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Report: 77 Percent Of New York Thoroughbreds From Indicted Trainers Were Positive For Clenbuterol After Arrests

At a press conference this week, New York State Gaming Commission equine medical director Dr. Scott Palmer revealed that the majority of New York-based Thoroughbreds with trainers under federal indictment tested positive for clenbuterol in the weeks after the March arrests that rocked the racing world.

Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds that were trained by anyone named in the March indictment of more than two dozen trainers, veterinarians, and drug distributors in an alleged doping scheme were put on the veterinarian's list for 60 days and had biological samples taken for testing. Palmer said this week that the horses were tested at least twice during this period. Of nearly 100 Thoroughbreds based in the New York at the time, Palmer said 77 had levels of clenbuterol in their blood.

Though Palmer is still compiling veterinary records for some of those horses, so far he says none of those records show administration of clenbuterol. That leads him to suspect the drug was not being given as part of a legitimate treatment for a diagnosed condition, but rather for its side effects, which mimic anabolic steroids with repeated usage.

Palmer called the discovery “concrete evidence that clenbuterol was being widely abused in the Thoroughbred horses,” according to the Thoroughbred Daily News.

This isn't the first time testing has revealed widespread clenbuterol usage by the indicted trainers. In September, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission equine medical director Dr. Bruce Howard revealed that similar testing on Kentucky-based horses resulted in “a near 100 percent rate” of clenbuterol administration based on hair testing. Howard said that separately, treatment sheets submitted to the Kentucky commission as part of its veterinary disclosure rules have shown incidents of veterinarians prescribing the drug to entire barns.

Palmer said Mid-Atlantic states will likely tighten restrictions around clenbuterol administration.

Clenbuterol was one of several substances described in federal court documents as being favored by defendants for its performance-enhancing effects. Most of the other drugs listed there, such as EPO-like substances and “pain blockers,” are not permitted in active racehorses at all.

Cry Wolf: Are Domesticated Horses Less Fearful Of Predators?

A study out of Poland sought to determine if domesticated horses responded to predators they have never encountered the same way their wild ancestors did: by fleeing. The research team hypothesized that horses would express anxiety when exposed to vocalizations of predators and that horses with Thoroughbred breeding would be more responsive to the cues as they are known for their sensitive nature.

Drs. Iwona Janczarek, Anna Stachurska, Witold Kędzierski, Anna Wiśniewska, Magdalena Ryżak and Agata Kozioł used 19 Polish horses in the study and concluded that the horses reacted more strongly to the growl of a leopard than the howl of a wolf, though they were unfamiliar with either predator. The scientists report that this may indicate that the horse is more afraid of a sound from an unknown predator that one known to their ancestors. The behavioral responses of the horses were less distinct then the physiological changes, the team noted.

The horses used in the study were between 6 and 10 years old; they were divided into three groups based on the amount of Thoroughbred in their pedigree: Six horses were 75 percent Thoroughbred; seven were half-Thoroughbred; and six were 25 percent Thoroughbred.

Individually, the horses listened to recordings of the gray wolf howling and a leopard growling for five minutes. The study team monitored salivary cortisol levels of the horses 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the conclusion of the vocalizations. Each horse's heart rate was continually monitored through the test.

The study team hypothesized that the horses with more Thoroughbred in their breeding would react more strongly to the vocalizations since Thoroughbreds are known for their sensitivity. They were correct: the horses with more Thoroughbreds in their pedigree had stronger internal reaction to the predator's vocalizations. This suggests that the response is partially genetically coded and that the horses were more interested in the sounds rather than frightened by them.

This may also indicate that horses that are handled and trained by humans may be able to manage their emotions. Domesticated animals may not be able to coexist with predators like wolves being reintroduced into their environment and care should be taken to protect them.

Read the article here.

Study: Horses Living In Herds Recover From Exercise More Rapidly

Horses tend to bounce back faster after hard work when they're turned out with buddies rather than kept in stalls.

Drs. Malin Connysson, Marie Rhodin and Anna Jansson, all with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, used eight Standardbred horses to determine the effects of housing on post-exercise recovery.

The horses were kept in small herds or isolated in box stalls for 21 days, then they were switched to the other housing method. On days seven and 14, they underwent an exercise test. The researchers collected blood before, during and multiple times after the exercise test.

The results showed that after exercise, horses that were stalled and alone ate less than horses living in a herd outdoors. In addition, the horse's plasma non-esterified fatty acids decreased more quickly in the horses living in a herd. These acids indicate the horse's post-exercise recovery rate.

The scientists concluded that horses living outside in groups recovered from exercise more rapidly; outdoor living also positively impacted the horse's appetite and energy levels.

Read the study here.

Ask Your Insurer Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Equine Loans And Your Insurance Plan

Equine insurance experts answer your questions about insuring Thoroughbreds for the breeding and auction realms.

Email us at info@paulickreport. com if you have a question for an insurer.

QUESTION: What role does my insurance plan play when applying for an equine loan?

BRYCE BURTON: Business owners within the Thoroughbred industry, similarly to other business ventures, have the option to apply for outside funding in order to assist with the acquisition of high valued purchases. Just as a new business owner may secure a loan for the purchase of a new home, piece of land, of horse farm, the same option is available for the purchase of livestock, including Thoroughbreds.

When purchasing Thoroughbreds, the simple rule of thumb is that financing is available on breeding stock, but not racehorses. Mares, foals, and yearlings can all be used as collateral for an equine loan. As you'd expect, the lender requires that the applicant carry a certain amount of Full Mortality Insurance coverage throughout the life of the loan, so that in the event that something catastrophic happens to the equine asset, which in this case also serves as the collateral, the lender will be paid back in full.

The general rule of thumb when securing an equine loan is that the lender will provide a note up to the amount of 50 percent of the purchase price, making the borrower responsible for paying for the other 50 percent of the purchase.

As an example, if a new owner purchases a mare in the amount of $100,000 at public auction, they have the option to acquire outside funds through a lender up to the amount of $50,000 and would be responsible for the other $50,000. The lender would then require that the borrower place mortality coverage for the amount of the loan, which in this case is $50,000. It should be noted that the insured has the option to insure 100 percent of the purchase if desired. However, in most instances, the bank will only require the insured shows coverage for the amount of the loan. The lender is listed as a Loss Payee on the policy so that in the event of a claim, both parties would be compensated for their respective interests.

Bryce Burton is a property and liability specialist for Muirfield Insurance. He is from Frankfort, Ky., where he grew up an avid race fan. His Thoroughbred racing fandom combined with a collegiate internship in the insurance industry, culminated in a start in the equine insurance field. Bryce has been with Muirfield Insurance since 2014, following his graduation from Transylvania University in Lexington.

The post Ask Your Insurer Presented By Muirfield Insurance: Equine Loans And Your Insurance Plan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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