Your Bones on Drugs.....

If any of you doubt the pervasive use of performance enhancing drugs in racing, look no further than the Philadelphia Inquirer's story from yesterday with the headline: N.J. racehorses fail doping test. Apparently under New Jersey's new drug testing policy, horses can be tested any time, anywhere, not just at the track before or after a race. Sure enough, when six standardbreds were randomly tested at their farm, Winner's International Farm in Chesterfield, N. J. and all six tested positive.

Yes, they were standardbreds, not thoroughbreds, but yes, they were literally standing at their farm, being administered something called EPO (erythropoietin) which can enhance oxygen consumption but also, according to the Inquirer, "lead to heart attack or stroke." Harness racing has long been populated by many unscrupulous types who pump their horses full of performance enhancing drugs but the point is, this is but the most minute tip of the iceberg.

"EPO thickens the blood by stimulating the production of red blood cells over a period of time, increasing users' strength," the article continues. "The hormone is used to treat certain types of anemia in humans and has also been used by human athletes to enhance performance."

Drug are rampant in racing and because of state-by-state laws and lack of uniform regulations, there is no incentive to discontinue their use. If you can't race a horse on certain drugs in one state, then just go to another. Which brings me to the larger picture of an industry in crisis because it is lacking a central governing body.

Arthur Hancock, III, husband of Stacy of Kentucky Equine Humane Center, has a great post on the New York Time's blog, The Rail, today about the factions that are running amok in the thoroughbred industry. He calls it a "rudderless ship" and urges the creation of a racing commissioner, to which all states and all tracks would be responsible. His dream is to abolish the "thugs and drugs" in the sport.

Of course I agree, but the cynic in me says we have been here before. After Barbaro's injury, the concept of a racing commissioner was batted around and discarded. Unless someone totally neutral (read ineffectual) is installed, I cannot believe these factions will ever agree on a candidate that doesn't put the horseplayer, horse owner, horse trainer etc. before the horse.

But one thing I do know is that steroids destroy bones. I have a good friend with lupus who must take steroids whenever she gets a flare up and the damage that the drug has done to her body, is almost as agonizing as the disease it controls. She has broken more bones simply by walking down the street than you can imagine.

Just think, an independent racing commissioner could institute random drug testing across all states for horses on and off the track with the penalty of life suspension from the sport if any horses ever tested positive.

I can dream can't I......