Belmont Race Down to Two Horses After Lasix Mix-Up; Veterinarian Dismissed

The third race at Belmont Park Friday was left with just two horses entered to run after Lasix was not administered to four horses who were supposed to receive it. The veterinarian charged with administering the Lasix, Dr. Steven Lascher, “is no longer employed by NYRA,” the company said.

The race, a $100,000 allowance optional claimer at one mile had drawn six entries, but was left with just two: Pharoah's Heart (American Pharoah) and Honey Money (Central Banker) after the omission came to light.

“Four horses entered to run in today's R3 at Belmont Park @TheNYRA were not administered Lasix within the permitted timeframe,” Tweeted NYRA's Director of Communications, Patrick McKenna. “As a result, Impazible Donna (#1), Dancing Sophia (#2), Ok Honey (#5) and Movie Moxy (#6) have been scratched by the stewards.”

Reached by email, McKenna outlined the relevant rule requiring the stewards to scratch the horses.

The rule is Gaming Commission rule, 4043.2 Section 7, which reads. “Ineligibility to start. Any horse that is eligible for the administration of furosemide must be present on the grounds of the racing association or corporation no less than four hours prior to scheduled post time of the race in which the horse is scheduled to compete. A horse that is not present at least four hours prior to post time or that has not received the administration of furosemide pursuant to this subdivision shall be ineligible to start.”

“Per the stewards, purse money only is not an option in this instance,” McKenna added. “NYRA is responsible for the administration of Lasix at Belmont Park, not the New York State Gaming Commission. NYRA will review the relevant internal protocols and update as necessary.”

“What I was told was that the vet did not administer Lasix to four of the six participants, which caused them to be scratched,” said Linda Rice, who was scheduled to send out Movie Moxie (Street Sense) in the race. “Obviously no one is happy.”

Rice said that the Lasix should have been administered between 9:30 and 10 a.m., and that four hours before post time, scheduled for 2:16 p.m., those horses who had not been treated were scratched.

Trainer Rob Atras sent out Honey Money, who did receive Lasix Friday morning.

“I'm not there today, but what I was told is that the vet missed (giving them) the Lasix,” said Atras. “I don't know how he got two, but missed the other four,” he said, adding that Michelle Nevin's starter, Pharoah's Heart, is in a barn close to his, and also received the medication.

A spokesman for the New York State Gaming Commission said that the commission had no official comment for publication.

Friday's was the second incident in under a year when four horses had to be scratched after not receiving Lasix in a timely manner–both involving Lascher. In 2022, he was fined $4,000 by the Gaming Commission after “failing to follow proper Lasix procedures necessitating the late scratches of horses racing.”

Friday's third race was won by Pharoah's Heart, who went off the 1-2 favorite.

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Missing July 1 HISA Deadline Could Result in Scratches

Facing a July 1 federal mandate to get all licensed personnel and actively racing Thoroughbreds registered in accordance with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), representatives from that organization's Authority team fielded questions from industry participants Friday in an online “town hall” forum, where the most pertinent query had to do with whether horses will get scratched if their online HISA registrations are incomplete by that deadline.

The short answer, according to the HISA Authority's chief executive officer, Lisa Lazarus, is yes.

But her slightly longer explanation tells us the Authority is trying to give trainers–who are additionally tasked with registering all horses under their care and maintaining daily records of their conditioning–a grace period during which they will be prodded to comply so scratches won't have to happen.

“A horse will only be scratched if it or the trainer is not registered,” Lazarus said. “What we tried to build in was kind of a safety mechanism for you in these early months, which is you can enter a horse, but when you enter a horse [without HISA registration], the racing office will get a flag that says, 'can't race.' They will then reach out to you and say, 'You're in the race, but you've got to get this done by start time, or race time, or else you're scratched. Based on most racing calendars, that will give you a couple days, at least, to do it. And that will essentially be the warning.”

But horses and trainers aren't the only ones required by federal law to be registered under HISA. Everyone who holds a state racing commission license–including owners, jockeys, jockey agents, exercise riders, stable employees, pony personnel, outriders, racing office staff, veterinarians, farriers and backstretch vendors–have to sign up too.

And although it won't result in a scratch, Ann McGovern, representing HISA's Racetrack Safety Committee, added that, “if your jockey isn't registered by scratch time, you'll have to have a rider change.”

The Authority's reps underscored that the newly operational HISA registration portal is a work-in-progress endeavor, and it's scheduled to be updated with a slate of changes by Monday based on feedback from users who've already registered themselves and their horses. Additional tweaks will be rolled out as the process evolves.

The HISA speakers acknowledged the daunting nature of the work that looms in the weeks ahead, and made it known that the Authority will be depending upon the input of horsemen and women to help make the process less time consuming.

“We know we're going to make mistakes. We just do. We're dealing with a really tough timeline,” said John Roach, HISA's general counsel. But, he added, “We'll talk to you. We'll figure it out. We'll work collaboratively with you. And I hope that even when we disagree about things, you know that we will listen and we'll try and do the right thing.”

Roach continued: “You should go ahead and get all your registration done. It's important to get it done before July 1. But we understand that this is a new system; this is new technology. So we are not going to stop anybody from entering.”

