20 of the leading tracks announce plans to phase out race-day meds

[clicknow]

Originally Posted by AndyC

If there is a rampant drug safety problem what exactly is this committee influencing?

It's probably like their post-mortem database or equine injury database.

"Working with key industry stakeholders, The Jockey Club is committed to assisting in the development of the post-mortem database. "

They don't consider bettors, who fuel the industry with their wagering, to be "key industry stakeholders" is only thing I can figure?

If you try to find the equine injury database: "Information contained in the Equine Injury Database that is not provided on this website is not available to the public. By agreement with the tracks, injury information is provided by the participating racetracks on a confidential basis..."

What is provided on the website is only a 2 line chart, listing the year, and 1 statistical number representing the rate per thousands for each year.

There is no way to do further research or drill down to anything.

I'm sure they are discussing some important things, and making some progress on them, but without access to information there is no way for anyone to track that progress, hold feet to fire, etc.

There is no way for people who are "outsiders" to address the drug safety problem, because you can't track the progress of any of the initiatives like you could a bill going thru Congress with a legislative history......

I assume that this all comes under the "lack of transparency" heading that horseplayers complain about. Like if you're buying a horse to race you may have access to veterinary records. If you're betting the horse in it's next race, you are left in the dark. You are not considered an "investor" in any way shape or form. This is one of the things that is pointed out about HK racing which people like. You do have access to these reports. And, IMHO, you should. Your wager represents an investment.

[bob60566]

Everybody's favourite statement in this industry.

"Working with key industry stakeholders. lol

[statepierback]

Its progress and long overdue!

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by clicknow

It's probably like their post-mortem database or equine injury database.

"Working with key industry stakeholders, The Jockey Club is committed to assisting in the development of the post-mortem database. "

They don't consider bettors, who fuel the industry with their wagering, to be "key industry stakeholders" is only thing I can figure?

If you try to find the equine injury database: "Information contained in the Equine Injury Database that is not provided on this website is not available to the public. By agreement with the tracks, injury information is provided by the participating racetracks on a confidential basis..."

What is provided on the website is only a 2 line chart, listing the year, and 1 statistical number representing the rate per thousands for each year.

There is no way to do further research or drill down to anything.

I'm sure they are discussing some important things, and making some progress on them, but without access to information there is no way for anyone to track that progress, hold feet to fire, etc.

There is no way for people who are "outsiders" to address the drug safety problem, because you can't track the progress of any of the initiatives like you could a bill going thru Congress with a legislative history......

I assume that this all comes under the "lack of transparency" heading that horseplayers complain about. Like if you're buying a horse to race you may have access to veterinary records. If you're betting the horse in it's next race, you are left in the dark. You are not considered an "investor" in any way shape or form. This is one of the things that is pointed out about HK racing which people like. You do have access to these reports. And, IMHO, you should. Your wager represents an investment.

I agree that the database is generally useless.

But get over the stakeholder thing. Stakeholders are those with financial investments in the sport, in this case the tracks. Buy yourself a track, or even a horse, if you feel so left out. I have an Apple phone but that doesn’t make me an Apple stakeholder.

[Hambletonian]

Here's a crazy idea for everyone's perusal.

How about fining and/or suspending the trainer if a horse does not finish the race?

Every bettor should be able to expect that all entrants are physically able to complete the race barring unforeseen circumstances. So if a horse does not finish the race due to injury, they basically have been defrauded as to the health of the horse.

Exemptions would be made for horses that clip heels, or are brought down, and trainers would have the option to appeal if a necropsy proves the horse in question did not have any pre-existing injuries.

Considering all the solutions being bandied about, I imagine this one could be the easiest to implement and quickly result in a reduction of crippled animals being prepped primarily to pass the vet and make it to the starting gate.

What I would also love to see is a health passport for every registered thoroughbred. It would start with a full exam including xrays of all limbs prior to a horse's first start, and it would have to be repeated periodically so that a horse would have to be cleared before being allowed to participate in races. In addition, the passport would be updated every time the horse suffers an injury requiring treatment. And the information would be available to the public. If that means the end to claiming races, so be it, that alone would be a step in the right direction.

We cannot make racing 100% safe, but we can make the safety of equines and jockeys of paramount importance.

[highnote]

There is one good way to get drugs out of racing -- stop wagering on races at tracks where race day drugs are allowed and tell everyone you know who bets at those tracks to stop, too. That's what I have done.

I stopped wagering altogether for a couple of years until I started wagering on HK races. Full fields every race. You don't have to try to handicap which trainers are giving their horses drugs. They race two days per week and have a 6-8 week break in July-August. It is downright civil. I won't be betting for those 6-8 weeks. Saratoga would be fun to bet. It's a great track with a great tradition, but as long as drugs are allowed I won't bet the races there.

I seriously suggest you stop wagering for 30 days -- for your own mental health.

