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Major Racing Organizations to Jointly Fund Study On Lasix in 2-Year-Olds

The Stronach Group, Breeders’ Cup Ltd., Churchill Downs Inc., Keeneland, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the New York Racing Association, Inc. have agreed to jointly fund North America’s largest study on the effects of furosemide and on the prevalence and severity of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) in 2-year-old racehorses.

The study, formally titled Furosemide: Its Effects on the Prevalence and Severity of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) and the Immune System’s Normal Response to Exercise in Two-Year-Old Racehorses, began this month and is being led by Dr. Warwick Bayly and Dr. Macarena Sanz from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Services at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

The study will aim to address the debate surrounding whether or not injection of furosemide has beneficial, detrimental or no effects on the welfare of 2-year-olds. The use of furosemide and its effects has been a dominant issue confronting North American racing for more than a decade. The study will try to address unanswered questions at the heart of furosemide use, namely:

Does the administration of furosemide four hours before racing and/or training reduce the severity of EIPH in two-year-old racehorses?
Does the pre-race administration of furosemide four hours before racing effect a horse’s performance?

The study will evaluate the endoscopic exams from at least 600 horses from three groups representing the major racing jurisdictions of California, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Horses will be evaluated in three groups: 1) those who are given furosemide at least 48 hours before racing or not at all; 2) those who are given furosemide 24 hours before racing or not at all and; 3) those who are administered furosemide four hours before racing. Veterinary practitioners from each of the jurisdictions will be asked to recruit trainers who are existing clients to voluntarily participate in the study.

“This study provides an opportunity to fill a critical knowledge gap on the use of furosemide,” said Dr. Warwick Bayly, Professor, Equine Medicine, Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “As a first-of-its-kind study of this depth, it is our hope that once completed we will be able to provide additional information that will enable the horse racing industry to address the regulation of furosemide in the United States from a scientifically-informed perspective.”

“The current patchwork of rules and regulations across the United States regarding the administration of furosemide does a disservice to the horses and the practitioners who care for them,” said Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer, The Stronach Group. “This study is an opportunity for industry stakeholders to come together to invest in meaningful steps to address pressing questions so that we may develop a higher and more consistent standard of rules and regulations.”

Preliminary results from the study are expected to be available in spring 2021, assuming the quantity and quality of the samples satisfy the requirements for statistical relevance as set out by Dr. Bayly and Dr. Sanz.

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Major Racing Organizations Fund First-Of-Its-Kind Furosemide, EIPH Study In 2-Year-Old Racehorses

The Stronach Group together with Breeders' Cup Ltd., Churchill Downs Inc., Keeneland, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and the New York Racing Association have agreed to jointly fund North America's largest study on the effects of furosemide and on the prevalence and severity of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) in two-year-old racehorses.

The study, formally titled Furosemide: Its Effects on the Prevalence and Severity of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) and the Immune System's Normal Response to Exercise in Two-Year-Old Racehorses, began this month and is being led by Dr. Warwick Bayly and Dr. Macarena Sanz from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Services at Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. This study represents the largest study ever to focus on evaluating the effects of furosemide on two-year-old racehorses.

The study will be focused on two-year-old racehorses only and will aim to address the debate surrounding whether or not injection of furosemide has beneficial, detrimental or no effects on the welfare of these racehorses. The use of furosemide and its effects has been a dominant issue confronting North American racing for more than a decade. The study offers an opportunity to address unanswered questions at the heart of furosemide use, namely:

1. Does the administration of furosemide four hours before racing and/or training reduce the severity of EIPH in two-year-old racehorses?
2. Does the pre-race administration of furosemide four hours before racing effect a horse's performance?

“The use of Lasix has long been a highly debated topic. This is our opportunity, as advocates for the safety and welfare of our racehorses, to collect and analyze vital real-life information that can be used to help answer some questions regarding the use of Lasix and its effect, but also guide common-sense regulation around Lasix use,” said Dr. Will Farmer, Equine Medical Director, Churchill Downs Incorporated.

“This study represents a unique collaboration of North American racing interests to further understand the true rate of EIPH in young racehorses through endoscopic examinations performed in post-race settings,” said Dr. Stuart Brown, Equine Safety Director – Sales and Racing, Keeneland. “The potential to gain insight under the present landscape of furosemide use across various racing jurisdictions will help shape decisions that benefit the safety and welfare of the equine athlete in competition.”

Preliminary results from the study are expected to be available in Spring 2021, assuming the quantity and quality of the samples satisfy the requirements for statistical relevance as set out by Dr. Bayly and Dr. Sanz.

