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Governing Body Urged for Racing Industry
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"The record would show," Whitfield responded, "you do not even have that power. It's been demonstrated over the years the Jockey Club and [National Thoroughbred Racing Association] do not have authority."
The hearing was held without its star witness, controversial trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., who conditioned Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown.
Dutrow, who in the past has been cited for numerous medication violations, said late Wednesday he would not appear because of a virus he has had for several days. Subcommittee chairwoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) said Dutrow had failed to call to say he would not appear.
In brief submitted written testimony, Dutrow addressed the use of steroids in his horses, including Big Brown. Although Dutrow said he stopped giving Big Brown the steroid known as Winstrol after April 15, the muscle-builder is presently legal in Kentucky, Maryland and New York, the three states where the Triple Crown races are contested.
"My observation is that it helps the horses eat better," Dutrow wrote. "Their coats brighten. They're more alert. It helps them train. Having said that, our barn has won hundreds of races with horses that weren't on steroids. Earlier this winter, I won two one million dollar races in Dubai, where steroids are prohibited. If steroids are banned in the United States, we'll stop using them."
While some panelists detailed strides made in the reduction of steroids in racehorses, as well as breakthroughs in the diagnoses of stress fractures that are precursors to catastrophic breakdowns, others depicted an industry rampantly drugging horses and not caring for them when their racing careers are over.
Allie Conrad, who runs a nonprofit agency that finds homes for unwanted racehorses, said horses are drugged and raced at cheaper tracks around the country until they are dead. In 2007, her organization, CANTER Mid Atlantic, euthanized 41 horses after removing them from the racetrack because their injuries were so extensive.
"They raced on fractures and they raced to exhaustion, but they always ran as fast as their bodies would allow," Conrad said.
Conrad and Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg both said the complete elimination of drugs from racing would end the common practice of racing injured horses.
"These horses will not be able to run," Conrad said. "It will address itself. That will resolve a lot of these problems."