Personally, I feel that if you can't stop wagering on horse races for 30 days then you might be a compulsive gambler. ANYONE should be able to stop wagering for 30 days. If you can't, then you probably have a gambling problem.

It's the same with booze. If you can't go 30 days without alcohol you're probably an alcoholic.

I got this idea from a psychiatrist who wrote about trading futures. The first thing he said is that you MUST stop trading futures for 30 days. If you can't stop then you are a gambler, not an investor.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by highnote

There is one good way to get drugs out of racing -- stop wagering on races at tracks where race day drugs are allowed and tell everyone you know who bets at those tracks to stop, too. That's what I have done.

I stopped wagering altogether for a couple of years until I started wagering on HK races. Full fields every race. You don't have to try to handicap which trainers are giving their horses drugs. They race two days per week and have a 6-8 week break in July-August. It is downright civil. I won't be betting for those 6-8 weeks. Saratoga would be fun to bet. It's a great track with a great tradition, but as long as drugs are allowed I won't bet the races there.

I seriously suggest you stop wagering for 30 days -- for your own mental health.

Personally, I feel that if you can't stop wagering on horse races for 30 days then you might be a compulsive gambler. ANYONE should be able to stop wagering for 30 days. If you can't, then you probably have a gambling problem.

It's the same with booze. If you can't go 30 days without alcohol you're probably an alcoholic.

I got this idea from a psychiatrist who wrote about trading futures. The first thing he said is that you MUST stop trading futures for 30 days. If you can't stop then you are a gambler, not an investor.

All that over Lasix? Really?

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

All that over Lasix? Really?

How about dead horses at SA?

Not to mention 5 and 6 horse fields. No thanks, but you go ahead and have fun betting those.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by highnote

How about dead horses at SA?

Not to mention 5 and 6 horse fields. No thanks, but you go ahead and have fun betting those.

You said to stop betting tracks that allow race day meds. There’s only one race day me - Lasix.

On-track fatalities, large fields, those are better reasons. What is their fatality rate?

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

There’s only one race day me - Lasix.

Banamine is another one allowed. There are others.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...debate-goes-on

The Kentucky policy, which allows use of multiple therapeutic drugs on race day...

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by highnote

Banamine is another one allowed. There are others.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...debate-goes-on

The Kentucky policy, which allows use of multiple therapeutic drugs on race day...

Congrats for giving us an article from 17 years ago.

Lasix is the only drug currently allowed to be administered on race day.

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

Congrats for giving us an article from 17 years ago.

Lasix is the only drug currently allowed to be administered on race day.

It's not the age of the article it's the point the article is making.

Here is a newer one:

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/201...-strong-clues/

"In California, horses are not permitted to have more than one anti-inflammatory in their system during a race."

An anti-inflammatory drug plus Lasix makes two drugs that are allowed on race day. Everyone knows Lasix can mask drugs in a horse's system and according to the article NSAIDs can also mask other drugs. I am not so naïve to believe trainers do not take advantage of the rule of allowing two masking drugs on race day so that they can mask other drugs in a horse's system.

So much for only allowing only Lasix on race day.

[Fager Fan]

Originally Posted by highnote

It's not the age of the article it's the point the article is making.

Here is a newer one:

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/201...-strong-clues/

"In California, horses are not permitted to have more than one anti-inflammatory in their system during a race."

An anti-inflammatory drug plus Lasix makes two drugs that are allowed on race day. Everyone knows Lasix can mask drugs in a horse's system and according to the article NSAIDs can also mask other drugs. I am not so naïve to believe trainers do not take advantage of the rule of allowing two masking drugs on race day so that they can mask other drugs in a horse's system.

So much for only allowing only Lasix on race day.

The anti inflammatory isn’t given on race day. Only Lasix is.

If you’re now talking of threshold limits allowed, then please do tell us what the threshold limits are in that racing utopia Hong Kong?

[bob60566]

Originally Posted by highnote

It's not the age of the article it's the point the article is making.

Here is a newer one:

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/201...-strong-clues/

"In California, horses are not permitted to have more than one anti-inflammatory in their system during a race."

An anti-inflammatory drug plus Lasix makes two drugs that are allowed on race day. Everyone knows Lasix can mask drugs in a horse's system and according to the article NSAIDs can also mask other drugs. I am not so naïve to believe trainers do not take advantage of the rule of allowing two masking drugs on race day so that they can mask other drugs in a horse's system.

So much for only allowing only Lasix on race day.

DMSO is a leg liniment....this is what masks the EPO. it's a known masking agent for a variety of drugs,

[highnote]

Originally Posted by Fager Fan

The anti inflammatory isn’t given on race day. Only Lasix is.

If you’re now talking of threshold limits allowed, then please do tell us what the threshold limits are in that racing utopia Hong Kong?

I don't know off hand what the limits are. Would you be kind enough to research it and get back to us?

A horse in the U.S. could be administered an anti-inflammatory at 11:59pm the day before a race. Technically, it would not be a race day medication, but we all know what the intent is.