Hell Freezes Over - Jockey Club Supports Drug Free Racing

[Patuxet]

Ogden Mills Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club, Monday came out strongly in favor of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) initiative to formulate a plan that would eliminate the use of medication in horses competing in races.

Phipps noted that medication policies in the U.S. stand in increasingly stark contrast with the rest of the world, as international racing authorities continue to phase medication out of their racing programs. "There is a growing and correct perception that horses in this country are over-medicated. The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Safety Committee encourage the member organizations of the RCI to work with ... other industry stakeholders to immediately develop a strategic plan and set a timeline for the development of rules and penalties to transition the U.S. to medication-free racing," Phipps said.

"We have often voiced concern, and we sincerely believe that the overuse of medication endangers our human and equine athletes, threatens the integrity of our sport and erodes consumer confidence in our game. Horses should compete only when they are free from the influence of medication," Phipps said.

[Aug27]

I'm a bit confused by the thread title, as the New York aristocracy (Phipps family and others) were never in favor of drug use. New York was the last major racing jurisdiction to allow the use of Lasix, as I recall.

I applaud this stand; long overdue IMO.

[bdw0617]

do he phipps horses run drug free?

[Aug27]

I doubt it.
But, condoning a practice if not the same as supporting one.

I know they held out as long as they thought was wise, but – from the position of having to compete to survive – the gave in, back in the 70s or 80s.

It’s kind of like the Big Ten starting to recruit speed , rather than power, in order to (they hope) be able to compete more successfully with the SEC and Pac-10. Either do it to survive, or be passed by.
That’s the way I view the use of race day drugs by the upper echelon of NY owners: the Saratoga crowd.

[Shammy Davis]

If you have not read Jim Squires' HEADLESS HORSEMEN, you need to go out and get a copy. This book really takes the industry, particularly Dinny Phipps, Will Farish, and the JC, to task on their "see no evil" mentality when it comes to steroids and other track medications.

If I had been Dinny and read how I was portrayed by Squires' in this book I'd definitely be looking for a way to upgrade my image. Maybe his "hell freeze" gesture is it. Squires is a great writer and every page has a chuckle or two.

[cng]

Uh Oh! Bad news for needle trainers, vets and pharmicological wizards. Without lasix to mask their other drugs they might have to start training. Look for horses to last longer and run more often if this does happen (but I'm not holding my breath).

[Patuxet]

Aug27 wrote: "I'm a bit confused by the thread title..."

Sorry to confuse you. It seems we have differing perceptions of the Jockey Club. I tend to view it as an old boys club, the bailiwick of vested interests and the status quo, not a forward looking organization. I was frankly surprised to see it take a decisively proactive position on this issue. Who knows, I may live to see it relinquish some its sovereignty for the good of the sport cum industry.

[bdw0617]

I am starting to believe this might actually happen. I think the dynamic of overseas racing, the money to be made, is just too hard to ignore anymore. That and the fact that horses are not performing at the level that they did 2-3 decades ago

[Shammy Davis]

As more U. S. racehorses travel overseas for the big races, the JC might be quietly getting pressure to conform to international norms. There was a time when the American JC was pre-eminent and could throw its weight around, but with the stakes being raised around the world, that is no longer the case.

[Patuxet]

Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and
Breeders issued a statement Tuesday supporting the recommendation of the Racing Commissioners International to eliminate race-day medication.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association=s Board of Directors met in Lexington, Kentucky, Tuesday to discuss the possibility of phasing out race-day medications within five years.

The times they are a-changin'!

[oleos93]

Breeders/Owners and trainers should not have to wait for anyone else to disapprove drug use. I for one will NOT allow any drug into my horses, for racing, not because an association say so, but because of my own beliefs. If owners and trainers started now and just stopped the cycle and stopped doing it because Joe Blow next door does it and it seems to be apart of the industry, then we can be done with it. WAY to many horsemen and woman do this because they feel they have to because it has become such a huge part of the industry.....what ever happened to being an individual? I think most use drugs in their animals and don't even know the reason for it, they just do it because they are followers.

I should add, not just in racing but any discipline.

[spex4me]

And then you have this:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/62444/trainers-do-not-ban-anti-bleeder-medications

because God knows all the other horses around the world are suffering so badly because they get no lasix.
This is going to have to be zero tolerance in order to hold water.

[Bast]

I doubt it.
But, condoning a practice if not the same as supporting one.

I know they held out as long as they thought was wise, but – from the position of having to compete to survive – the gave in, back in the 70s or 80s.

It’s kind of like the Big Ten starting to recruit speed , rather than power, in order to (they hope) be able to compete more successfully with the SEC and Pac-10. Either do it to survive, or be passed by.
That’s the way I view the use of race day drugs by the upper echelon of NY owners: the Saratoga crowd.

They gave in in the 1990s. Holy Bull won the Travers and Woodward without pharmaceuticals.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I realize this is a Thoroughbred forum, but do quarter horses and Standardbred racers have the same drug problems in their sport?

[Aug27]

Thank you for the correction, Bast. You are correct. (My memory ain't what it used to be; I should have confirmed the year with some research).

Here's a short article I found via Google:

NYRA shows horse sense with rule changes
Publication:The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
Publish date:June 18, 1995

Several steps were taken recently to bring New York racing into the modern era, the most important of which is the legalization of the diuretic furosemide, known by the trade name Lasix, which helps control pulmonary bleeding in racehorses.

The New York State Racing and Wagering Board agreed unanimously to publish a draft rule that will allow horses to race on Lasix as of Sept. 1, opening day of the Belmont Park fall meeting. The rule will be well in place and fully tested by the time Belmont hosts the Breeders' Cup, America's $10 million day at the races, Oct. 28. New York was the last major racing state to have a ban on Lasix.