First time Lasix in BC.

[Robert Goren]

A few years ago this was a hot idea. Is it really a positive factor in your handicapping?

[raybo]

A few years ago this was a hot idea. Is it really a positive factor in your handicapping?

I don't know if the BC will show the same results, but my experience is that, generally, 1st Lasix does improve horses performances, depending on what the previous races looked like. If the horse was not on Lasix in any of those previous races and it continually faded badly in the stretch, regardless of the race distance, then Lasix will help him breath better, providing more oxygen to the bloodstream and adding stamina. I usually added about 10% to my gradings for those horses. I have not paid much attention lately as most horses are already on Lasix at tracks that allow it anyway.

If a horse is not fading in the stretch then Lasix is not likely to help much, if any.

Now you're going to receive a whole bunch of replys that say just the opposite and explain the evil in Lasix, or any other drug, but just consider the source. :bang:

[Robert Goren]

As I remember it was a hot idea because a few European horses had won as first time Lasix.

[raybo]

As I remember it was a hot idea because a few European horses had won as first time Lasix.

My understanding is that Lasix is a diuretic that reduces bleeding in the lungs and promotes easier breathing (for some horses, not all. Double blind tests have been performed and not all horses receiving Lasix performed better.), so when a horse bleeds less he has less restriction in its lungs, enabling more oxygen intake, which then transfers more oxygen to the blood, and subsequently to the muscles and organs, all of which can improve performance, but there is no guarantee that it will. Basically if the horse is deemed to need Lasix due to excessive bleeding in the lungs (by a real vet of course), then Lasix should reduce that bleeding, but if his performance is not marked by continual fading late in recent races, my experience is that the med will not markedly improve its performance.

By the way, all race horses bleed in the lungs to one degree or other, but some bleed worse than others, which can negatively affect their ability to breath well under extreme physical stress. Less oxygen to the blood stream is a result.

An analogy can be made with Secretariat, whose heart was very oversized, almost twice the size of the normal thoroughbred horse, resulting in his pumping much more blood and oxygen into the blood stream than other horses. His record tells the story of what that meant. He ran at a murderous pace in the Belmont and just kept going as if it were a short sprint. he just didn't tire. Of course, oversized hearts also lead to premature death too, so it's not always a good thing.

[Valuist]

It seemed to have been a great angle with the lesser regarded Euros. You'd see one or two chalky highly regarded Euros get beat by one of the lesser regarded Euros and find out after the race that the horse couldn't perform at its best in Europe because it bled. I don't believe I've ever seen a European past performance that said a horse bled in a race.

[cj]

I definitely prefer any Euro shipper that is getting Lasix over those that aren't. I don't recall too many not getting Lasix recently though. The trainers have caught on.

[raybo]

I definitely prefer any Euro shipper that is getting Lasix over those that aren't. I don't recall too many not getting Lasix recently though. The trainers have caught on.

Agree, most horses running in the states are runnig with Lasix. I know there are negatives to it, but it sure makes sense to me, and if were a trainer I would probably be giving my horses Lasix every chance I got.

[JustRalph]

my databases show a marked improvement 1st lasix

[Irish Boy]

It seemed to have been a great angle with the lesser regarded Euros. You'd see one or two chalky highly regarded Euros get beat by one of the lesser regarded Euros and find out after the race that the horse couldn't perform at its best in Europe because it bled. I don't believe I've ever seen a European past performance that said a horse bled in a race.
This is my wonder with Magician.

[Valuist]

This is my wonder with Magician.

It could be. I know there's been some shocking results in the BC and Arlington Million with "secondary" Euros. Tolomeo, Dangerous Midge, Palace Music, Teleprompter, Domedriver and Arcangues all come to mind. You have to think when a top line Euro comes over, its strictly based on their form. When a secondary Euro that appears lesser than their peers comes over, you have to wonder if its been due to bleeding in Europe.