Was it merely a change of heart that led the Breeders’ Cup board of directors to back away from their 2011 decision to ban race-day medication in all of its championship races beginning in 2013?
Or could it have been the financial projections given to the board for this year’s event if some owners and trainers opted not to race their horses because they were unable to be treated with the anti-bleeding drug furosemide, better known as Lasix. Maybe it was the threat of a federal lawsuit by a leading owner, citing fiduciary responsibilities of non-profit organization board members under New York law, where the Breeders’ Cup is incorporated. Perhaps for some board members, the decision was made out of frustration, knowing that local horsemen’s organizations have the ultimate approval rights for simulcasting the Breeders’ Cup under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978, and the event could have been held as a hostage over medication rules.
Most likely it was a combination of all of the above.
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