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‘L’ Is for Lasix

© Greg Melikov

I believed there were more unraced 3-year-olds getting Lasix (diuretic furosemide) this meeting than in previous years. Often I have noticed many sophomores in a race -- three, four and five with several workouts -- getting that first dose of the anti-bleeding medication.

After checking with trainers, veterinarians, handicappers and racing officials, I realize that the increased use of Lasix results from a single key factor: More trainers nowadays use the fiber optic endoscope to discover even a tiny amount of blood in the trachea -- a preventative measure.

The perception of bleeding is a misnomer. It's not often that a horse visibly bleeds from the nostrils, a condition known as epistaxis. In fact, less than one in 20.

"I think what's happening is that trainers and owners know overwhelmingly all horses that race are going to bleed," said Bill White, who goes for his fourth consecutive training title at Calder Race Course when it opens the 2000 meeting on May 23. "Whether they bleed in a race or workout, it's going to put a horse under stress.

"Most everyone agrees that bleeding is a very common occurrence," added a state veterinarian who preferred not to be identified.

For example, Hal's Rose, trained by 72-year-old Harold Rose, bled several days during a workout following his second-place finish in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 19.

"He gurgled pulling up the other day," Rose said. "So when we got back to the barn I had him scoped. He didn't bleed externally, but there was something internally." The 3-year-old gets Lasix for the Florida Derby on March 11.

"I remember that horse, I was there," the state vet said. "It's a very common occurrence."

So common that there aren't enough state vets to go around. In order for a horse to receive Lasix, when a state vet isn't in attendance, two private vets must be at Gulfstream to certify when a horse is scoped.

A thoroughbred getting Lasix for the first time can't race for 14 days at the Hallandale track. If the horse bleeds through Lasix for the first time, and some do, the waiting period extends to 30 days.

One reason why more horses bleed in South Florida is the climate. "It's a little bit worse in warm weather," the state vet said.

"It's a genetic thing," said John Silvertand, who is training a half-dozen juveniles, some of which will race at Calder. "It's the result of breeding horses on drugs to horses on drugs."

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