Quote:
Originally Posted by chesapeake
Anyone who thinks that the high instance of fatalities in American horse racing is unrelated to the prevalance of drug use inthe sport is fooling themselves. Sure, it's not the only reason. But it is a big one.
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I'd argue that the specific use of steroids isn't the problem. Rather, the weakening of the breed over the past half century thanks to the American thoroughbred being bred purely for speed - along with other breeding practices I've chronicled elsewhere on this board - combined with the use of medications that create genetic dependencies (bute, lasix, etc..) has done far more damage than something like Winstrol.
On the other hand, plenty of improvements have also been made. Better diagnostic equipment and practices allow trainers to catch injuries earlier and prevent many breakdowns that previously would have gone unnoticed. Theraputic medication has advanced that allows horses to recover from problems that previously would have led to death.