Why big Brown will never be a true champion

[boldie]

This is something that has been bothering me about US racing for a long time now. The horses are all doped up to the hilt...this is why I felt (other than the atrocious ground conditions) that O'Brien never should have risked George Washington in the Breeders cup...what chance do you have against horses that have been doped up all year? And are horses that run on steroids against horses that don't still true champions?

From the NY Times.

In Horse Racing, Test of Beefed-Up Champions

 
By BILL FINLEY
Published: June 2, 2008
Regulators and racing authorities are making headway in their efforts to curb the sport’s seemingly insatiable appetite for drugs, but when Big Brown and his rivals compete in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, horse racing will still be in the midst of its steroid era.

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Julie Jacobson/Associated Press
"If they tell me you can no longer use them, I’ll stop using them," said Rick Dutrow, Big Brown’s trainer

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Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The trainer Barclay Tagg says Tale of Ekati will race in the Belmont on steroids. “You don’t want to be at a disadvantage,” he said.
The Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown and at least one of his Belmont Stakes challengers will compete on anabolic steroids, as will, no doubt, dozens of other horses performing that day at Belmont Park.

Steroids are legal in 28 of the 38 states where horse racing is held, including the three states holding Triple Crown races, and their use is prevalent. Before banning the drugs in Pennsylvania, racing officials there tested 998 horses and found that 61.7 percent were positive for steroids and 17.3 percent had been treated with two steroids or more. That does not make horse racing any different from many sports, where the biggest, strongest, most focused athletes are the ones who most often succeed and earn the most money.

“They’re performance-enhancing,” said the trainer Graham Motion, who said his Belmont starter Icabad Crane was not given steroids. “Isn’t that why all the athletes use it? What do they do? They build up a horse’s muscle tissue and make the animal stronger. To me that’s performance-enhancing. It amazes me that we’re still even discussing it. They should have been banned a long time ago.”

Among the nine trainers who are planning to run horses in the Belmont, only Rick Dutrow, the trainer of Big Brown, and Barclay Tagg, who trains Tale of Ekati, said their horses would race on steroids. Dallas Stewart, the trainer of Macho Again, said he had yet to decide whether his horse would receive them. The trainers Todd Pletcher and Nick Zito would not comment on whether their horses would be on steroids.

Steroids have been part of horse racing long before they became part of the sports world’s lexicon. The Hall of Fame trainer Elliott Burch, who began his career in 1955, said he first remembered hearing of their use with thoroughbreds in the mid-60s.

Among other benefits, trainers found that steroids provided a boost for horses who were not eating well or were listless. Steroid proponents argue that drugs help with minor problems like appetite and do little to improve a horse’s performance.

“Steroids do have some benefits,” said Dr. Gregory Bennett, the veterinarian who treats Big Brown. “We’re always under pressure to keep these horses going and to try and make races. Without steroids, they’d lose some horses that can’t keep up the pace and race every three weeks or every month. You have horses, particularly fillies, who won’t eat for three, four days and they’ll start to lose weight. If used judiciously, it helps keep a horse up to the training standards we set for them.”

As far as Big Brown goes, Bennett said it was ability, not steroids like Winstrol, that had allowed him to dominate his competition and put him on the verge of becoming the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown.

“This horse has a lot of natural ability and is a standout horse,” he said. “He already has an innate ability, and the Winstrol does not alter his performance or anything like that. He’s just a good horse.”

While steroid use without a prescription has been illegal in humans in the United States, the Federal Drug Administration allows four steroids — Winstrol, Equipose, Durabolin and testosterone — to be administered to horses. According to Dutrow, Big Brown is treated once a month with Winstrol, the same anabolic steroid that the sprinter Ben Johnson tested positive for in 1988, causing him to be stripped of his gold medal in the Seoul Olympics.

Until this year, Iowa was the only state that banned steroid use in racehorses. Most other racing jurisdictions seemed to ignore the issue or, perhaps, decided steroids were not a problem. By giving his horses Winstrol, Dutrow is not breaking any rules.

“If they tell me you can no longer use them, I’ll stop using them,” Dutrow said.

With the sport constantly dealing with a number of pressing problems, including the widespread use of illegal drugs, steroid use was rarely mentioned as something the industry needed to act on.

