Drugs a Key Topic at Santa Anita Horse Meeting

A major issue in horse racing in recent years has been the use of drugs in the sport. Arcadia Patch , focusing on Lasix, a race-day mediation that keeps horses from bleeding internally when they exert themselves.

The California Horse Racing Board, which governs the sport in the state, realizes the drug issue is important and recently formed a medication and track safety committee. Bo Derek, a CHRB commissioner, was appointed chairman of the offshoot committee.

Yes, that Bo Derek,  the actress best known for staring in the movie “10.”

Derek conducted a special meeting at Wednesday at , and a key topic was discussed was the use of the drug clenbuterol in thoroughbreds. Trainer John Shirreffs, a member of the committee’s advisory board, said he believes the drug, which theoretically is supposed to be used to relieve breathing problems, should be banned because it is being abused as a builder of muscle mass.

Shirreffs complained it is too difficult to control the administered doses of the drug. “It is unfair to the horses,” he said.

Rick Arthur, the CHRB’s equine medical director of the board, said a study he did with Scott Stanley, associate professor of veterinary medicine at UC Davis, showed that 58 percent of thoroughbreds were found to have clenbuterol in their system.

Craig Shoemaker, a veterinarian who works for the company that he claims manufactures the only FDA-approved form of clenbuterol, asked that his company’s product not be grouped with versions of the drug not approved by the FDA.

Derek, as chair of the medication and track safety committee, recommended that further discussion of banning clenbuterol be put the agenda for the next CHRB meeting April 26 at Hollywood Park.

The CHRB has already agreed to suspend the use of clenbuterol for quarter horses for one year, beginning last Oct. 14. Another issue that will be passed on to the CHRB will be the banning of zilpaterol and ractopamine, two drugs grouped with clenbuterol but, according to Arthur, used strictly for weight gain among livestock prior to slaughter. Arthur said there is no evidence of use of zilpaterol and ractopamine in thoroughbreds but believes banning these drugs would be an effective tool used to prosecute anyone who used them in thoroughbred racing.

The committee also discussed the Racing Commissioners International recommended model for having independent veterinarians administer Lasix rather than trainers’ vets. There will be further discussion of this issue at the next CHRB meeting.

Veterinarian Sue Stover of UC Davis made a slide presentation on a trainers education module designed to educate trainers about how and why racing and training injuries occur.

Kirk Breed, executive of director of the CHRB, is another member of the committee along with new CHRB commissioner Chuck Winner. Besides Sherriffs, the two other members of the committee’s advisory board are Lou Raffetto, executive director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California and Santa Anita steward Scott Chaney.