colic | Horse Racing Free Tips

Let Them Eat: Horses Undergoing Non-Abdominal Surgery May Be Better Off Eating

Much like human doctors, veterinarians often recommended that horses slated for surgery fast before undergoing anesthesia. In humans, this reduces the risk of the development of aspiration pneumonia; in horses it was thought to decrease the risk of post-operative colic. However, a study has shown that there may be no need for horses scheduled for non-abdominal surgery to refrain from eating.

A retrospective study over a two-year period used 1,965 horses older than two years old that were referred to the Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Okla., for non-emergency, non-abdominal procedures. The horses had not fasted prior to their surgeries.

Dr. Patricia Baily and her study team found that only 2.5 percent of the horses that had not been fasted became colicky. They also found no correlation between the age of the horse, the surgery performed or the duration of the anesthesia and colic risk.

The scientists conclude that allowing a horse to eat prior to undergoing general anesthesia for a non-abdominal surgery doesn't increase his colic risk. In fact, allowing the horse to eat may help him maintain gut motility, reducing the risk of post-operative colic.

‘Real Sense Of Pride’: Victim Of Love Rebounded From Colic Surgery To Win Vagrancy

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds' Victim of Love edged clear to a 2 1/4-length score in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares at Belmont Park.

Trainer Todd Beattie said it was an emotional victory after nearly losing the mare to colic following her third-place effort last summer in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga.

“I actually was a tick choked up in the interview yesterday after the race,” said Beattie. “She puts such an effort out and when she came back she was breathing hard. She just gives it to you and so many horses don't always give that effort, but she's not that way. Although that was fairly easy for her, she put in a big effort.

“She coliced last year at Saratoga after she was third in the Grade 1,” continued Beattie. “I had to go to surgery with her at Rood and Riddle and we had to nurture her back. When you nurture one back and they get all the way back there to where they left off the year before, that gives you a real sense of pride.”

The 5-year-old Speightstown mare, piloted by Joel Rosario, successfully defended her title in the 71st running of the prestigious sprint by stalking the early speed of Sadie Lady before taking command at the stretch call.

“Joel gave her a hell of a ride. You couldn't draw it up any better than that,” said Beattie. “She has tactical speed and he knew with the slow pace to go ahead and move a little earlier than you normally would. She put a good effort in.”

Victim of Love won last year's renewal off a three-month layoff and entered Saturday's title defense from a nine-week respite, garnering an 88 Beyer.

“She was fresh and the filly had really been doing good,” said Beattie. “She's been on an upswing and the time away from the game freshened her up a little bit. I had hoped to have a prep, but a race at Maryland three weeks out didn't go.”

A native of Antigo, Wisconsin, hometown of Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas and the late horseman Clyde Rice, Beattie said he prefers to live in a small town and train from his private facility at Penn National.

“We have 50 stalls, a couple Equicizers and seven paddocks,” said Beattie. “I grew up in northern Wisconsin in the same town as Wayne Lukas and Clyde Rice and we raced bush races in Wisconsin. As soon as I graduated and could get paid to do this, I came out here and went to work for Clyde.”

Beattie is arguably best known for campaigning the multiple graded stakes winner Fabulous Strike, who won five graded events for the conditioner on the NYRA circuit, including the 2007 Grade 1 Vosburgh.

The veteran conditioner said as much as he enjoys and respects winning big races in New York, he looks forward to heading home.

“When I cross that Hudson, I have a lot of respect for those guys there,” said Beattie. “You have to come with a runner. We make darn sure we're coming with something that can run some.

“I'm 100 percent country boy,” added Beattie. “I don't do real well in the city. I appreciate the fact that I ship in and then see it in the rearview mirror and I get to go home at night to my little farm in the mountains.”

Beattie said Victim of Love's win was well received by the local racing community.

“Penn National is a real big draw in the countryside. Everyone follows her closely,” said Beattie. “My phone blew up with everyone calling and congratulating me. They all feel part of it.”

Beattie's wife, Amanda, is a key member of the team and gallops many of their horses, including Victim of Love. He said he values his wife's honest assessment of their stock.

“She's a real accomplished rider and rides this filly a lot. Last year at Saratoga she did all the riding there and is a good road team person,” said Beattie. “My wife might say things that some people wouldn't say. She's an accomplished rider and it comes with a lot of wisdom. Every day you get up and work on the horses, you learn something new.

“We were both thinking she was going to lay a good one down,” he added. “We were concerned about the time off, but we felt she was going to lay it down. She's doing really good this morning, too. She ate all of her feed and looks good. I'm really happy with her.”

The accomplished Beattie owns a career record of 1,739 career wins from 8,156 starts for purse earnings of more than $27 million, but he said he prefers to keep his operation small.

“I'm a horse lover and I like working around the horses,” said Beattie. “I had times where I had a lot of horses and really didn't like it. I had 100 horses at one time and I didn't like it at all. I ended up being a business manager rather than a horse trainer. I like to train horses. I ride every day myself and I like to work among the horses. That's how I was raised.”

Boasting a record of 18-6-3-3 with purse earnings of $408,199, Victim of Love has demonstrated remarkable consistency in the female sprinter division. The well-bred 5-year-old is out of the graded-stakes winning Awesome Again mare Spacy Tracy and is a full-sister to graded stakes winner Benner Island and multiple stakes-winner High North.

“I'm sure she'll be going into their broodmare band when the time comes. They're looking for horses like her,” said Beattie.

