Science: Does This Make Any Horse Sense?

Geneticists confirm that Thoroughbreds are not getting faster

For nearly two centuries, selective breeding has been used in an effort to produce Thoroughbred racehorses that are faster and have greater staying power than their forebears. At stake is not only the conformation and temperament of the horses but the many millions of dollars spent these days by owners and fans on the sport of racing. Yet according to a report in last week's Nature, the British science journal, today's Thoroughbred racehorses do not run much faster than their great-great-grandsires did. What is more, they probably never will.

The reasons, argue two Irish researchers at the Agricultural Institute and Trinity...

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