Nerud Joins WHOA

Hall of Fame trainer, owner and Breeders’ Cup founding director John Nerud has become the 1000th member of the Water Hay Oats Alliance (WHOA), which supports the passage of federal legislation to prohibit the use of performance-enhancing drugs in horse racing. 

“I am 102 years old and have been training horses since 1937,” Nerud said in a statement. 
“When they allowed Lasix they opened the door to a lot of trouble. I don’t approve of its use because it gives racing a bad image. The introduction of growth hormone and steroids has set the horse industry back many years because it has weakened the breed. The Breeders’ Cup is in a lot of trouble. It was originated for only one reason, to market racing. They have lost their way.”