Will PETA’s ‘Vandal-Proof’ Horse Statue Replace Cosmic Colt?

For Immediate Release:
July 28, 2022

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Following reports that vandals smashed another Horse Mania statue over the weekend, this morning PETA sent a letter to LexArts President Ame Sweetall, offering to replace “Cosmic Colt” with a realistic, “vandal-proof” horse statue. The group notes that the life-size replacement would come with the leg already broken, as a reminder of the damage inflicted on real horses at Keeneland and other racetracks.

“This statue’s already-broken leg makes it essentially vandal-proof and the perfect memorial for the 24 horses who die every week on U.S. racetracks,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “Accepting PETA’s gift is an easy way to honor the real-life horses who suffer from injuries sustained on racetracks—such as Absolutely Aiden, who died at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup day in 2020—and to spread compassion among Kentuckians.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Sweetall follows.

July 28, 2022

Ame Sweetall
President and CEO
LexArts

Dear Ms. Sweetall:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals U.S.—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally and nearly 63,000 in Kentucky—to offer you a donation of a “vandal-proof” horse statue. Our donation of this life-size statue (see image) would replace the statue titled “Cosmic Colt,” which was destroyed in the second recent incident targeting LexArts Horse Mania statues.

We were saddened to hear of this vandalism, and Kentuckians are rightfully upset at seeing this damage done to these inanimate horse statues. Lexingtonians would be even more appalled and outraged to learn of the damage inflicted on real horses at racetracks, including in their own backyard at Keeneland.

Violence of any kind should not be tolerated, and that is why our statue is the perfect replacement. It serves as a memorial to the horses who have been killed on racetracks across the country, including Absolutely Aiden, who died at Keeneland on Breeders’ Cup day in 2020.

Our statue features the number 24 on its saddle towel, representing the average number of horses who die every week on U.S. tracks, and it displays a gruesome injury, typical of one these fatal, catastrophic breakdowns. Since our statue comes equipped with an already broken leg—resembling the damage inflicted on Cosmic Colt—for all intents and purposes, it’s vandal-proof.

This statue is perfect for teaching compassion and empathy to make Kentucky a kinder place for everyone. We hope you will consider this gift.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Kathy Guillermo
Senior Vice President
Equine Matters Department