I have been a casual racing fan for about 5 years. Given a lot of talk about drugs I decided to do some research.
And from this I found it is perfectly legal to use steroids in horse racing? Read dutrows quote below big brown gets it twice a month.
Never in my mind did I think it would be legal to run a horse on steroids. Why are steroids legal in horse racing but no other sport.
do people realize the amount of osteoporosis that must exist in the average horse because of it.
In my opinion steroids should be banned from racing...the only permissible use that makes any sense is for geldings.
Florida ponders steroids as it faces horse racing's future
“No national regulations exist against steroid use in the horse racing industry. In fact, four steroids — Winstrol, Equipoise, Nandrolone and testosterone — are permitted for use on horses by the Association of Racing Commissioners International.”
Like many states, Florida tests for a wide variety of drugs. But not steroids.
Steroids can mask pain
Steroids are often used for medicinal purposes when a horse is sick, underweight or recovering from an injury.
But the drugs also make horses run faster and farther, and they can mask pain, so that a horse that would normally slow down or pull up if it feels injured will continue on. Sometimes, veterinarians say, that persistence could lead to catastrophic results.
Horses on steroids can be predisposed to injuries at the track, said veterinarian Michael A. Short, the equine programs manager for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "Fractures and breakdowns," Short said. "There's certainly some evidence of that.''
The drugs can cause a wide range of other problems, from liver ailments to infertility.
"Anabolic steroids are used in horses for the same reason as humans," Short said. "But they're supposed to be used for medical purposes, not to increase speed at the track. A certain contingent (of owners) will use them, and a certain won't.
Sports' drug world takes center stage with horse racing
By JERRY BOSSERT AND CHRISTIAN RED
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITERS
Saturday, April 26th 2008, 9:31 PM
Four anabolic steroids have been recommended by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium to be used for therapeutic treatment on horses - boldenone, nandrolone, stanozolol and testosterone. Testosterone would have benefits especially for a horse who has been gelded (castrated). But Maylin cautions that these four steroids are being abused.
"Absolutely, horses that don't need them are being abused," he says. "The question is whether you regulate those four or prohibit all of them. Steroids permit a horse to recover quickly. They add muscle mass and horses become more aggressive for the most part. They're not used to cheat but to keep horses in training when they shouldn't be."
Whitfield also said steroids are contributing to the frequent breakdowns of racehorses.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr., who trains Kentucky Derby favorite Big Brown, admits using the steroid stanozolol (Winstrol) on his horses.
"I give all my horses Winstrol on the 15th of every month," Dutrow says. "If they (the authorities) say I can't use it anymore I won't."
Steroids are perfectly legal in horseracing...why?
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
Don't they also give them growth enhancing agents as well?
Just curious because some of the yearlings I have seen at the high dollar sales look very mature and muscled up for babies. Well, at least compared to hay and oats yearlings that are allowed to play in the fields vs a stall to develop naturally(and good, strong bone with it).
Just curious because some of the yearlings I have seen at the high dollar sales look very mature and muscled up for babies. Well, at least compared to hay and oats yearlings that are allowed to play in the fields vs a stall to develop naturally(and good, strong bone with it).
They are legal because they are given by a licensed veterinarian as a prescribed treatment. There's always some crap thing written in the horse's chart: "dull, listless" or something, and here comes the needle out.
"When I am on my deathbed, I imagine I will say, 'Thank God I did that'" - Arthur Hancock, on buying back Gato del Sol from Europe after Exceller was killed in a slaughterhouse in Sweden.
Steriods are far more beneficial then people realize and not necessarily as detrimental as most people make them out to be. In fact studies show that humans can live several years longer and with better health when steroids are properly prescribed. Based on that steroids are not going away anytime soon in fact there use will expand as baby boomers look for the Fountain of Youth.
Also, they are still commonly prescribed as I had my first every shot a few months ago for a bad bout of the flu. The Dr. gave me a strong shot of antibiotic along with a shot of steroids. No noticable effect though I did have a strong appetite for the next 6 weeks or so and that is basically a lot of what steroids provide i.e. increased appetite which leads to more energy and ability to work out longer and recover faster just as athletes require, whether equine or human.
The boogeyman surrounding steroids is just that.... boogeyman so long as prescribed in moderation I have no problem with them. And work they do as we all saw MLB players "born again" long past their prime i.e Mark McGwire... Sammy Sosa... Barry Bonds..... Rodger Clemens etc. Yet, all are none the worse for wear. They got bigger(again, steroids incereases appetite) and they were able to train harder and recover faster as a result.
Also, they are still commonly prescribed as I had my first every shot a few months ago for a bad bout of the flu. The Dr. gave me a strong shot of antibiotic along with a shot of steroids. No noticable effect though I did have a strong appetite for the next 6 weeks or so and that is basically a lot of what steroids provide i.e. increased appetite which leads to more energy and ability to work out longer and recover faster just as athletes require, whether equine or human.