Other complexities within the HISA framework still seem a little shy on details–at least based on the way they were discussed during the June 3 webcast.

Take a trainer's maintenance of records, for example. Here's how Roach put it:

“Trainers are not responsible for [providing] any kind of information or data to HISA. You are required under the rules to maintain certain records. They have to be available for inspection. The vets will have to do the inputting. But as it relates to your records, you just need to maintain them. The safety rules set forth what you are to maintain.”

But then McGovern interjected to say that when a horse gets claimed and goes to a new owner, additional trainer responsibilities will come into play.

“If a horse is claimed, you are responsible for making a copy of those [training] records and giving that, along with the veterinary records, to the new trainer of the claimed horse,” McGovern said.

One audience member wanted to know how far back the training records have to go. McGovern answered 30 days. Then someone else asked for a clarification of what “training records” actually mean.

“Whatever records you think would be necessary,” McGovern answered. “But in our minds, you know the big board on the end of everyone's shedrow that has the horse's name, [and notations of] 'jogged, worked,' all that good stuff? [Whether the horse] had a supplement in his feed. Did he hand-walk that day? What did you do with the horse on a daily basis? You could take a picture of that board and put it in a file every day…. If that's what you want to do, that would be fine too.”

If it struck anyone on the webcast as unusual that a digital image of a magic-markered white board hung in someone's barn would suffice as a precise “training record” under the federal HISA guidelines, no one said so.

Nor did any of the Authority reps go into detail about exactly how or when trainers would be required to transfer those records to the people who claimed the horse.

Other questions from industry participants focused on the registration process itself. Each horse for example, must have not only a HISA registration, but also a “designated owner” and a “responsible person” associated with it.

But what if five people own a horse in partnership? Do all five have to be registered? And who among them gets listed as the designated owner?

“There only needs to be one designated owner to take responsibility for the horse,” Lazarus said. “[Partners] can decide amongst [themselves] who that's going to be. We do want all owners to register. But with regards to the initial enforcement piece, et cetera, really we're going to be focusing on the designated owner.

Added Roach, “If [an] owner is not licensed because they own such a small percentage that they're not required to be licensed [at the state level], they do not have to register.”

Lazarus also attempted to smooth over confusion related to the differences between being licensed at the state level while also needing to meet the federal requirement to be registered under HISA.

“This is a one-time registration. It's not an annual registration. And it has no actual connection to your state license,” Lazarus said.

Then why is a state racing license identification number listed as one of the HISA registration requirements?

“The only reason that we ask for a state license number is to make the whole process easier for you,” Lazarus said. “If you give us a state license number, we can go into the ARCI system and help pre-populate your information [so it gets auto-filled on the online form]. It's a one-time registration, a one-time number [provided by HISA]. Once you do it, unless something dramatically changes, you never have to do it again. And that [HISA] number stays with you forever.”

What if you are licensed in multiple states? Which license number do you provide to HISA?

“You can enter any license number,” from any state, Lazarus replied. “That is just to help [the system] figure out who you are, to make your input time shorter and to make it a less onerous process for you. Later though, there's a separate box that asks you to check all the states that you're licensed in. When you get to that screen, you should check all the states that you're licensed in. You don't need to provide the numbers.”

There were also concerns about whether it's a trainer's responsibility to register their licensed employees. The trainer is not required to do that, but the Authority is asking trainers to encourage their staff to sign up themselves.

“There's no legal consequence for a trainer if an employee doesn't register,” Roach said. “There may be a consequence for the employee depending on what activity they want to engage in and where they want to be and go.”

There was also uncertainty among trainers about what happens when a horse leaves the track to go to a lay-up facility or offsite training center. Who becomes the responsible party?

“If the farm manager is a registered person, and the [horse's] owner is comfortable with making that the responsible person, that can happen if the horse is going to be there for some time,” McGovern said. “If not, the trainer would remain the responsible person and would be responsible for getting the [training] records from the farm manager.

Roach clarified whether or not caretakers at a farm would also have to register under the HISA system.

“If the farm employees are licensed by [a] racing commission, and they have contact [with] Thoroughbred horses, they need to be registered,” Roach said. “If they are not licensed, they do not have to register with [HISA]. No one that is not licensed [by a commission] has to register with us.”

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Post Position Leads Baffert To Scratch Medina Spirit From Pennsylvania Derby

Medina Spirit has been withdrawn from Saturday's Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, owing to his outside post position, trainer Bob Baffert told the Albany Times Union's Tim Wilkin on Tuesday.

The son of Protonico drew the ninth post in a 10-horse field.

Baffert will also scratch Grade 3 winner Private Mission from the G1 Cotillion Stakes on the same card, and point her toward the G2 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 3.

“I don't like to put them on a plane unless I feel real good about it,” Baffert told Wilkin. “Medina looks good, I just don't like the way the race was setting up. I feel part of my success is knowing when to run and doing what's right for the horse.”

The Pennsylvania Derby would have been Medina Spirit's second race back from a summer layoff, following a win in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29. Prior to his three-month break, Medina Spirit won the Kentucky Derby from the #8 post, then finished third in the Preakness Stakes.

