When this past weekend’s Cotillion only drew 4 entries, the usual pre-Breeders’ Cup howl was heard among turf writers lamenting the disappearance of what used to be prime fall matchups of top 3-year-olds meeting their elders. Steven Crist in the Daily Racing Form observed:

It’s too bad that the Graded Stakes Committee has given Grade 1 status to restricted fall races such as the Cotillion……It’s just a shame that there aren’t clearer paths to championships that would bring together the sport’s best runners more than once a year.

Gary West, writing for ESPN, thought the Cotillion was missing intrigue:

Anyway, … Read More >

According to the results of a study released today,
Furosemide [Lasix/Salix], used in the United States and Canada to treat bleeding into the airways in thoroughbred racehorses, decreases the incidence of hemorrhage according to results of a recent study….

The study involved 167 horses randomly allocated to race fields of nine to 16 horses each. Each horse raced in two races, one week apart, in the same field and in races of the same distance. In the blinded study, each horse received furosemide before one race and saline solution before the other race. Horses raced under typical racing conditions. Endoscopy was … Read More >