So Why is It

there are far too many breakdowns at racetracks in this country?

Partly it is the surface, partly it is the desire of breeders to breed for speed instead of for soundness, and partly it is the allowing of horses to be medicated. In the old days, medication was absolutely not allowed in the major races like the Triple Crown.

The most famous instance of a horse being disqualified in a race because of running on then-illegal medication was Dancer's Image, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1968, but he was found to have had some drugs in his system (I believe it was "bute"). The prize money and thus first place was awarded to second-place winner Forward Pass, owned by Calumet Farm.

The case went through the courts for years, but finally the state court of Kentucky, I think it was, ruled against Peter Fuller, Dancer's Image's owner.

I photocopied that case and still have it somewhere around here.

In any case, I don't recall anywhere near the breakdowns in major races a generation ago as I see now.