1978: Horse racing ridicules jockeys including Steve Cauthen when they warn about Bute

Hall of Fame jockey testifies 34 years later for a bill amending the Horse Racing Improvement Act of 1978 to ban drugs like Bute. Allow me to take you through the Wayback Machine to May 15, 1978, courtesy of the Sports Illustrated vault. A group of leading American jockeys that included superstar Steve Cauthen who…

All the pretty racehorses full of all the ugly drugs

The Chemical Horse Jane Allin, research analyst for the Int'l Fund for Horses, wrote an in-depth report on drugs in US horse racing, called The Chemical Horse, published in April 2011 as part of her ongoing series on horse racing in America. We highly appreciate the New York Times report released today, Big Purses, Sore…

US House members hear pro-government regulation, anti-medication testimony

MATT HEGARTY writing for the Daily Racing Form reports: Members of the racing industry who support the passage of federal legislation to regulate the sport and ban the raceday use of the anti-bleeding medication furosemide made their cases on Monday in front of a House subcommittee hearing held at a school in Pennsylvania. With frequent…

New York Times exposes fatal results of drugging Thoroughbreds as Congress debates horse racing

Today the US Congress is hearing testimony into horse racing by invited members of the industry, or might we say, the ones who accepted their invitation. That's not all. Today the New York Times publishes another blockbuster report on US horse racing called "Big Purses, Sore Horses, and Death". Written by Joe Drape, Walt Bogdanich,…

Dynaformer, sire of Barbaro, dies at 27

Perhaps not coincidentally, Dynaforma, who sired Barbaro, died April 23rd, the date Barbaro was foaled. The Daily Racing Form reports: Dynaformer -- sire of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, multi-million-dollar earner Perfect Drift, and three-time steeplechase champion McDynamo -- has died two weeks after an aortic valve rupture prompted Three Chimneys Farm to pension him.…

Filly 7/8, bred for racing and sold for dog food becomes fine dining

Horse slaughter is something every horse racing nation seems to have in common, yet not one of them -- even Ireland where horses are as iconic as the shamrock -- seem willing to take the steps necessary to end it. This is a story from the New Zealand Herald News of a horse bred for…

Former jockey Stevens takes zero-tolerance stand on raceday medication

“I did whatever I had to do to show up, whether is was injections in my knees or whatever,” Stevens said. “My career ended much earlier than it should have had I given myself the proper amount of time to heal up every time I was hurt. I didn’t know how bad I was hurting…

Foals euthanized in Canada as provincial funding of harness racing ends

From QMI via SimcoReformer.ca The decision to end provincial funding for Ontario's harness racing may kill more than the industry - it's resulting in the death of an unknown number of this year's crop of new foals. QMI Agency spoke to a number of sources who say breeders are now are euthanizing their foals moments…

Racing Commissioners meet to discuss medications and rules regulating veterinarians

The Ray Paulick Report features an article on the annual conference hosted by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) taking place in Oklahoma City. The topics dominating the meeting are medications administered to racehorses and the rules regulating veterinarians. This quote caught my eye: “Our current enforcement is focused on ensuring that no horse…

Witness list for congressional hearing on raceday medications

A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will conduct a hearing on health and safety issues in horse racing April 30. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. The last congressional hearing on horse racing was held in June 2008 and dealt with similar issues, including equine medication. WITNESS LIST…