Staff writers at the Coloradoan newspaper filed this report, 18 Oct 2007:
Colorado State University to study drug’s impact on horse racing
Questions over whether furosemide, which helps horses run faster, has medical benefits
Colorado State University researchers are conducting a large study to see whether a commonly used anti-bleeding drug for horseracing that makes horses run faster actually has any medical benefit.
The drug, furosemide, is widely used to limit the amount of bleeding that horses experience when racing. Racing horses often finish a course with blood in their trachea, although the amounts vary, according to researchers.
While previous tests have shown that horses treated with furosemide tend to run better, there’s no solid evidence the drug actually limits the bleeding, said CSU veterinarian Paul Morley.
The study will be conducted in South Africa, where the use of furosemide on race days is banned. Race-day use is permitted in the United States and Canada, however.
“It is possible that performance is improved by preventing of minimizing lung bleeding in these horses, but it is also possible that improved performance is caused by other drug effects, such as transient weight loss,” Morley said in a statement announcing the study.
Under the study, researchers will conduct four days of racing at the Vaal Racecourse in South Africa, racing each of 200 horses in two five-to-eight furlong races, once treated with furosemide and once without.
While the races are being run specifically for the study, purses will be offered to simulate a “real” race.
Tuesday's Horse 