Book Review: "Run Baby Run"

Pros

• It is an eye-opener to anybody involved in racing.
• Presented in concise, non-technical language.

Cons

• Can be a bit dry at times

Description

• Lasix has become a ubiquitous drug in North American racing: 92% of Thoroughbreds race on it today.
• Eclipse-winning author Heller educates the fans, the bettors, and regulatory powers on its effects.
• It took a long time before the familiar "L" code appeared in entries and past performances.
• The horsemen opposed this to the end, enjoying an obvious and unfair insider advantage.
• The process of having a horse "scoped" to be put on the bleeder list is shown to be a joke.
• A trainer merely has to squirt blood into the horse's nostrils before the examination.
• In some jurisdictions, he just asks to put his horse on the list and the request is always granted.
• This demonstrates that horses that don't need it are getting it anyway for competitive advantage.
• Readers can decide for themselves whether race-day medications are beneficial or necessary.
• Given that the rest of the world still prohibits their use, this book demonstrates why.

Guide Review - Book Review: "Run Baby Run"

Heller presents scientific findings in concise, non-technical language. So many myths are exposed, the most surprising being that it really isn't too effective in preventing exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhaging, the very condition it was meant to control. What it does accomplish is lowering a horse's weight through dehydration by way of excessive urination. The worst thing about this is, it also serves to flush out some illegal drugs out of a horse's system so that they go undetected in post-race tests. Taking dead aim at the governments, horsemen, and veterinarians that have perpetuated and expanded the use of Lasix and race-day medications in general, he demonstrates that politics and not science is the reason for widespread drug use.

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