@Pronzini since you’re figuratively boots on the ground at Santa Anita. Any word/feeling if turf sprints down the hill will return or is the down the hill gone for good?
Thanks for your view and perspective on yesterday’s racing. Glad to hear that there was good support and turnout which I am sure helped boost emotions. It’s got to have been hard the last few months.
I can’t imagine that they will be gone for good. It is something that makes Santa Anita unique and there have been true specialists on that course including Cambiocorsa and Mizdirection. Going 6 and a half down the hill is Santa Anita.
But I can’t fault anyone for being cautious. Have you noticed how many pull ups there have been? It’s almost as if after they bobble out of the gate, the jocks stop riding and then the horses walk off.
The other thing I have noticed are the number of California shippers out of town. Stakes have always been a goal but California trainers are shipping cross country for allowance races. D’Amato, Sadler, and Pete Miller are all running at Keeneland this week and Ron Ellis won an allowance race there yesterday. While the purses are generous, shipping 2000 miles for an allowance race never used to be a thing before this year.
One good day does not a season make and every one is holding their breath.
Glad to hear they aren’t doing away with the downhill course for good yet. My guy was a turf sprinter in NY, and one of his foes made it into the BC Turf Sprint a couple of times, so began to pay particular attention to that course since. It looks challenging going downhill, and then the flip from the straightaway to the turn really intriguing. So hope they figure it out at Santa Anita - one day would love to go IRL.
Squeeze the rein for the new lead.
Real facts? How can you deny any of my post on page 18. I understand you are directly involved in the racing industry and make a living off of it Laurie; but the fact that those within the industry continue to deny, deny, deny is why the racing industry continues to dig itself a hole. When people within the industry start doing right by the horse in the long-run; only then will the industry make a turn for the better.
Here are some real facts for you:
Bisphosphonates are a known problem, a large problem. Nothing like some steroids to get everything ready for those sales every year and mask any soundness problems that pop up in the early years… Even Dr Larry Bramlage has some words for the widespread use of the drugs in youngsters. Bisphosphonates did not become popular in the TB industry for its effect on bone and what its original intended use was supposed to be. They became popular and used widely in racing because of the analgesic affect the drugs had on the horse. Long lasting pain relief that can last around 30 days before they have to re-administer. Bisphosphates are difficult to test for, that is well known, which makes it extremely difficult to determine if a horse has been administered it and when (even though the drug is long lasting in the body).
Read any label for Bisphos use in horses and it states it should not be used in horses under the age of 5. Bramlage has openly discussed this topic and stated that 50% of the labeling on this product is explanations as to why it should never be used on young horses with developing bone but the company will gladly sell you product for use in your young stock. Consider the label the legal paperwork to rid the company of killing of maiming your million dollar animal because you decided to ignore the label and take the cheap way to mask pain instead of address it.
Bisphosphonates dramatically increases healing time in both human and animal patients. Its job is to kill off osteoclasts which basically dictate bone repair in injuries. When it kills off Osteoclasts; it slows Osteoporosis in humans. But with injuries and cases were bone needs to heal; it eliminates osteoclasts from helping to repair bone increasing the healing time exponentially
In terms of young racehorses; bone is constantly healing and repairing itself as a result of stress on the body from racing and training. When you use Bisphosphonates to mask pain while continuing to train and/or race; you are essentially poisoning these young horses and eliminating their body’s natural ability to repair and build bone on an everyday bases. Thus weakening their bone structure.
So there is some facts for you.
Jocks would disagree. 
Body position plays a role + steering – hand position plays a huge role. Changing hold gets a lead swap + there are low hands, pushing hands – long hold on reins vs short hold – always changing. All works together to try and achieve needed result while negotiating race path. Plus racehorses are trained to be in tune to these aids that are often invisible to laymen – racehorses are listening to their jock, even to the most subtle of cues.
@Pronzini thanks for your thoughts.
Yeah, I caught a few of the races at Keeneland this last weekend and saw So Cal trainers but sometimes hard to tell if they’re shipping because of the better races at Keeneland or if they’re just a bit on the twitchy side (I sure would be). Didn’t catch that Ron Ellis shipped (the others might have made sense but Ron’s usually a SA, Los Al training with an occasional shipper to GGF it seems).
Got to hand it to Baffert for going out on a limb and putting 2 into the SA Derby (wonder if he had any ‘incentives’ vs shipping other than a more than likely chance at a win and KD points).
I have noticed this last weekend that many of the stakes races had smaller fields that I would have thought.
If I was a jock, I’d be on the twitchy side as well. I wouldn’t want to be the one caught with egg on my face in persisting on a horse that ended up breaking down.
Hoping SA can get past the “normal interval” between breakdowns and stop the curse that seems likes it’s been hanging over the track.
