December, 2020 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Morrison: Tribute To A War Horse And A Wake-Up Call

In his first four years of racing, New York-bred Hit It Once More was a multiple stakes winner of more than $550,000. Over the last two seasons, however, the 7-year-old son of Hard Spun was winless in 16 starts, with just a second-place finish to show as he steadily dropped down the class ladder, eventually winding up in state-bred claiming competition carrying a $25,000 tag.

On Dec. 19, Hit It Once More ran his last race, his 49th, suffering a catastrophic injury in deep stretch under jockey Luis Rodriguez Castro. The Equibase chart described the incident as follows: “HIT IT ONCE MORE … got put to coaxing at the three-eighths, went six to seven wide into upper stretch, was under light handling when bobbling heavily just outside the sixteenth pole, hobbled injured through to the finish the rider paused, then continued to gallop out a sixteenth past the wire before losing the rider then jogged off to the midway point on the clubhouse turn in distress before being apprehended by the outrider and was subsequently vanned off.”

Hit It Once More was later euthanized, the 21st horse to die from a racing injury this year at New York Racing Association tracks.

Jennifer Morrison, writing for the Canadian Thoroughbred, juxtaposed the death of Hit It Once More against the “tremendous gains (that) have been made in horse welfare awareness,” adding that “it is certain that the majority of horsepeople have deep love and respect for the racehorse.”

Morrison wrote that the FBI probe and federal indictments of trainers, veterinarians and others for doping violations earlier this year “have been a huge wake-up call to the industry that has struggled with public perception.”

Nevertheless, she wrote, “sad and avoidable incidents continue.

“It begins with owners and trainers,” Morrison wrote, “but racetracks and race offices and veterinarians and jockeys must wake up.”

Horse Racing Tips Monday 28th December

Bet to win.

Newcastle 4.35 Sword Spirit – win bet.

AAEP Convention: Standing Arthroscopy Can Be Used On More Than Stifles

When traditional diagnostic tools such as X-ray and ultrasound provide no definitive diagnosis for an equine lameness, a vet may perform an arthroscopy. While this procedure typically requires putting the horse under general anesthesia, a needle arthroscopy can be done while the horse is under standing sedation, Dr. Alvaro Bonilla said at the virtual 2020 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention and Trade Show.

A safe, reliable procedure, needle arthroscopy is less risky and less costly to the owner; putting a horse under general anesthesia for surgery has its own risks, including recovery. While typically used for diagnostics, a standing arthroscopy can also be used therapeutically for septic joints and small osteochondral fragments, specifically for dorsal fragments of the first phalanx in the fetlock, Alvaro says. However, the procedure does still have limitations.

Previously, needle arthroscopy was used only in the stifle joint; Alvaro reports that now it can be used successfully to evaluate multiple synovial structures, including shoulders, fetlocks, hocks, radiocarpal and middle carpal joints, and carpal sheaths.

When using this diagnostic tool, it's important that the horse is sedated, but not overly so, which could make him unsteady and make the procedure not only difficult, but dangerous. Additionally, the surgical site must be sterile, which can be difficult as debris can fall onto the joint or the horse can urinate. Potential for both complications can be decreased by using blankets and inserting a urinary catheter.

An adjustable, lightweight splint made from stainless steel and aluminum is used during the procedure; to ensure as successful an outcome as possible, horses should be acclimated to wearing the brace before being sedated for the surgery.

The surgical area should be bandaged for four to five days following the procedure; horses that had the procedure for diagnostic reasons can go back to work as soon as the bandages are removed.

Moment of 2020: Euchen Glen

While he isn’t one of the very best horses to have raced in Great Britain during 2020, Euchen Glen (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) has to be a contender for any Horse of the Year award. The star of Jim Goldie’s Scottish stable, Euchen Glen put up one of the best handicap performances of 2018 when taking the 19-runner John Smith’s Cup H. at York by two and a quarter lengths from Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate). Thundering Blue was giving Euchen Glen 1lb that day but, while Thundering Blue returned to York to win the G2 Sky Bet York S. on his next start and then to finish third to Roaring Lion (Kitten’s Joy) and Poet’s Word (Ire) (Poet’s Voice {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. the following month before setting off on some rewarding overseas forays, Euchen Glen didn’t run again for nearly two years as he was found to have sustained a tendon injury in the race.

When Euchen Glen resumed in June this year, exactly 23 months after his John Smith’s Cup triumph, he was had a BHA rating of 107. He finished third to Red Verdon (Lemon Drop Kid) in a listed race at York that day, came home sound and has now raced nine more times. Following wins in the Old Borough Cup H. at Haydock, the G3 Cumberland Lodge S. at York and the G3 St Simon S. at Newbury, he is now rated 109 and, as an improving 7-year-old, he looks like he might be able to give his owner/breeder William Johnstone even more excitement in the years to come.

The discovery of damage to a horse’s tendon always sinks the spirits of owners and trainers. Too many horses never return to racing afterwards. Of those that do, many find that the problem reappears after only a handful of races and/or that they have lost the bulk of their previous ability. It speaks volumes for the skill of Jim Goldie not only that Euchen Glen was back racing merely two years later, but has progressed to become even better than he had been before disaster struck. It is hard to think of a horse in recent years who has made a more successful comeback from tendon trouble than the one which this very popular gelding has enjoyed in 2020.

The post Moment of 2020: Euchen Glen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post