The boogeyman surrounding steroids is just that.... boogeyman so long as prescribed in moderation I have no problem with them. And work they do as we all saw MLB players "born again" long past their prime i.e Mark McGwire... Sammy Sosa... Barry Bonds..... Rodger Clemens etc. Yet, all are none the worse for wear. They got bigger(again, steroids incereases appetite) and they were able to train harder and recover faster as a result.
Steroid build muscle mass, but do nothing for the connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) that control these enhanced "engines". Uncontrolled usage contribute to widespread "soft tissue" injuries and breakdowns. Besides being unfair for the bettors and horsemen that don't use them. As an owner, do you ask/force your trainer to use them, just to level the playing feild? What about fertility? Should you administer them to fillys? Lousy.
They are prescribed too often and too early, period. They need to be regulated (as should the vets who administer them). Horse need steroids to help recover for injury? Fine. Mandatory 3 months off should accompany the usage.
They are prescribed too often and too early, period. They need to be regulated (as should the vets who administer them). Horse need steroids to help recover for injury? Fine. Mandatory 3 months off should accompany the usage.
dray33 wrote:Steroid build muscle mass, but do nothing for the connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) that control these enhanced "engines". Uncontrolled usage contribute to widespread "soft tissue" injuries and breakdowns. Besides being unfair for the bettors and horsemen that don't use them. As an owner, do you ask/force your trainer to use them, just to level the playing feild? What about fertility? Should you administer them to fillys? Lousy.
They are prescribed too often and too early, period. They need to be regulated (as should the vets who administer them). Horse need steroids to help recover for injury? Fine. Mandatory 3 months off should accompany the usage.
What should be regulated is the breeding practices.............. but that'll never happen. You breed short lived horses to short lived mares and you are asking for nothing but trouble and that is exactly what we have today in the industry.
Sorry but I gotta call Bull ^%$ on saying steroids are beneficial to sport. How is anything a natural athlete anymore? Where is the level playing field? Hell if they are so good give to the little pukes in high school that want to pop them to hit a homerun or break a tackle. Sorry if those things cannot be accomplished with a good ol' fashioned healthy lifestyle minus a syringe, then I don't want any part of them. 
Say maybe we can make Dutrow honorary Thoroughbred Racing poster child for the month?!?
Say maybe we can make Dutrow honorary Thoroughbred Racing poster child for the month?!?
trying to come up with something brillant..... this may take a while. 
steroids increase appetite
+
steroids build muscle mass
+
steroids cause osteoporosis
+
steroids do not increase tendon strength
= artificially bigger heavier horses running on frames that cannot support them
one cannot compare steoroids in baseball players to horses
the benefit in baseball players is strength.......... they do not rely on their bones and tendons for survival which long term steroids harm
physiologically baseball players and a thoroughbred do 2 very different things.
a humans legs and throughbreds are similar size in thickness. while a throughbred weights 10 times more
+
steroids build muscle mass
+
steroids cause osteoporosis
+
steroids do not increase tendon strength
= artificially bigger heavier horses running on frames that cannot support them
one cannot compare steoroids in baseball players to horses
the benefit in baseball players is strength.......... they do not rely on their bones and tendons for survival which long term steroids harm
physiologically baseball players and a thoroughbred do 2 very different things.
a humans legs and throughbreds are similar size in thickness. while a throughbred weights 10 times more
Last edited by jim10366 on Tue May 06, 2008 7:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
spex4me wrote:Sorry but I gotta call Bull ^%$ on saying steroids are beneficial to sport. How is anything a natural athlete anymore? Where is the level playing field? Hell if they are so good give to the little pukes in high school that want to pop them to hit a homerun or break a tackle. Sorry if those things cannot be accomplished with a good ol' fashioned healthy lifestyle minus a syringe, then I don't want any part of them.
Say maybe we can make Dutrow honorary Thoroughbred Racing poster child for the month?!?
That's a pollyanna way to look at things. Why do you think humans are around 25 pounds bigger and 2-3 inches taller then just 50 years ago? Nutrition is vastly better and many of the foods we consume have been enhanced with steroids of various sorts so the "steroids are terrible" etc. is more fallacy then fact.
Name one athlete who has been using steroids in recent times who looks worse for the wear? All those MLB players drug before Congress looked dang good for men in their 40s and were playing like men in their 20s. Sterods are far more beneficial to athletes then harmful and it's time to get real about there place in athletic competition.
horsenuts wrote:spex4me wrote:Sorry but I gotta call Bull ^%$ on saying steroids are beneficial to sport. How is anything a natural athlete anymore? Where is the level playing field? Hell if they are so good give to the little pukes in high school that want to pop them to hit a homerun or break a tackle. Sorry if those things cannot be accomplished with a good ol' fashioned healthy lifestyle minus a syringe, then I don't want any part of them.
Say maybe we can make Dutrow honorary Thoroughbred Racing poster child for the month?!?