That began to change about seven years ago, when a number of factors began to put steroids in the spotlight, including their use in Major League Baseball. The federal government also began to take a look at steroid use in all sports, horse racing among them, and certain politicians started asking probing questions. Why should horses be allowed to race on steroids? The industry did not have a compelling answer.

“It’s so interesting that in other sports anabolic steroids are not allowed, but they are in horse racing,” said Representative Edward Whitfield, a Republican from Kentucky who has repeatedly spoken out about his concerns that drug use is rampant in horse racing. “Veterinarians who I respect, who are some of the leaders in the field, say that anabolic steroids should not be given to horses when they are racing. I don’t think steroid use creates a very good image. We don’t know what the long-term effects are. Some people say it has an impact on breeding. In addition to that, a steroid being given to this obviously magnificent horse, Big Brown, cannot possibly be a good thing.”

The federal government has a potent weapon in its fight to clean up racing. It can pull the plug on the Interstate Horse Racing Act, which legalized the simulcasting of races from one racetrack to another or to off-track betting locations for the purpose of wagering. With more than 88 percent of all bets now made off track, simulcasting has become the lifeblood of the industry.

When Whitfield and other politicians began to threaten racing with changes to the Interstate Horse Racing Act if the sport did not deal with its drug issues, industry leaders began to listen.

Among the first steps was the formation of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, which was given a mandate to draw up common-sense responses to the problem.

Among the nonbinding recommendations it issued was a ban on steroids for racing purposes. Under the proposal, the drug can still be given to a horse when it is not in competition, but must be withdrawn, in some cases, as many as 45 days before a race. Otherwise, a horse will test positive for the drug.

The consortium’s proposal called on all states to have the rules in place by Jan. 1, 2009. Nine states quickly complied, issuing steroid bans before the recommended deadline.

Most of the remaining states are in the process of implementing prohibitions on steroid use. New York is among them. The New York State Racing and Wagering Board announced Thursday a proposed rule restricting steroid use. According to its chairman, Daniel D. Hogan, the proposal could go into effect early next year.

“Dutrow has been saying, and he’s right, that the three states that have the Triple Crown allow steroids,” Hogan said. “I don’t know that it necessarily makes it right. As the chairman of this board, this is a high priority for me.”

The major horse sales companies have also taken steps to curtail the use of steroids in horses sold at auction. Many horsemen have said that the biggest issue with steroids involves their use with weanlings, yearlings and 2-year-olds who go through the sales ring. A strong, strapping horse is attractive to potential buyers, and many breeders and sales agents have been known to use steroids to make their young horses as physically imposing as possible.

“Steroids have done a great deal of harm to this industry,” the Hall of Fame trainer John Nerud said. “They give them to all these young horses at the sales and they develop muscle while they don’t develop their bones. Look at these baseball players, how they have so much muscle and how many of them are always getting hurt. It’s the same thing with horses. They don’t let them develop naturally anymore. You see these yearlings come through the ring and they look like 2-year-olds. Absolutely, this is one of the reasons all these horses are getting hurt and breaking down.”

The lone holdout could be Kentucky, a state that has a reputation for having the most lenient drug rules in racing. Racing officials there have formed a committee to look into the matter and have not offered a timetable for placing restrictions on steroid use.

There has been little opposition to the calls for an end to steroid use, and even those who use the drugs seem resigned to the fact that their days are numbered.

“One of the reasons we’ll use them is because everyone else does,” Tagg said. “You don’t want to be at a disadvantage. I’d be fine with them taking them away, but they need a national rule, say, that on Jan. 1, 2009, they are prohibited everywhere.”

Big Brown could make racing history Saturday. He could become the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978 and the last Belmont Stakes winner to race on steroids. For a sport that needs not only heroes but clean competitors and pristine racing, both would be milestone events.

[Compo]

Big Brown races on drugs. Legally. Any other US trained horse is allowed to do the same in the States that allow it. FACT.

Horses in this country train on drugs and then weaned off prior to racing. This is an accepted part of the trainers art.

Are you saying that no drugs should be allowed at any time? if so then horse racing would stop in an instant.

Just my view.

[boldie]

Big Brown races on drugs. Legally. Any other US trained horse is allowed to do the same in the States that allow it. FACT.