Baffert said Medina Spirit would be redirected to face older competition in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 2. If he performs well in the prep race, he will be pointed toward the Breeders' Cup.

Medina Spirit was installed as the 2-to-1 morning line favorite for the Pennsylvania Derby. In his absence, favoritism will likely fall on Hot Rod Charlie, a multiple classic-placed Grade 2 winner who most recently finished first in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park, but was disqualified to last for his role in unseating the rider from Midnight Bourbon, who he will face again on Saturday at Parx.

 

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Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Spring Skin Ailments

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock.

Question: Spring is often the time of year horses struggle with skin ailments due to humidity and wet weather. How do you recognize and treat the most common skin ailments and when do you need to call your veterinarian for help?

Dr. Ashton Broman: With the onset of the rainy and humid season, many owners may dread the thought of going out to the barn to find their horse has skin disease. While there is no single cure-all treatment for “skin disease,” there are distinguishing characteristics of common skin ailments owners can learn to recognize while also knowing when veterinary involvement is necessary.

With the onset of the wet season, one of the most common skin ailments is pastern dermatitis, commonly known as dew poisoning or scratches. Most owners know how to recognize this by the small scabs and sometimes cracked and painful skin along the pastern. Horses in wet, muddy conditions as well as those with non-pigmented skin (often with white hair) or long feathered fetlock hair are more predisposed to this condition. If caught early, clipping and washing the pasterns, gently removing the scabs, and keeping the pasterns as dry as possible can alleviate the problem. For more severe cases, there are medicated ointments containing anti-inflammatories and antimicrobial products that can be prescribed by your veterinarian and applied topically. Occasionally, dew poisoning can predispose a horse to more severe inflammation of the leg and lead to cellulitis. If you notice swelling up the leg with heat and sensitivity to the touch, call your veterinarian.

Some owners, when grooming their horses, will notice scabs or areas of hair loss along their horse's body and assume it is a fungal skin disease. While fungal disease of the skin is common especially during the rainy season, there are other allergic and bacterial causes. It is important to be able to differentiate between each to ensure proper treatment is started and it is recommended you work closely with your veterinarian to diagnose the problem and come up with an appropriate treatment plan.

Dr. Ashton Broman

Allergic dermatitis can often be seen as small, raised swellings along the skin with actively seeping or dried crusts which are often extremely itchy. It is usually seasonal, coinciding with the onset of spring and summer, with horses presenting with the same problem year after year. It is often caused by an allergy to insect bites but can also be due to reaction to certain chemicals or plants. As the foundation of treatment is prevention, it is important to identify the cause and attempt to prevent exposure. Because this condition is recurrent, some owners will become familiar with treatments to use for their particular horse and be able to implement treatment as soon as clinical signs begin to appear. Occasionally, some horses can develop a secondary bacterial infection so if you notice the lesions are hot or painful to the touch, contact your veterinarian for further treatment.

Rain rot, also known as rain scald, is medically termed dermatophilosis. While most assume it is a fungal disease, it is actually caused by a bacterium called Dermatophilus congolensis. It is characterized by areas of hair loss and scabs that easily flake off containing entire hair follicles. Lesions are usually concentrated to certain areas of the body such as along the croup, back, and face but can extend to any part of the body. Treatment consists of bathing the horse using medicated antimicrobial shampoos, regular grooming, and keeping the affected areas clean and dry. The scabs should be removed with the bathing, but carefully, so that the affected areas are not irritated. It may take more than one bath to effectively “de-scab.”

Ringworm is a skin disease caused by a fungus, not an actual worm. It is recognized by characteristic circular, flaky lesions with hair loss and tends to be concentrated in smaller areas with single or multiple lesions. This is important to identify because it is highly contagious between horses and may be zoonotic so it can be passed to humans as well. Treatment consists of the use of anti-fungal shampoos and topical anti-fungal medications. In severe cases not responsive to topical treatment, there are systemic treatments that can be used by your veterinarian.

For all skin diseases, early recognition is key so frequent grooming and attempting to keep horses in as dry an environment as possible are critical. Remember that brushes, etc. may get contaminated with the causative microorganisms, so be aware of the need to change grooming equipment between affected areas and between horses. While most common skin diseases are easily treated on the farm by owners, it is important to work closely with your veterinarian to ensure the correct treatment is being used and to recognize when veterinary intervention is necessary.

Dr. Ashton Broman was born and raised in Glendale, Calif., where she first developed her love of horses at the age of three. After high school, she earned her bachelor's degree at the University of California, Davis where she later worked as a technician at the veterinary school. She was accepted to Colorado State University for vet school and graduated in 2018. Dr. Broman started an ambulatory internship at Rood and Riddle with Dr. Brad Tanner in 2018, where she discovered a passion for equine dentistry and foal medicine, this passion was greatly increased during my second internship at Rood & Riddle. Dr. Broman plans on following her passion for dentistry and foal care in her new position as a Rood & Riddle associate.

She got married in 2020 and with her husband, Kris, and stepson, Bentley, has three faithful dogs and two beautiful horses.

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