That's a pollyanna way to look at things. Why do you think humans are around 25 pounds bigger and 2-3 inches taller then just 50 years ago? Nutrition is vastly better and many of the foods we consume have been enhanced with steroids of various sorts so the "steroids are terrible" etc. is more fallacy then fact.
Name one athlete who has been using steroids in recent times who looks worse for the wear? All those MLB players drug before Congress looked dang good for men in their 40s and were playing like men in their 20s. Sterods are far more beneficial to athletes then harmful and it's time to get real about there place in athletic competition.
So I guess I should change my name to Polly4me, 'cause thats how I see it. All those athletes in their 40's looked pathetic to me and I'm 33. Just because humans can't stand to grow old gracefully and wanna stick themselves or pop little blue pills thats their bag. You're born, you live and then you die. The obsession with being better,stronger, or younger looking did not originate with the horse I am sure. And while I know food is jacked up with god knows what, it's not all a bed of roses. Look at the diseases that are cropping up and leading back to unknown causes.... how about meat and dairy that is 2% animal product and 98% lab concoction. Sorry I see nothing fair or desirable with enhanced anything, be it my hamburger, my man, myself, or my horse.
Guess we'll just respectfully agree to disagree.
trying to come up with something brillant..... this may take a while.
jim10366 wrote:steroids increase appetite
+
steroids build muscle mass
+
steroids cause osteoporosis
+
steroids do not increase tendon strength
= artificially bigger heavier horses running on frames that cannot support them
one cannot compare steoroids in baseball players to horses
the benefit in baseball players is strength.......... they do not rely on their bones and tendons for survival which long term steroids harm
physiologically baseball players and a thoroughbred do 2 very different things.
a humans legs and throughbreds are similar size in thickness. while a throughbred weights 10 times more
I have seen steroids used on horses for 40 years and have not seen a single horse breakdown because of them. I have however seen increased performance by some horses when administered properly which lead to increased appetite and ability to train and recover faster. I have also seen steroids administered that had little to no benefit for some horses. If I was to make a recommendation it would be to give them in moderation much the way Dutrow described(twice monthly) and I'll venture he gives minimal doses as higher doses causes over aggression which is not what you want when dealing with TBs. Steroids have long been a tool in the horsemans tool box and are only recently being made out to be a boogeyman as the industry looks to blame something for the rash of breakdowns in recent years.(hint: check the breeding practices of the past few decades and you'll find your culprit)
There's plenty of blame to go around: Breeding practices, pushing young horses, fast breezing two year-old sales, drug use, the list is endless. I too have no problem when a horse needs steroids for "increased appetite and ability to train and recover faster". I just don't want to see those horses on a race track, competing against "clean" horses. What constitutes abuse? Eventually, some guy who administers it once a month to gain advantage goes twice a month... while the next guys goes 3x a month for a better advantage? What will it take to stop the abuse?
Use steroids all you want, for whatever ails the equine athlete. just don't run them while they "recover".
Use steroids all you want, for whatever ails the equine athlete. just don't run them while they "recover".
dray33 wrote:There's plenty of blame to go around: Breeding practices, pushing young horses, fast breezing two year-old sales, drug use, the list is endless. I too have no problem when a horse needs steroids for "increased appetite and ability to train and recover faster". I just don't want to see those horses on a race track, competing against "clean" horses. What constitutes abuse? Eventually, some guy who administers it once a month to gain advantage goes twice a month... while the next guys goes 3x a month for a better advantage? What will it take to stop the abuse?
Use steroids all you want, for whatever ails the equine athlete. just don't run them while they "recover".
There are no "clean" harses that I'm aware. Trainers that don't use steroids have other tools they prefer for appetite stimulation such as arsenic added to vitamin shots and administered IV style by their vets is a very common practice. Does that make everyone sleep better tonight? Knowing instead of steroids they use arsenic?
Again, if we cant even quantify what a "clean" horse is or should be, how can we deny the potential abuse of steroids? There ARE clean horses... I believe that (maybe I am delusional), but I believe it. My definition of clean: Running within the legal limitations imposed, and no funny stuff. As an owner, I am not quite sure what that means, so I use trainers i can trust... or think I can trust. 
horsenuts wrote:There are no "clean" harses that I'm aware.
A few years ago, I ran a horse clean at Sacramento (we ran third). When we arrived, the trainer was called to the test barn by the loudspeaker. He was busy, so I volunteered to walk over and find out what they wanted. They wanted to know what medications she was on, because the sheet was blank. I said no medications. The clerk looked surprised and said, "Runs clean?" And I said, "Yes, runs clean." The state vet was sitting in the back corner and snorted derisively, then shook her head and looked back at her paperwork. They sure didn't think my filly was clean.
"When I am on my deathbed, I imagine I will say, 'Thank God I did that'" - Arthur Hancock, on buying back Gato del Sol from Europe after Exceller was killed in a slaughterhouse in Sweden.