Letter to the Editor: Ann Maree Matthews

Every time I see another convert to WHOA, whose goals I totally support, my hand goes up and I want to ask the question: Why don’t the owners who pay the bills tell the trainers, `enough is enough?’ 

I am always pleased to read when another supporter joins WHOA (Water Hay Oats Alliance). I greatly admire and respect Arthur Hancock and others who are fighting the good fight to get some unified action to settle this issue of raceday drugs once and for all. It always seems to get stalled at the door of the trainers who, on the whole, oppose removing Lasix from raceday. While there are a few trainers who favor the goals of WHOA, most do not. 

To all the members of WHOA, and most especially, those who are owners and breeders, I have one basic question: What would happen if owners of active racehorses in training told their trainers that they want a phaseout of all raceday drugs and they won’t support any trainer who opposes that objective? 

Of course, it is always a good idea to try the carrot first before using the stick, but, bottom line, it is the owners who pay the vet and training bills and the owners could tomorrow change the status quo almost overnight. 

From what I have been able to get from all the debate is there is a fatal flaw in the 1978 Horseracing Act in that the interpretation of the word “horsemen” evidently has made it impossible to get any major changes past trainers, as the law provides that horsemen have veto power. The trainers basically threatened to withdraw simulcast rights unless the Breeders Cup withdrew its plan to phase out raceday drugs. The Breeders’ Cup, not having an economic death wish, dropped its plan. 

So, why can’t the owners who pay the bills exert more pressure on the trainers to come around to adopting a policy that is in line with the rest of the world? 

As far as I can see, it is a case of “the tail wagging the dog” as things stand now. The trainers get to set policy that many owners and breeders object to, and no one stands up and says ‘enough’! 

Who am I? I’m just a fan of a sport I love. I am in no way associated with any stakeholders in the industry. I do support various organizatons, in particular those that care for off-the-track- Thoroughbreds. We need to put the horse back at the center of the discussion. 

To quote Stuart Janney III from the 2011 Round Table: “Their [Hong Kong Jockey Club] philosophical resistance to Lasix lies in the belief that they should not ‘pharmacologically adapt the horse to the demands of the industry,’ rather, they should adapt the demands of the industry to the limitations of the horse.” 

Ann Maree Matthews 
Collierville, Tennessee