Barn Notes
LSU Vet Awarded Barbaro Fund Grant
- LSU Vet Awarded Barbaro Fund Grant
- Fair Grounds Announcer Dooley Back from Dubai
- Tenacious Handicap Nominations Close Saturday
LSU Vet Awarded Barbaro Fund Grant
A doctor of veterinary medicine who specializes in laminitis research at Louisiana State University has been chosen as one of two recipients of funds raised by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) in memory of the ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.
Dr. Susan Eades, originally a graduate of LSU and subsequently of LSU’s vet school, has been working on a project testing the hypothesis that the medication doxycycline might at some point in time be able to prevent the onset of laminitis and serve as a therapeutic agent for horses that contract it.
“We were pretty excited when we were told that our project was selected (for funds),” said Dr. Eades. “Hopefully, our work could someday help inhibit this heartbreaking and tragic disease. I must also say that my assistant Lee Ann Fugler has been an invaluable partner in this project.”
The disease of laminitis – more often than not fatal to those animals that contract it – was propelled into the public consciousness following the tragic injuries suffered by 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro in that year’s Preakness Stakes.
Following Barbaro’s death after he contracted laminitis, the NTRA Charities – Barbaro Memorial Fund was created in his honor. The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation was entrusted by the NTRA to manage the funds raised primarily from racing fans, racing participants, and racetracks. The foundation issued a special call for laminitis research and chose the LSU project as one of two awarded funding.
“Research has found that people with diabetes produce compounds called MMPs that are also present in horses that have contracted laminitis,” explained Dr. Eades. “Doxycycline has helped protect people with diabetes from damage to various organs, and we would hope that that the medication could at the very least help horses at risk for laminitis, and maybe someday in a best case scenario be used to prevent it.”
Although she is not actively involved with the Thoroughbred industry, Dr. Eades was raised in an equine atmosphere.
“I rode pleasure horses a lot when I was younger,” said Dr. Eades, “and some members of my family are still intensely involved with show horses. And although I’m not a sophisticated horseracing fan, like a lot of people in America I fell in love with Barbaro. After he won the Derby, I thought for sure he would go on and win the Triple Crown. I was devastated when he broke down in the Preakness, and – along with so many others – was hoping against all odds that he could be saved.
“Also, I had also done some work at the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant to Dr. Dean Richardson,” added Dr. Eades, “so the loss of Barbaro affected me immensely. Like I said before, laminitis is a heartbreaking disease, and I would hope that someday we might be able to find a way to at least lessen its tragic consequences.”
The LSU project, of course, is one such promising way – especially since the award of its recent NTRA funding.
Also, for Dr. Eades and LSU, there comes this latest positive vibration. Not too surprisingly – despite her hectic professional schedule - Dr. Eades finds the time to be an avid LSU football fan, and at least for the time being, can allow herself the luxury of basking in the potential promise of LSU’s No. 1 ranking following some earlier frustrating disappointments along the road.
Fair Grounds Announcer Dooley Back from Dubai
Fair Grounds announcer John G. Dooley, now in residence at his New Orleans winter headquarters in advance of Fair Grounds Thanksgiving Opening Day Nov. 22, has recently returned from a week-long trip to the United Arab Emirates, home of Thoroughbred racing’s internationally renowned Dubai World Cup.
“For me, this was the trip of a lifetime,” said Dooley, now entering his fourth year as the voice of Fair Grounds. “When I’m at Fair Grounds, I always come in early to watch the simulcasts of the races from Nad Al Sheba leading up to the Dubai World Cup. Obviously, as an international racing fan, getting to actually go to the home of the Dubai World Cup was a real thrill.”
Dooley, who has also served as the announcer at Chicago’s Arlington Park for the last eight summers, went to Dubai at the invitation of Frank Gabriel, former Arlington Park vice president and current chief executive officer of the Dubai Racing Club, as well as his wife Christine, Dooley’s former broadcast partner on both the Chicago and Cleveland racing circuits.
“I’m glad to be back in New Orleans,” said Dooley, “but I greatly enjoyed visiting my dear friends at their new home in Dubai.
“I also got to ride a camel,” concluded Dooley of his recent international travels. “I would like to refer to myself now as ‘the Robby Albarado of the Desert’ – but unfortunately, my camel wasn’t quite like Curlin.”
Tenacious Handicap Nominations Close Saturday
Director of Racing/Racing Secretary Sam Abbey reminds horsemen that nominations for the 43rd running of the $60,000 Tenacious Handicap for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 1, second Saturday of the upcoming 2007-2008 racing season, close this Saturday.
In addition to the Tenacious Handicap closing this Saturday, horsemen are reminded that Early Bird Nominations ($500) to the 95th running of the Grade II $600,000 Louisiana Derby are due Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007, which includes nominating fee for the first two races of the Louisiana Derby Series: $100,000 guaranteed Lecomte Stakes (Grade III) on Jan. 12, 2008, and $300,000 guaranteed Risen Star Stakes (Grade III) on Feb. 9, 2008.
