Repole shuns Breeders Cup

[sighthound]

>> Whether its a speed work or a race what is the difference? I still do not >> understand the reasoning for banning lasix on race day when you can still >> use it to work a horse. How does that help a horse?

I agree with you.  Horses bleed at speed, and lasix helps prevent that, be it morning or afternoon. I see no reason to ban it.  Yes, if owners permit trainers to use it in the morning, but posture about not using it in the afternoon, they are hypocritical.  The horse is the one that pays, however.

[Flighted Iron]

Magic,

 Equivalence would be no one uses or any one can use. I like raceday Lasix.
You mentioned disappointment. How\'s this? Sorry owner X but your horse had a nosebleed during the race and there were no bandaids.Now for the really bad news owner X. Unfortunately your horse kept running,stumbled inexcusably and broke down.

I like agree to disagree.

Flighted

[magicnight]

Flighted, I was disputing your assertion that there was little difference between Europe and the US when it came to the use of lasix. If you want to change the subject as to whether or not using lasix is a good idea, that\'s fine, but I\'ll pass.

[sighthound]

Just like to point out that EIPH is no simple \"nosebleed\" - it\'s suffocation by bleeding directly into the air sacs of the lungs, and that occurs even before it\'s severe enough to be seen on a scope or at the nose. Horses with EIPH stop or can go down in a race (there are rare instances of sudden death due to EIPH), and the threat to the jockey, the EIPH horse and other horses/riders in the race is as real as a musculoskeletal breakdown during a race.

[sighthound]

I found this excellent professional television documentary the other day, \"Inside Nature\'s Giants - The Racehorse\".  Warning, they show dissection of a race horse examining legs, heart, lungs.

Sorry, no handicapping info here, going off-board-topic, but maybe a better understanding of the subject at hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsvS6gEBJuE

[magicnight]

Sight, that powerpoint presentation I referenced for the percentage of lasix use in Ireland did show statistics for deaths by \"burst blood vessel\" (which I\'m presuming is that sudden death from EIPH you noted). From 2006 to 2010 they showed one such death in flat racing (out of about 60,000 starters over the five years), but a much higher incidence in jump racing (about 4 or 5 deaths per year from about 20,000 starts each year). Combining flat and jump racing, these deaths amounted to about 4 to 5 percent of all Irish racetrack fatalities over those five years.

[Flighted Iron]

Sight,

 At one time i wasn\'t aware of the seriousness of bleeding. When i finally understood how serious it was it was a product of my own reflecting on being under the gun and going full tilt, never going to quit, and then imagining my
lungs filling with blood. I wonder how i would have reacted and wonder how i would react now. The poem was from inspired by the unwavering intense effort given by 2 horses that suffered the \"nosebleed\". Thanks again Sight. I watched half of the video,however I\'m planning on rewatching when my head is extremely clear. From what i did watch i was engrossed and it\'s probably something i\'ll
watch and re-watch.  

Thanks,
  Flighted

[sighthound]

I loved your poem.  You write great poems about the Thoroughbred mind.  You know them.