Cross-posted from the Louisville Courier-Journal
Written by GARY A. HALL
The fight over anti-bleeding medications is the 'mother of all battles,' says Dan Metzger, President of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, which supports a race-day medication ban. TOBA Image.
Four hours before post time, nearly every thoroughbred about to race in the United States gets a shot of a diuretic best known by its human brand name, Lasix.
In the past three months, many of racing’s most influential organizations have come out in support of a ban on race-day use of the drug — known generically as furosemide — mirroring what countries outside of North America already do. The groundswell prompted a meeting scheduled for next week at Belmont Park where industry leaders from around the world will debate the issue.
The industry is far from united on the question of a ban. Most notably, the major U.S. owner-trainer group, the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, opposes it.
But industry leaders will meet next week under the threat of federal legislation introduced in early May to ban race-day medication and provide stiffer penalties for abuse.
The fight over anti-bleeding medications is the “mother of all battles,” said Dan Metzger, president of the Lexington-based Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, which supports a race-day medication ban. Continue reading >>
Learn more about racehorse doping in “The Chemical Horse,” a Special Report by Jane Allin for the Int’l Fund for Horses.
Clever of Tom Udall (my Senator) and his co-sponsor to put both raceday drugs and interstate wagering in the same bill. That way they have something to trade in the well-known “art of the deal”. When Animal Kingdom won the Derby and came second by half-a-length and coming on in the Preakness, it proved that raceday drugs aren’t needed. You have to have the right horse, a knowledgeable trainer, and owners willing to buck the system, but it can be done.
Well, Animal Kingdom’s victory certainly hinted to Americans that it can be done. Doping racehorses is an American phenomenon. It is illegal in the UK, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and other major racing centers around the world. Drugs are only a part of the many problems nagging American horse racing. The very public deaths of Barbaro and Eight Belles brought this to attention in a way that cannot be ignored. There are many, many good people in American horse racing who care about the horses and the industry. Let their voices finally be heard and listened to. It will take at least a decade to turn it around, but turn it around they must, or it will all come to an end.
I am not trying to be negative here, but Animal Kingdom has in past races and did run in both the Derby and Preakness on race day medications – Lasix and Bute.
These are the norm here in North America and are controlled via threashold limits so nothing is out of kilter as virtually all racehorses run on these medications in this country.
The good part about Animal Kingdom is his trainer and his dedication to using only what is “good” for the horse. He has never once been convicted for any drug violations unlike the vast majority of others in the industry.
Yes, there is only one other trainer who has never had a medication violation, but I can never remember his name. Do you know Jane? You’re the expert!
If you are interested in horse racing, Jane is doing a series of in-depth reports that have people talking. They are not to be missed. http://www.horsefund.org/horse-racing-resources.php
That would be Christophe Clement.