I don't race or anything, but would he have known the horse was hurt ?

Was the horse limping or acting oddly & then he whipped it??

Or was he already whipping the horse when they were nearling the finish line trying to keep the horse going faster?

I cannot judge unless he knew that horse was hurt.

The horse must have been running well enough to finished 2ed I just don't know enough, so fill me in so I know how I should feel.