Glad to hear that you thing the hillside course will be back. I’ve always loved watching horses run on it but will admit I do hold my breath when they get to the dirt crossing. I’ve seen a few try a small jump or a hop when they get to that first transition. I did hold my breath at the start of the 1 1/16th (I think it was) turf race this weekend that had the gate on the dirt just off the turf… fortunately they all made it home.
Support that statement with facts. Who is using them? Real information please. Those of use who are actually involved in racing don’t know anyone who uses them since most horses in racing are 4 or under and it’s not approved for those horses. I rub elbows with some sales folk and breeders including being casually acquainted with some pretty large outfits in KY, and no one feels that biophosphates are being used.
Feel free, my fellow posters who may have different real information from me, to jump in and make me wrong.
From PReport article: [I]The issues Bramlage is seeing are in horses that have been given bisphosphonates outside manufacturer guidelines. The guidelines state the drugs should not be administered to horses under the age of five.
“If you’re interested in using them, you should go to the manufacturer’s website because more than 50 percent of the package insert is telling you why you shouldn’t use them in young horses,” he said. “However, they’re perfectly willing to sell them to you for use in young horses. All of those disclaimers are meant to put the blame for anything bad that happens to your young training horse on you and not the company.”[/I]
[I]Bisphosphonates became a concern for racing regulators in 2015 when the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council announced its intent to study the drugs after receiving information some managers and trainers could be using it for its analgesic effect.
In England, the British Horseracing Authority issued a mandatory 30-day stand-down period for horses receiving bisphosphonates and prohibits their use in horses less than 3 1/2 years of age.
Unfortunately, the drug is difficult to test for and Bramlage worries the temptation of general analgesia can prove too much for some horsemen.
“Routine use of it I think is accelerating on the racetrack based on the number of horses we see that don’t follow the normal healing pattern,” he said. [/I]
So…somebody is using it. But maybe in the year since the article was written, use has curtailed.
Did you mean to imply that steroids and bisphosphonates are the same thing? I couldn’t figure out if you meant to or if you meant to mention steroids just that one time.
I am also confused by these comments, as well as others that people are making in response to articles that link bisphosphonates and steroids.
Allegations of bisphosphonates being used inappropriately in very young horses going through auctions are centered around x-rays. The allegation is that giving a yearling or two year old bisphosphonate s off label can improve the appearance of a youngsters x-rays. But later on… once the horse is in training… unforeseen complications come up as the horse’s bone does not deal with the stress of training and remodel in the same way it would if the horse hadn’t been given bisphosphonate at such a young age.
The allegations with respect to the analgesic effect of bisphosphonates administered to horses already in training are more vague. However, there was a study done related to using them off label in young racehorses in training who were under 4, and who had bucked shins. I believe that was back in 2015 or 2016? Gottalook it up. Following the very small study… I believe some sort of guidance went out concerning the fact that this was NOT an appropriate or effective use of these medications.
It seems from an outsiders perspective that the off label use of bisphosphonates, whatever it was, was already in decline well in advance of the breakdowns at Sa ra Anita this year. However… it is unknown to what extent they were administered to yearlings who went through sales at a prior time, and what long term impact that might have had upon a horse’s soundness. It’s not as simple as testing for the presence of the meds within 100 days of afministration. It’s also an issue of a horse’s bones being compromised to a certain degree for an unknown amount of moths or years into the future, thus rendering the horse more vulnerable to catastrophic breakdown.
Here is an article from way back in 2013 related to early use of Tildren off label in racehorses with bucked shins.
https://thehorse.com/115012/tiludronate-shock-wave-to-treat-bucked-shins/
I’m glad someone thinks I make a living with my racehorses. My accountant certainly doesn’t. :lol:
I was going to copy and paste your earlier post and point out the fallacies I was referring to, but we had a long awaited foal by Runhappy last night and I am in much too good a mood to bother. So cheers!
Congratulations! LOVED that horse.
Filly or colt? Dam?
(sorry for brief off-topic)
CONGRATS on the foal.
Filly or colt? Remember the rule… it didn’t happen without photos! After my earlier questions (much earlier) I’d love to see what he/she looks like once it gets a bit unfolded.
I am thrilled for you!
Congratulations LaurieB!
Thanks so much guys! We are thrilled to have her. The dam is stakes placed homebred All Aces (by Lemon Drop Kid). We bred her to Quality Road for last year and didn’t get a foal so we are delighted with this nice healthy filly this year. All Aces is half-sister to G2 winner Stanley Park and SW, GSP Turf Melody. Also half-sister to the dams of G2 winner, multi G1-placed Paid Up Subscriber and G3 winner Top Kisser.
I don’t know how to put pics here, but this is a link to a FB pic from this morning. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2151105118310830&set=a.116507338437295&type=3&theater
Oh Laurie she’s adorable!
She’s a Mini-Me of her dam, which suits me just fine. :yes:
That’s great! Your mares make pretty babies, judging by the ones I’ve seen. I’m so happy for you.
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