Horses in this country train on drugs and then weaned off prior to racing. This is an accepted part of the trainers art.

Are you saying that no drugs should be allowed at any time? if so then horse racing would stop in an instant.

Just my view.

Why would horse racing stop in an instant? I have never quite grasped that part of it.

I know horses are allowed to run while on drugs in some states in the US and would never claim that Big Brown's trainer is breaking the rules...but that doesn't mean that it's the right thing to do.

[kinboshi]

Works for 100m athletes.

[Compo]

Drugs are used for various reasons. Steroids build up muscle mass, as in humans while diuretics help prevent bleeding but do dehydrate leading to other problems.

All horses bleed to some degree which leads to breathing problems as the blood seeps into the lungs. Lasix ( now called Salix) is the commonest form of drug used to combat this. however it is also used as  masking agent to make the detection of illegal drugs almost impossible. this is the dilemma that USA racing has. remember that racing in the usa takes place mainly on "dirt" tracks which are incredibly hard on horses and leads to a very high count of injuries. this is being combatted by the introduction of more "poly track" surfaces, but the majority of the racing horse population would be unable to race drug free. Horse in the in the UK are treated with Lasix but it has to out of the system come race time. It usually takes between 25-28 days to clear. If this was stopped horses would be unable to train etc etc.

It may not be right but it is a FACT of life.


As an aside the drug of choice in S. America, for horses is Arsenic. This has always been used in small doses in order to give them a shiny coat but it has reached extraordinary levels as the big boys have cast their eyes to Brazil and Chile in order to boost their bloodstock. it is also why the Southern hemisphere horses have such a huge advantage in Dubai on their first run. Allegedly....not FACT

[boldie]

Drugs are used for various reasons. Steroids build up muscle mass, as in humans while diuretics help prevent bleeding but do dehydrate leading to other problems.

All horses bleed to some degree which leads to breathing problems as the blood seeps into the lungs. Lasix ( now called Salix) is the commonest form of drug used to combat this. however it is also used as  masking agent to make the detection of illegal drugs almost impossible. this is the dilemma that USA racing has. remember that racing in the usa takes place mainly on "dirt" tracks which are incredibly hard on horses and leads to a very high count of injuries. this is being combatted by the introduction of more "poly track" surfaces, but the majority of the racing horse population would be unable to race drug free. Horse in the in the UK are treated with Lasix but it has to out of the system come race time. It usually takes between 25-28 days to clear. If this was stopped horses would be unable to train etc etc.

It may not be right but it is a FACT of life.


As an aside the drug of choice in S. America, for horses is Arsenic. This has always been used in small doses in order to give them a shiny coat but it has reached extraordinary levels as the big boys have cast their eyes to Brazil and Chile in order to boost their bloodstock. it is also why the Southern hemisphere horses have such a huge advantage in Dubai on their first run. Allegedly....not FACT

But surely there is a big difference between using medicines (drugs) as a prevention of injury or heal from an injury and doping a horse up to build muscle-mass and getting them to run faster?

[Compo]

Drugs are used for various reasons. Steroids build up muscle mass, as in humans while diuretics help prevent bleeding but do dehydrate leading to other problems.

All horses bleed to some degree which leads to breathing problems as the blood seeps into the lungs. Lasix ( now called Salix) is the commonest form of drug used to combat this. however it is also used as  masking agent to make the detection of illegal drugs almost impossible. this is the dilemma that USA racing has. remember that racing in the usa takes place mainly on "dirt" tracks which are incredibly hard on horses and leads to a very high count of injuries. this is being combatted by the introduction of more "poly track" surfaces, but the majority of the racing horse population would be unable to race drug free. Horse in the in the UK are treated with Lasix but it has to out of the system come race time. It usually takes between 25-28 days to clear. If this was stopped horses would be unable to train etc etc.

It may not be right but it is a FACT of life.


As an aside the drug of choice in S. America, for horses is Arsenic. This has always been used in small doses in order to give them a shiny coat but it has reached extraordinary levels as the big boys have cast their eyes to Brazil and Chile in order to boost their bloodstock. it is also why the Southern hemisphere horses have such a huge advantage in Dubai on their first run. Allegedly....not FACT

But surely there is a big difference between using medicines (drugs) as a prevention of injury or heal from an injury and doping a horse up to build muscle-mass and getting them to run faster?

