Should Lasix be Banded?

[Inside The Pylons]

  If a professional baseball player gets an 80 game suspension for using furosemide as a performance enhancing device because it can be used to help in masking other medications, why are we allowing it's use in racing?  You can not use it in Europe, so why do we use it here? If your horse can't compete without having Lasix in his system, why is he a race horse?  I think too many horses use Lasix to gain an unfair advantage.  And if you say we need to keep allowing it to be used that make you a person in favor of cheating and are probably cheating

[TTitans1]

You are a fucking idiot! Lasix does nothing but help a horse and should be mandatory!

[Alex]

You are a fucking idiot! Lasix does nothing but help a horse and should be mandatory!

AND THAT MAKES IT A PERFORMANCE ENHANCER AND SHOULD BE ILLEAGLE

[bond]

  If a professional baseball player gets an 80 game suspension for using furosemide as a performance enhancing device because it can be used to help in masking other medications, why are we allowing it's use in racing?  You can not use it in Europe, so why do we use it here? If your horse can't compete without having Lasix in his system, why is he a race horse?  I think too many horses use Lasix to gain an unfair advantage.  And if you say we need to keep allowing it to be used that make you a person in favor of cheating and are probably cheating

1) Not exactly-with todays advanced drug testing-Lasix will not "hide' or mask drugs.
http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/horse-racing-robinson-cano-and-can-lasix-really-mask-other-drugs/

2) There is no doubt that IF a horse is a bleeder-Lasix will help it. The real concern however is that if a horse is NOT a bleeder(all horses bleed but those that bleed less than a grade 1 are not affected)-then Lasix is only used to get a competitive advantage due to its diuretic effect lowering body weight.


3) Most horses can compete without the use of Lasix EXCEPT the bad bleeders-they need it. Evidenced by racing in Europe ,Asia and Down Under-horses race fine without the use of Lasix.-and have done so for 100's of years. If a horse is a continued bad bleeder-its simpy retired.


4) No One is sure if the breed is affected-weakened- by allowing Lasix to be used and "hide" bleeders-who can pass this trait on to their offspring.


Many trainers are now calling for Lasix to be banned-and the argument has a lot of weight. However without any real alternative-the debate will continue.


Im personally in favor of it being banned.

[Powerful Patricks Ghost]

All race day meds should be banded

[Rabbi Of Racing]

No medication of any kind should be banned,(that's right i said it) Legal,illegal,everything should be ok. Load em up,all drivers on go,that would be great racing!!! Can't stop drugs so no reason to even try,makes no sense why anyone cares if a horse is drugged,no sense at all,and yes i am serious.

[Powerful Patricks Ghost]

No medication of any kind should be banned,(that's right i said it) Legal,illegal,everything should be ok. Load em up,all drivers on go,that would be great racing!!! Can't stop drugs so no reason to even try,makes no sense why anyone cares if a horse is drugged,no sense at all,and yes i am serious.

morality? How about letting the drivers drive coked up and drunk too?

[Marcuff]

What a Jack wagon.

[Yonkers1]

All race day meds should be banded

Agree they all should be banded

[Powerful Patricks Ghost]

Morality and harness racing do not belong in the same sentence or paragraph

I was just giving the reasoning, didn't say it applied.

[Adamo]

Does anyone think that there could be or are medications that are beneficial to a Race Horse at all?

[Redb2011]

Banned

[Yonkers1]

Does anyone think that there could be or are medications that are beneficial to a Race Horse at all?

Yes many are beneficial , some too beneficial

[Adamo]

True. On the other hand, there are a lot of natural medications available. The game is not healthy, the "drugs" issue should be handled strongly. However, I kind of see some limit along with the entire industry to stop washing its laundry in public.

[weddingcrashir]

What is banded?