by Ray Paulick as published on The Paulick Report
The future of horse racing will be in jeopardy if Congress doesn’t pass the Horseracing Integrity Act.
The future of horse racing will be in jeopardy if Congress does pass the Horseracing Integrity Act.
Those were the mixed messages heard by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce on Tuesday during a hearing in Washington, D.C., entitled “Legislation to Promote the Health and Safety of Racehorses.”
At one extreme was former Maryland Jockey Club racetrack owner Joe De Francis, now chairman of the National Horseracing Advisory Council of the Humane Society of the United States. De Francis described racing’s credibility problems on equine safety and integrity issues as “a growing tsunami … about to crest and destroy us.”
At the other extreme was Dennis Drazin, CEO of Monmouth Park in New Jersey, home district of Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone Jr. “If you ban Lasix,” Drazin told Pallone and other Members, “my track, Monmouth Park, probably won’t survive.”
A ban on the race-day use of the diuretic Lasix is the most controversial component of the Horseracing Integrity Act, which would establish an independent, non-governmental organization under the umbrella of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to regulate medication policy in horse racing. But the race-day ban of that drug is not the only reason the bill was opposed by some of the witnesses who testified against the bill.
Drazin, who led the fight that eventually saw the Supreme Court strike down a federal ban on sports betting, predicted that – if passed into law – the legislation would be challenged as unconstitutional…(CONTINUED)
Categories: Horse News, Horse Slaughter, Uncategorized
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
It’s worth considering why racehorses are not faster now than in the past, despite all the added drugs. Secretariat’s track record Belmont win is still holding, for just one example. When other records fall they are by fractions of a second, generally. So if racing depends on use of enhancers, where are the enhanced performances? All that seems on the rise in the USA are fatal injuries, even when overall numbers of horses racing are declining.
Training Methods, Genetics Key to Lasix Issue?
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/oliver-training-methods-genetics-key-to-lasix-issue/
‘Lasix is a performance enhancer’
https://www.paulickreport.com/news/ray-s-paddock/phipps-janney-lasix-is-a-performance-enhancer/
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Lots of people commented on this article – I think mine was the only one that questioned the starting age of colts/fillies! But there were several really interesting comments.
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I did some reading and read that “racing analysts have concerns about use of Furosemide in racing because of the potential of masking other prohibited substances”. (I read this on Racing.com). I read a lot – pros & cons – but in my opinion the only pros come from the humans that benefit in making money racing the animals (because in my opinion if it came from a vet they are lining their pockets to be ok with it). There are a lot of opinions and so-called concerns for the welfare of the horses – and that is why they want to administer this drug. But, in my opinion, bottom line, this drug is used in horses for the training and race day due to the animal exerting itself in running. Therefore, they are forced to run hard, with the added weight of a human on them, which is not natural. No I am not a vet or scientist; just using common sense. I don’t like horse racing, dog racing, or any kind of so-called entertainment using animals to line the pockets of greedy humans. The animals always suffer – the humans disgust me. It is obvious that horse racing only exist for humans to make money and the “welfare of the animal” is defined by forcing drugs into their bodies.
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If someone would do an undercover study on what really goes on with the horses who race, you would find Drugs, Abuse, horrible Abuse all for the almighty Buck. It deserves your attention Congress and stopping and closing down the Race Tracks, any sport that uses animals is abusive and will always be Horrible abuse. Stop the Racing, Stop the Breeding, that is the only way the Abuse will stop!!!
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