race, any obstruction can impair its breathing and thus slow it down.
Not only do bettors at the track lose money but the horses’ and jockeys’ lives may be endangered during this particular practice of horse race rigging. A horse that cannot breathe properly during a race may stumble or go out of control jeopardizing the lives of jockeys and other horses.
Moreover, all gamblers on organized animal racing events know that on any given day a race may be rigged by drugging the animals or if any human is riding or controlling a racing animal during a race you never know if they’re inhibiting the animal from running his best race.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE: FT. LAUDERDALE SUN SENTINEL NEWSPAPER 11/29/01