Drugs in Horseracing
Jose Contreras
English 111
December 6, 2012
Drugs in Horseracing
The abuse of legal and illegal drugs in horseracing has come to a steady increase in the
past years reason being, more horses are being euthanized or killed in slaughter houses. The fact
is horses are being administered enhanced performance and high dosages of pain medicine, in
order for the horses to perform superior on the track. Drugs that are administered may achieve
what the horse trainers were anticipating, but race horses will undergo a shortening career which
is caused by an illness or death caused by drugs. However some medication can be beneficially
to horses during their race day. But I feel there should be an end to all drugs in horse racing
including drug enhancers and pain medication if horses fail a drug test trainers and owner should
pay a punishment.
In recent months there has been a new drug in the horse racing market, a substance forty
times more powerful than morphine and can cause serious injury or death to both the rider and
the horse. Dermorphine or “Frog Juice” comes from the back of a South American frog; it is both
a performance enhancer and pain drug. Since horses cannot feel the pain they are able to run
faster which can cause them to collapse during the race (Bogdanich and Ruiz, 2012). Another
drug that causes serious injury to a horse is the use of steroids. Horses will be administered with
steroids to bulk up muscle in order to excel in the track. Steroids cause blood disorders, liver
damage, heart attacks, strokes and weakened tendons all that can contribute for a horse to
collapse while racing (Allin, 2011). But there are countless of other drugs that are being given to
horses for one main reason: to win. With money on the line racehorse trainers and owners will do
anything possible to win and receive the fame of victory, without carrying for the animals.
In order to preserve the sport of horse racing the racing commission has to implement
punishment for those who violate the drug restrictions. There are drug test that are performed by
the states racing commission, but there is no serious punishment given to the horse trainers and
owners for horses that come out negative. Though punishment should be established and taken
into consideration in order to preserve the lives’ of innocent horses. For instance, trainers and
owners who violate drug guidelines should be suspended from racing for upwards of a year
throughout the nation regardless where violation took place. Secondly trainers should be placed
in probation. Lastly, random barn inspections and drug test to horses should be administered by a
veterinarian, for the protection of horses. In today’s racing when a race has been ran the winner
of that race goes to a test barn where the horse is tested through urine and blood, if the test is
negative the trainer can be fine. But I think there should be more to that, starting with all horses
that race should undergo a drug test. If any of the horses fails the drug test the trainer and
including the owner should have their racing licensee suspended for at least one year throughout
the nation; depending on the drug that was administered to the horse. Serious drugs violations
should face up to a year suspension, less serious drugs should face six months suspension. For
minor drug violations, for instance a horse that has an illness or suffering from inflammation in a
muscle should be placed into probation for at least one year. Horses should have the same
privilege of running naturally the same way it was done many years ago through herbs and other
tactics. Finally the commission should conduct routine inspection in the barn areas, looking for
any illegal drugs, syringes or anything that puts a horse in harm through drugs. Furthermore the
action of suspending the trainer’s license for upwards of a year is the most suitable in protecting
the animal. A horse trainer is a profession, they get paid by an owner to run and train their horses
and trainers need their license to race. Without their license trainers are no longer allowed on the
premises of the track, consequently they will not receive any income in the time given by the
suspension. So horse trainers would have to face racing the horses naturally the way The Kings
Sport was meant to be raced.
During the mid-80s a drug was created to aid in horses that bleed after a race. More than
half of all horses bleed after a race or when worked hard which is called exercise-induced
pulmonary hemorrhaging. What happens is there lungs are filled with blood, causing the blood to
exit through the nostrils. Furosemide or known as Lasix was created to stop horses from bleeding
(McDowell 2007). Though many veterinarians including trainers state that furosemide can be a
performance enhancer that helps the horse to continue racing (Wagner 1999). Since race day
Lasix is allowed in every U.S. race track I feel this drug main purpose is to aid in the horse’s
health, not to harm it.
In order to save the life of race horse from a short ending career by being euthanized or
sent to a slaughter house, illegal drugs should be banned permanently from the race track. If such
a violation occurs serious action should be found upon by the states racing commission to the
violator by suspending there trainer’s license for upwards to a year without question. Though
with time new drugs will emerge, it is up for the veterinarians to determine if the drug is a health
benefit or drug enhancer. In order for these guidelines to be taken place congress should be
forced to take action against their states racing commission. Equally importantly to preserve,
horse racing throughout the United States without harm or death to the horse.
Reference
Allin, J. (2011). Drugs in Horse Racing, The Chemical Horse. From
http://www.horsefund.org/the-chemical-horse-part-6.php
Bogdanish, W. and Ruiz. R (2012). Turning to Frogs for Illegal Aid in Horse Races.
From http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/sports/horse-racing-discovers-new-drugproblem-one-linked-to-frogs.html
McDowell, R. (2007). Coping with EIPH or exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage. From
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/health/rm-bleeders.shtml
Wagner, H. (1999). Common drugs associated with improved performance in race horses. From
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/furosa.htm