The post Major Racing Organizations Fund First-Of-Its-Kind Furosemide, EIPH Study In 2-Year-Old Racehorses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tattersalls HIT Sale Concludes

The four-day Tattersalls Horses-in-Training Sale concluded in muted fashion on Thursday following the highlight provided on Wednesday by the sale of English King (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) to Australia for 925,000gns.

It took just 37,000gns to top the final session, that price being bid by Nick Bradley of Glebe Farm for the New Approach (Ire) 3-year-old Citronella (GB) (lot 1405) from the celebrated family of High Hawk (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}).

The strong clearance rate which had been the hallmark of the October Yearling Sales at Park Paddocks continued throughout this week, with 88% of the 1,105 horses offered being sold. This was down slightly from 90% in 2019 but was still an impressive figure given that many of the sale’s regular international buyers were unable to travel this year, a factor which was remarked upon by the company’s chairman Edmond Mahony in his closing statement.

He said, “The Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale is a uniquely international fixture and to stage it amidst such widespread global travel restrictions was a daunting prospect, but yet again the industry has risen to the challenge.

“The sale understandably lacked some of its customary vibrancy with so many of our regular overseas buyers unable to travel, but the market has again held up remarkably well, particularly at the top end where we have seen a record sale price for a colt of 925,000gns and double last year’s number of lots sold for more than 300,000 guineas. It is a similar scenario to the recent Tattersalls October Yearling Sales. Quality bloodstock remains a coveted commodity and the status of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale as the premier sale of its type in the world is based on consistent achievement on racecourses throughout the world.”

Overall the sale’s key indicators dipped, with the aggregate of 21,375,100gns being down by 14%, while the average fell by 13% to 22,384gns and the median by 25% to 9,000gns.

Despite the travel restrictions, there was notable participation from Australian trainers, with New Zealand-born Michael Moroney buying three lots through his brother Paul and their agent on the ground in Newmarket, Armando Duarte. The trio accounted for 1,475,000gns of the sale’s turnover, while fellow New Zealander and Sydney’s leading trainer Chris Waller, acting through John Ferguson, bought five horses for a total of 935,000gns. Ciaron Maher and Annabel Neasham were also active, along with syndicators Australian Bloodstock, Dynamic Syndications and Darby Racing.

New Saudi Arabian venture Najd Stud was also one of the sale’s leading buyers with four horses purchased through Ted Voute for 935,000gns.

Mahony continued, “It is no coincidence that the most notable feature of the international influence this week has been the contribution from Australian and Saudi Arabian connections. The inaugural $30 million Saudi Cup night in February this year saw the connections of two Autumn Horses-in-Training purchases standing proudly in the winner’s enclosure and there have been four individual Australian Group 1 winners from the sale since 2019. Success-driven demand is the key to so many sales at Tattersalls and it has been especially evident at all levels of this year’s market.

“Equally important has been the role of the live internet and telephone bidding facilities which have both played a crucial part in enabling participation from buyers unable to attend the sale in person. We all crave the return of some semblance of normality to everyday life, but in the meantime we are having to explore all possible ways in which to facilitate business and the live internet and telephone bidding platforms have been vital innovations which have proved particularly well suited to this sector of the bloodstock market.”

As French sales company Arqana announced on Thursday that it is reviewing its remaining sales for the year in light of a new month-long lockdown in France, Mahony expressed his gratitude that the Horses-in-Training Sale had been able to take place in Newmarket.

He added, “As ever in this turbulent year we must also express our thanks to everyone who has participated in the sale this week. The challenges we all face show few signs of abating, but yet again everyone has conducted themselves with commendable patience and determination. We continue to be enormously grateful for this collective spirit of cooperation and now look forward to the December Foal and Breeding Stock Sale, incorporating the Cheltenham December Sale, which will bring the 2020 Tattersalls sales season at Park Paddocks to a conclusion.”

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Racing Continues Amid New Lockdowns

Racing in France and Germany looks set to continue behind closed doors after both countries have been placed in new temporary lockdowns.

The rising rates of coronavirus across Europe means that, as of midnight on Thursday, France will return to lockdown conditions seen earlier in 2020, with only essential journeys being permitted and restaurants, bars and most shops closed for all bar essential provisions. However, the country’s sports minister Roxana Maracineanu has confirmed that professional sport can continue and that professional athletes are allowed to train and to travel to competitions.

France is one of the few European nations to have welcomed spectators back to racecourses in a limited capacity, with up to 5,000 people allowed on French racecourses throughout the summer and up to this week in areas which had not already succumbed to tighter Covid-related restrictions. Though no announcement has yet been made by France Galop, it seems likely that from Friday only key personnel accompanying horses will be allowed to go racing in France, with the current lockdown in place until at least Dec. 1.

The situation in Germany is similar, with racing being allowed to continue behind closed doors during a newly announced four-week lockdown, which is set to commence on Nov. 2.

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