I'm not entirely sure there is. If you could travel back in time would you kill Hitler pre 1934? morally correct but still murder.  BTW drugs cannot make horses run faster per se. It will make them train and run for longer at their optimum pace as it will dull their pain barrier. Think I might take some myself for tonight!

[boldie]

Drugs are used for various reasons. Steroids build up muscle mass, as in humans while diuretics help prevent bleeding but do dehydrate leading to other problems.

All horses bleed to some degree which leads to breathing problems as the blood seeps into the lungs. Lasix ( now called Salix) is the commonest form of drug used to combat this. however it is also used as  masking agent to make the detection of illegal drugs almost impossible. this is the dilemma that USA racing has. remember that racing in the usa takes place mainly on "dirt" tracks which are incredibly hard on horses and leads to a very high count of injuries. this is being combatted by the introduction of more "poly track" surfaces, but the majority of the racing horse population would be unable to race drug free. Horse in the in the UK are treated with Lasix but it has to out of the system come race time. It usually takes between 25-28 days to clear. If this was stopped horses would be unable to train etc etc.

It may not be right but it is a FACT of life.


As an aside the drug of choice in S. America, for horses is Arsenic. This has always been used in small doses in order to give them a shiny coat but it has reached extraordinary levels as the big boys have cast their eyes to Brazil and Chile in order to boost their bloodstock. it is also why the Southern hemisphere horses have such a huge advantage in Dubai on their first run. Allegedly....not FACT

But surely there is a big difference between using medicines (drugs) as a prevention of injury or heal from an injury and doping a horse up to build muscle-mass and getting them to run faster?

I'm not entirely sure there is. If you could travel back in time would you kill Hitler pre 1934? morally correct but still murder.  BTW drugs cannot make horses run faster per se. It will make them train and run for longer at their optimum pace as it will dull their pain barrier. Think I might take some myself for tonight!

But if steroids build muscle mass that leads to them running faster, no? Also running for longer at their optimum pace will lead to a faster time. That, in my opinion, essentially means a false race.

I have tried googling this and haven't found any reason that anyone in racing can give that says "Actually steroids should be allowed in racing"..which seems strange. it almost seems to be the case of "It has always been used".

[bobby1]

That was sad to see Boldie but I thought of this thread str8 away.

[kinboshi]

What happened - who won?

[scotty2hatty]

What happened - who won?

Big Brown pulled up in last.

33/1 shot won.

[crown]

Da Tara led all the way

Massive price winner

you could see Big Brown wasn't going to win from very early on now i doubt we will see him on a racecourse ever again

[boldie]

It was sad to see but this is what happens when a 3YO horse is asked to compete in the toughest races on the nastiest surface within a relatively short time frame.
The US Triple crown is ridiculously hard to win...not because of the competition as there isn't all that much but because of how hard it is to keep a horse fit that has to go on the dirt.



OK the horse never would have won here..but what exactly as the jockey thinking riding him 6 horses wide on the track through out the race? The standard of US racing (watch the terrible stuff on ATR in the evening sometimes) is soo far below UK racing it's frightening.

[crown]

just seen Big Brown struggle home in the Haskell- took him a long time to get on top of the longshot pacemaker Coal Play. The pundits are talking it up, but he looked a shadow of the horse that won the first 2 legs of the Triple Crown. May well have needed the run, but wouldn't frighten anything from taking him on in the Breeder's Cup on that evidence

[boldie]

just seen Big Brown struggle home in the Haskell- took him a long time to get on top of the longshot pacemaker Coal Play. The pundits are talking it up, but he looked a shadow of the horse that won the first 2 legs of the Triple Crown. May well have needed the run, but wouldn't frighten anything from taking him on in the Breeder's Cup on that evidence

The breeders cup classic surface has changed this year. It's no longer the  horrid surface that saw the end of soo many good horses but a mixture. O Brien is thinking of sending Henry over again, I don't know what to make of that as I'd hate to see anything happen to him.


p.s. In Brittain they're really cracking down on non-medicinal use of drugs in horse-racing now. Well done to the BHA for that one.