Drug super testing

[karlskorner]

In the DRF Stan Bernstein wrties about drug super testing and it's failings. He also mentions Epogin, which a pharmaceutical firm is announcing it is developing a "super" form of Epogin which is a blood builder and cannot be detected by any test as it is a natural substance secreted by the body. This is one of the most abused drugs in the industry. One of the tell tale signs of a horse on Epogin is short periods of top performance, say a 3 months span in the spring, then the horse has to be rested for a period to let the body back down. After a few of these periods of high performance the horse doesn't return to his top level of competion and tails off.

Finally the horse is retired as he has peaked out and the drug no longer works on him/her. It is a high cost drug used to raise a horse's red blood cell count like in long distance runners on the human side and bicycle racers. It creates a super oxygenization which extends endurance and make a horse or human do things they normally can't do. It is the drug of choice.

Karl

[andicap]

Is it really worth it to ruin a horse's career for 3 months worth of super performance? I presume they do this for horses to win stakes races and up their breeding value so longevity doesn't matter as much.

Another question: has there been any studies on how the use of drugs has affected the horse's subsequent breeding career. I don't want to mention names but I have one trainer in mind who's horses never seem to make it in the breeding shed.

[so.cal.fan]

Karl,
Thanks for the information on epogen.

"A pharmaceutical company announced that it was in the trial stages of developing a new blood enhancer, which could extend endurance by super oxygenization. This, of course, is epogen, the scourge that has caused havoc in bicycle racing in Europe and less publicized by no less prevalent-is being used in horse racing in this country."

I have no doubt this and other synthetic/designer drugs are being used extensively in So. Cal.

[karlskorner]

Andicap;

Like all other business, horse racing is about money. If you buy a 2 year old for $10/20,000. pay the trainer a minium of $20,000. a year for the next 3-4 years, you hope and pray for at least 8 wins out of the animal to break even. If he is worth his salt, you can send him to stud for $1000/$2000.00 a pop and start to see a profit. Of course I am talking claimers.

Out of the 80/90000 newborn each year, not many make it to the track and those that do, a majority show a low percentage in the win column. The pressure is on the trainer from the moment he leads his new charge off the van. Sooner or later he may have to visit the local pharmacist.

Karl

[Tom]

Given these standards, can anyone with a good trainer database find matches in trainer histories?
How fast does this super drug take to work? That just might explain a few form reversals, a few good races, then a suspicious drop, a claim, and nothing left to run with by that time.
Very interesting topic.

Tom