The trainers Bob Baffert and Todd Pletcher represent both the entertainment and fun of horse racing and the industry’s severe problems.
The two men excel at the sport, with their prestigious achievements attracting millions of dollars from investors who are looking to buy well-bred horses at the men’s auctions.. Unfortunately, both men violate the sport’s rules by using drugs to enhance their horses’ abilities.
Horses trained by Pletcher have failed six drug tests in the past 11 months, and Baffert’s horses have failed 30 drug tests over four decades. This is not only bad sportsmanship, but also dangerous too. For example, one of the horses, Medina Spirit, died from a heart attack months after a major race.
Baffert and Pletcher raced during a period of horse racing when the rules regarding drug use were lax. Now, in the event of the death of a racing horse, the public will know within weeks the name of the horse, the name of the trainer, and the names of any detected drugs. James L Gagliano, the president of the Jockey Club, explains the reason stating that, “We’ve got to get past the point at which we rock from crisis to crisis and prove to the public that those responsible for the conduct of the sport are doing so with the highest possible standards of integrity and safety.”
Cobra venom, Viagra, blood doping agents, cancer drugs, and anti-inflammatories have all been used by trainers looking for an advantage when it comes to racing. Baffert and Pletcher relied primarily on anti-inflammatories. “Instead of resting horses, there is a reliance on anti-inflammatories that makes whatever amount of lameness present undetectable to the examining veterinarian,” Dr. Tom David, a former chief veterinarian for the Louisiana Racing Commission, explains.
The credibility and ethics of the sport were severely degraded with the deaths of 12 horses at the track at Churchill Downs. People like Baffer and Pletcher are one of the main causes of these tragedies. In one case, a horse named Havnameltdown broke down and threw his rider. The horse was then euthanized during the race. With so many problems with the sport, horse racing is slipping into an ethical dilemma.
Source:
https://eb18600f7bb2916037f5ee8e636ce199.cdn.bubble.io/f1686442018860x879400173289298800/Two%20Complicated%20Princes%20of%20the%20Sport%20of%20Kings%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
The two men excel at the sport, with their prestigious achievements attracting millions of dollars from investors who are looking to buy well-bred horses at the men’s auctions.. Unfortunately, both men violate the sport’s rules by using drugs to enhance their horses’ abilities.
Horses trained by Pletcher have failed six drug tests in the past 11 months, and Baffert’s horses have failed 30 drug tests over four decades. This is not only bad sportsmanship, but also dangerous too. For example, one of the horses, Medina Spirit, died from a heart attack months after a major race.
Baffert and Pletcher raced during a period of horse racing when the rules regarding drug use were lax. Now, in the event of the death of a racing horse, the public will know within weeks the name of the horse, the name of the trainer, and the names of any detected drugs. James L Gagliano, the president of the Jockey Club, explains the reason stating that, “We’ve got to get past the point at which we rock from crisis to crisis and prove to the public that those responsible for the conduct of the sport are doing so with the highest possible standards of integrity and safety.”
Cobra venom, Viagra, blood doping agents, cancer drugs, and anti-inflammatories have all been used by trainers looking for an advantage when it comes to racing. Baffert and Pletcher relied primarily on anti-inflammatories. “Instead of resting horses, there is a reliance on anti-inflammatories that makes whatever amount of lameness present undetectable to the examining veterinarian,” Dr. Tom David, a former chief veterinarian for the Louisiana Racing Commission, explains.
The credibility and ethics of the sport were severely degraded with the deaths of 12 horses at the track at Churchill Downs. People like Baffer and Pletcher are one of the main causes of these tragedies. In one case, a horse named Havnameltdown broke down and threw his rider. The horse was then euthanized during the race. With so many problems with the sport, horse racing is slipping into an ethical dilemma.
Source:
https://eb18600f7bb2916037f5ee8e636ce199.cdn.bubble.io/f1686442018860x879400173289298800/Two%20Complicated%20Princes%20of%20the%20Sport%20of%20Kings%20-%20The%20New%20York%20Times.pdf
