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Inhaled Human Medication Helpful For Asthmatic Horses

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has reported that inhaled ciclesonide can assist in controlling severe asthma in horses. Horses with severe asthma often cough, have a runny nose and have difficulty forcing air into their lungs.

Corticosteroids have been shown to calm inflammation in the respiratory tract. These medications can be administered multiple ways, but inhaled therapy is considered ideal as it gets the drug directly into the lungs. Ciclesonide is used in human medicine and has been shown to be effective in horses that become asthmatic when exposed to certain conditions like moldy hay. The drug had not been studied in the field.

Researchers used 220 severely asthmatic horses from 24 clinics in Germany, France and Switzerland for a study to test inhaled ciclesonide efficacy. The horses either received an inhalation solution containing ciclesonide or a placebo inhalation.

To test their hypothesis, the horses were given ciclesonide through an equine inhaler at eight actuations twice daily and then 12 actuations once daily for five days. The horses receiving the placebo received the same number of treatments, but they did not contain ciclesonide.

The study team found that 73 percent of the horses receiving ciclesonide showed improvement in their asthma after the 10-day study. Horses with more severe asthma showed the most improvement. Horse owners reported an improved quality of life in nearly 70 percent of the ciclesonide-treated horses.

Read the full article here.

Mattress Mack: ‘Threats Of Fraud Are Real, Whether The Fraud Is Real Or Not’

Asked what he would like to change about the horse racing industry, Thoroughbred owner James “Mattress Mack” McIngvale told Thoroughbred Racing Commentary that he'd like to see a sport with zero tolerance for performance-enhancing drugs.

“Threats of fraud are real, whether the fraud is real or not, just like this last presidential election,” McIngvale told TRC. “Half the population doesn't believe in the results. So, horse racing can't be in that same boat. Cannot go there. It's no fun when you've got no shot from the get-go.”

McIngvale pointed to the newly-signed federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act as a step in the right direction.

“[HISA], it's very good, just has to be enforced,” he said. “People need to run these horses on hay, oats and water, just like we ran Runhappy. It makes the horses happier. It makes the betting more transparent. And the fans don't think they're an outsider looking in.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

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Desormeaux Returns to Action After Rehab Stint

When racing returns to Santa Anita Dec. 26, it does so in a blitzkrieg of high-octane firepower, with races like the GI Malibu S., GI La Brea S. and GI American Oaks luring headline grabbers from across the country.

As things go, race three on the card–a $16,000 claimer–is a far less exulted companion to its starrier cousins. But the race contains its own prodigal return…that of Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux after a hiatus from the saddle. Still, it’s just the sort of low-key call to arms the jockey is looking for.

“It’s not something you get control of and go tell the world about your accomplishment,” said Desormeaux, of his newly established sobriety after a tumultuous six-month period culminating from decades of struggle.

“I can honestly say it’s been 25 years since I’ve been clean this long,” he said.

It was back in July that Del Mar management barred Desormeaux from the grounds following an off-site incident in which the jockey was accused of using a racial epithet in a fight.

The following September, the Del Mar stewards suspended the jockey for 15 days for “disorderly conduct–racial slurs, aggressive behavior.” He was also ordered to be evaluated by the Winners Foundation, which helps backstretch workers deal with substance-abuse problems, and “abide by the recommendations of that organization.”

Desormeaux explained that he subsequently enrolled in a three-month rehabilitation program at a local facility. It’s not the first time the jockey has sought professional help for his substance abuse issues–another stint was as recent as 2016. But this has been the most concerted effort yet, he said, to wrestle the demons under control.

“This one was not a resort. It was not a vacation. It was not intended to buy some time,” he said. “I learned a lot about myself and came back to reality. There’s a lot of people who certainly care about me, love me and they were deeply concerned.”

One of those family members who has proven resiliently loyal is his brother, trainer Keith Desormeaux, for whom the jockey has two mounts at Santa Anita Saturday and Sunday

“He has always had my best interest at hand,” said Desormeaux. “He has long told me that what I’ve just gone through was needed for quite some time. He’s not sticking by me just this weekend. He’s stuck by me through thick and thin before.”

Desormeaux explained that, as a condition of his license, he is required to undergo routine testing.

“I have a very restricted license,” he said. “I get tested often, and there’s not enough lapse of time for me to use ever. I can’t use at all. Not weekends. Not days off. At all.”

The plan moving forward is very simple, Desormeaux said. “Sticking to the program,” he said, in reference to both alcohol and narcotics anonymous meetings. “You know how they say, ‘you live to learn and learn to live?’ I’ve learned how to live, and now I can move on and live to learn.”

The post Desormeaux Returns to Action After Rehab Stint appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Gluck Equine Research Foundation Launches Equine Biological Passport Program

The Gluck Equine Research Foundation at the University of Kentucky is developing an Equine Biological Passport (EBP) which aims to identify specific biomarkers that will detect drug use by monitoring changes to peptides and protein abundance, and monitor those biomarkers over time. The goals of this program are to elevate equine research at the University of Kentucky, to serve as a platform to impact policy change and drug testing protocol, and further understand the impact of drugs and medications on Thoroughbred racehorses.

“In the last few years we have seen too many negative headlines around equine drug use. As a research scientist, with 30 years of regulatory drug testing experience, my team and I know this is a problem we cannot currently solve,” said Dr. Scott Stanley, Professor of Equine Pharmacology and Toxicology; Director of the Equine Analytical Chemistry Laboratory. “We know that it takes time to develop new tests for each new emerging drug, so we will always be behind. We know that each horse metabolizes drugs at a different rate, making standard clearance and withdrawal times confusing. In addition, we know that there are environmental factors, human interactions, and hundreds of other variables that can impact our current drug testing procedures. The EBP program is a tool that will enable us to rapidly identify new drugs and measure the physiological effect on the equine athlete. These data will be critical in differentiating between intentional doping and accidental contaminants, which can smear the industry image and damage reputations.”

The Equine Biological Passport program is an evolving research program, which is designed to expand and to be flexible enough to address new challenges, such as bio-therapeutics. Over the next several years, Gluck will continue to validate and refine the EBP program to position it as a future tool for the industry. In addition, it will provide scientific data needed to support changes in rules and regulations that will allow prosecution of violators, and prevent “at risk” horses from entering in competitions.

“At Stonestreet we are proud of our integrity, our commitment to a level playing field and our focus on the health of the horse above all else,” says Barbara Banke. “An equine biological passport will give us a comprehensive program that provides full transparency for both
competition and out-of-competition testing, for every stakeholder.”

“We will contribute $100,000 toward this project and I encourage all stakeholders to consider a tax-deductible gift as an investment in the future of the racing industry,” Banke continued.

For more information about this project, please visit http://gluck.ca.uky.edu/content/equine-biological-passport or contact Dr. Scott Stanley at scott.stanley2@uky.edu or 859.494.6319.

Funding for this project is entirely dependent on private support. For more information on how to support this effort or to make a gift please contact Danielle Jostes at danielle.jostes@uky.edu or give online at https://bit.ly/2OIsttX

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