Pictured: California Chrome wearing the now infamous nasal strip.
New York racing officials threw out the rule banning the apparatus as a favor to the connections of the Triple Crown contender. A three-year-old filly, who would not have been allowed to wear a nasal strip while racing in New York, collapsed and died at Belmont Park where the third and final leg of the Triple Crown will be run next month.
Two days after New York State authorized changes to their rules allowing Thoroughbreds to wear nasal breathing strips during races, a horse named See the Music died wearing one.
California Chrome made the nasal breathing strips famous after winning both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes while wearing one. Up until last week, the New York State was the only State that did not allow Thoroughbred horses to wear nasal strips. Harness horses were still allowed to race with one.
When California Chrome’s connections said the State’s ban on the strips might cause him not to try to win the Triple Crown at the June 7 Belmont Stakes, a joint decision was made among the New York Racing Association, the New York State Gaming Commission and the Jockey Club permitting Thoroughbreds to wear breathing strips during a race.
Scott E. Palmer, Medical Director for the Gaming Commission when the ban on strips was removed last week stated: “Equine nasal strips do not enhance equine performance nor do they pose a risk to equine health or safety and as such do not need to be regulated”.
See the Music was a three-year-old filly running in her third race Wednesday (May 21, 2014) since breaking her maiden on March 28, and was a 12/1 favorite in the seventh race at Belmont Park.
Jockey Larry Meijas was on board as the filly showed early speed before fading. Meijas eased up on See the Music and the horse collapsed at the 3/16 marker and died on the track of what New York State Gaming listed as an “apparent heart attack”. See the Music was trained by John Servis.
Gaming Commission spokesperson Lee Park released this statement: “We are awaiting necropsy results. There is no reason to believe that wearing a nasal strip would contribute to a sudden death of a horse.”
The horse’s body is at Cornell University.
— See also Racehorse Memorial Wall »
— See also On Nasal Strips and Tongue Ties in Racehorses at PerformanceGenetics.com »
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A headline like that infers the nasal strip has something to do with the death of the horse. Do your homework folks, or get someone else to write the headlines. This is like saying “woman wearing underwire bra dies.” Very irresponsible on the writer’s part.
Nasal strips are not medication, have no medication on them or in them. They are just like what humans use: a tape like material that holds the floppy part of your nose open (supposedly) so you or your horse can breathe better.
Really embarrassing to the person who wrote this!
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Guess I could have said “was” instead of “while”. Sorry, not embarrassed. A three year old filly dropped dead during a race. I don’t think she would mind how we worded a post title. Thanks anyway!
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Trust the press to get everything wrong! The implication that the nasal strips killed this horse is just plain stupid but plenty of people will believe it!
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What is good is that when the 3 yo filly dropped dead from an “apparent heart attack” someone noticed she was wearing a nasal strip and made a big deal out of it. A necropsy is being done. We are grateful for that.
So many horses die in training and on the course and the cause of death is not often looked into. So hooray for this particular nasal strip story.
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Not only should there be a “NO DRUGS” policy but age restrictions should be implemented. If they would wait until they were 4 yrs. to race them they would get longer racing careers out of a lot of these horses. At least that’s my unprofessional opinion.
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I strongly doubt that the nasal strip contributed to her death. However, I think it’s a good thing that they are going to do an autopsy. It may very well expose whether or not she raced with too many drugs in her body.
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I am no expert, but Nasal strips would only help for horse to breathe better ?????? we must all wait to see what the expert says.????? STOP ALLOWING DRUGS
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I wonder if these nasal strips contributed to the death of See The Music? I really don’t know that much about them expect that it allows them to breath better so I am not qualified to make a hypothesis about it but I wonder if she got too much air and it caused some kind of fatal incident in her lungs or heart or even in the blood vessels? Idk but I am looking forward to a post here with the necropsy` results. I do put 100% trust into Cornell in finding the reason(s) of See The Music’s death. Even though I do enjoy horse racing. I believe it has lost all it’s traditional values with all the druggie of the horses and the additional aides they use on the horses to win. It’s not about winning. It should be about the health and safety of the horses regardless. But that is a pipe dream, nothing more.
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The nasal strip reduces upper airway resistance and should not have contributed to her alleged heart attack. But in The UK, drugs and nasal strips are forbidden on race days so the horses who have exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage are dehydrated to replicate the effect of furosemide. Welfare issues abound on both sides of the pond!
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I hope that the nasal strip and its relationship to Chrome cause a demand from the public to hear the results of the necropsy. I believe that the Cornell Vet School will deliver the true results. The Racing Commission must release them and act accordingly. Owner and trainer MUST suffer severe consequences if guilty. The future of horse racing depends on cleaning up this “racing business”. As in sooooo many things in our country where greedy men are involved. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
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The fact she was wearing a nasal strip drew attention to her death. Otherwise it would probably have gone unnoticed. “Apparent heart attack?” Something very wrong here. A 3 year old filly. So sad; they die so young in this sordid so-called sport.
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I wonder what this young horse was pumped up on? With the combination of deadly drugs all of these horses are given before a race one can only guess. I doubt we will ever know what caused the heart attack if a drug cocktail is found it won’t be made public.
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I will never believe that a nasal strip caused her death. Truly infuriates me….we must institute a policy like England, ie, no DRUGS PERIOD.
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Polopaula.And a Absolutely no drugs is the best way !! although the fact remains we lost a Lovely little innocent filly and nothing can change that…… we must protect the rest !!!!! And I agree a Nasal strip is not the cause !!!!!!! Racing homes thousands of horses I do not want to lose that for the horses !!!!! Also more Owner trainers love them and give them excellent care !!! its the defining small percentage of greedy less then people who try to ruin the Sport with greed!!!!!
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