Breeders’ Cup decision to run medication-free long overdue

The Breeders’ Cup last week issued a news release that deserved more industry attention. That organization is hoping to eliminate race-day medication by the 2013 Breeders’ Cup.

Races for 2-year-olds will be run medication-free in 2012, with the remaining events joining in for 2013.

I have written that American graded stakes races should be run drug-free. This would be a good move on many fronts.

The most obvious reason is public perception. All the major sports have had to deal with abuses involving steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. Random drug testing of athletes is now the norm.

Call me old school, but horses competing in the Triple Crown, Breeders’ Cup or any graded stakes should run strictly on hay, oats and water. The most important person in the barn should be the trainer, not the veterinarian.

If this medication-free rule is implemented one day, it would have long-term benefits to the breeding industry. If breeders, horsemen and buyers knew for sure that the best horses ran without PEDs, it would improve the breed dramatically.

Many horses with infirmities masked by PEDs pass those genetics on to their offspring. This has been happening over and over again, decade after decade. The weakening of pedigrees has something to do with the dearth of classic distance runners and no Triple Crown champion since 1978.

The Breeders’ Cup will be bringing its event in line with racing around the globe. “The time has come to modify our medication policies to be consistent with international practices,” Breeders’ Cup chairman Tom Ludt said.

This is a move that was long overdue.

■ GOLD COAST — Here is a final reminder that the Gold Coast Summer Classic will be Thursday through July 30. Entry fee is $400.

■ CANNERY — The $5,000 Horse Handicappers contest at the Cannery, Eastside Cannery and Rampart on Sunday has the best price in town — free. Sign-ups at the three race books will be limited to 400, with one entry per person. The contest uses the first eight races at Del Mar.

■ TREASURE ISLAND — Treasure Island, the new home of the 2012 Daily Racing Form/National Thoroughbred Racing Association National Handicapping Championship, will host its first NHC qualifier Aug. 19 and 20. The Wager and Win contest will have a $1,000 entry fee and will be limited to the first 100 entrants.

Richard Eng’s horse racing column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at rich_eng@hotmail.com.