A larger reason for the problem with breakdowns stems from having any allowable levels of any drug on race day, and as stated in the article, not enforcing the ones they have. Though the legal drug Lasix is possibly being one of the largest culprits, as one of it's side effects is weakened bones, but it is legal once a Vet acknowledges the horse needs it. Of course, the amount of horses running on Lasix, makes one wonder how many of them really do need it. If they can't race on hay, grain and water, they shouldn't race IMHO. We need more people like the Mack's in Racing (thankfully, they are out there) and fewer Gills and Iacovacci's and Spanabel's. Now the Mack's know to put things in writing should they ever sell one of their horses that needs to be retired. What's really sad is that the Mack's had to pay $7,000 for a horse they sold for $1,000 to save the horses life. Talk about extortion.

Much as I don't think exracers are for everyone (especially straight off the track as they have drugs/steroids that need to have time to work out of their systems and make them interesting to handle. Some are gelded recently as well, so need some come down time from that as well. That said, many of them can go on and do so much more after their racing career then some people think. An Exracer from New Zealand just won the Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event in Lexington Kentucky this past weekend, previously winning Burghley last year to clinch the first two legs of the Rolex Triple Crown. PoggioII an exracer (not his Jockey Club name) was on an USA Olympic Bronze Medal team and Gold Medal Pan Am 3 Day Event team some years ago. Amongst so many other exracers successfully competing in careers after racing.

I sometimes wonder if my exracers know just how lucky they are as they don't really have a career? OK, they'd probably like a fancier trailer in anyways.

One of my favorite pics from trail riding on Zen. Where, when I stop on trail to talk to people, some are just amazed that he's a Thoroughbred.