Beattie, true to his horseman roots, said he is not quite ready to commit to a potential next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Bed O' Roses on June 4 during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

“I'd rather have her tell me how she's doing and then come up with a plan for her,” said Beattie. “They all go a little better if you're really aiming for a spot rather than having the horse to tell you that you'd better pick a spot. We'll wait for her to tell the coach to look for a spot.”

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Take Two: Mr. Buff Looking For First Graded Victory In Westchester

Mr. Buff's path to a potential first career graded stakes win took a slight detour earlier in April when having to scratch out of the Grade 3 Excelsior at Aqueduct Racetrack. But the veteran 7-year-old will get another opportunity to check that box when he competes in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Westchester for 4-year-olds and up going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The Chester and Mary Broman New York homebred has amassed 17 career wins in 44 starts dating to 2016, becoming a mainstay on the NYRA circuit for trainer John Kimmel. Mr. Buff, who already has secured millionaire status, has compiled 11 career stakes wins and will continue his quixotic quest for a graded stakes win in the six-horse Westchester, which will mark his sixth career start at that caliber.

A half-length winner of the Stymie going the Westchester distance over a sloppy and sealed track at the Big A on February 27 marked Mr. Buff's last start. The Friend Or Foe gelding was the 4-5 morning line favorite in the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior on April 3 at Aqueduct before being scratched after showing signs of colic.

After a brief respite, Kimmel said Mr. Buff is ready to run at a Belmont track in which he has posted a 5-2-3 record in 15 career starts.

“He's doing quite well and we're looking forward to getting him back in since we are now eight weeks since his last race,” Kimmel said. “He's good and he's ready to go.”

Mr. Buff has won the last two editions of the Empire Classic over Big Sandy and has trained well on that Belmont main track, breezing four furlongs in 49.09 seconds on April 21.

“He's training great. He hasn't missed a beat,” Kimmel said. “He's won the Empire Classic twice there, so he handles the track and he's been breezing on the main track, so he's ready.”

Edgard Zayas will pick up the mount, breaking from post 5.

St. Elias Stable's Dr Post will be making his first start in nearly eight months, with his 4-year-old bow marking his first start at Belmont Park since running second to eventual New York-Bred Horse of the Year Tiz the Law in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes last June.

The Todd Pletcher trainee has not run since finishing fourth in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy in September at Saratoga Race Course. The Quality Road colt earned black type in two prestigious races for sophomores, following his runner-up effort in the third leg of the Triple Crown with a third-place finish behind Ny Traffic and winner Authentic in the Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park.

Dr Post, 2-1-1 in six starts with earnings of $370,635, will pick up the services of jockey Manny Franco, breaking from the outermost post 6.

Novak Stable's Limonite will again link up with Mr. Buff after running second to him in the Stymie, finishing a half-length back in his first stakes appearance since 2019. The 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for the second consecutive race in that effort, matching the number earned for his five-length score against optional claimers going 1 1/8 miles on February 8 at the Big A.

Trained by Amira Chichakly, Limonite returned to graded stakes company last out in the Grade 3 Excelsior, finishing third in a race won by Modernist. In his 23rd career start, Limonite will be making his Belmont debut, drawing post 4 in tandem with regular rider Eric Cancel.

Wicked Trick also has graded stakes experience at Belmont, running fourth in the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2 True North last June at Belmont. Trainer Linda Rice, who co-owns the 6-year-old son of Hat Trick along with Stephen Cooper, will stretch him out to one mile for the first time in six starts, with his previous route resulting in a fifth-place effort in the Stymie in March 2020 at Aqueduct.

Jose Lezcano will be in the irons from the inside post.

Phipps Stable's Top Seed will be making his stakes debut in his seventh career start, having compiled three wins in that stretch for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey. He made his first start of his 5-year-old campaign in April at Keeneland, running fifth against optional claimers going 1 1/16 miles. But the son of Orb will look to recapture the form he showed in 2020, when he won his debut that February at Gulfstream Park and added optional claiming wins at Tampa Bay Downs and Churchill Downs, respectively.

Top Seed will look to win a race at a fourth track when he ships to New York for the first time, drawing post 3 with Trevor McCarthy set to ride.

Charles Hallas' Backsideofthemoon, fourth in the Grade 3 Excelsior last out, will be looking for his first win since coming into the care of trainer Robert Klesaris earlier this year. The winner of the Queens Colony last December is winless in 15 starts at Belmont but will be looking to buck history, breaking from post 2 with Joe Bravo aboard.

The Westchester is slated as Race 3 on the 11-race program, with the slate's other stakes being the Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay for older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles in Race 10 and the Grade 2, $200,000 Fort Marcy for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the turf in Race 5. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

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Study: Ophthalmic Atropine Use May Increase Risk Of Colic

Atropine is a commonly used drug in horses with eye issues – specifically with equine uveitis – but a new study has found that it can affect more than just the equine eye: it can also increase a horse's risk of colic.

Dr. Lena Ström and her research team investigated how the drug interacts with the horse's body and found that frequent administration of atropine may reduce intestinal action, increasing colic risk. The team suggests allowing for additional time between atropine treatments to minimize colic risk, but the frequency of medication administration must focus on the horse's comfort.

The research team used two different dosing protocols on four horses to assess the effects of manually delivered atropine on the gastrointestinal system. The research team monitored the frequency of gut noise on all horses to estimate gut action.

The scientists found a decrease in intestinal action after 1 mg of atropine was given every three hours, however there was no change to gut action after the drug was given every six hours. No signs of colic were seen.

The researchers determined that atropine eye drops given at one- or three-hour intervals will accumulate in the plasma over 24 hours and cause possible intestinal complications. Atropine administered in six-hour intervals allows for the removal of the drug from plasma and limits the possibility of colic.

Read the full study here.