Belmont Stakes Update - I'll Have Another Equipment Change

I'll Have Another, the horse that is getting ready to compete in the Belmont Stakes 2012 in a bid to capture the elusive Triple Crown, will have to do that without his normal equipment of "nasal strips" during the stakes. This is because NYRA rules do not permit nasal strips, the only track authority in the country to do so.

The horse's trainer claims that this would have no effect on the horse, however, this might have some effect, especially considering the horse has to train for and compete in a longer race. I still hope that this horse overcomes this somewhat minor adversity and comes out on top.

More information and nasal strips etc at: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70062/no-nasal-strip-no-problem-oneill-says?source=rss

An excerpt (fair use) from Blood horse is given here for a quick glance:

Nasal strips, produced by Flair LLC, are self-adhesive strips about three inches wide that provide "spring-like force" to the soft tissue overlaying a horse’s nasal passages. According to the company, eight peer-reviewed studies have shown the nasal strips reduce exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhaging, more commonly known as bleeding, by reducing the collapse of the soft nasal tissue during exercise.
Doug O’Neill, trainer of I’ll Have Another, said he uses the strips regularly on all his horses.
"I think it has some therapeutic value," O’Neill said. "I’m not a part of some study but it does seem to lessen the chance of bleeding."

Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/70062/no-nasal-strip-no-problem-oneill-says#ixzz1vwRKRDtb