New Variables-- paging Sighthound

[TGJB]

As if things weren\'t complicated enough, it turns out that Forever Together and Delightful Kiss are non-sweaters, and it\'s going to be hot. FT is also shipping in just before the race. Anybody know anything about non-sweaters? Sight?

[miff]

They usually give them beer to drink, really!

[MonmouthGuy]

I do think I recall reading that they were pouring a can of Guinness into her feed at Keeneland each day to help her sweat.

Wasn\'t it fairly hot and humid on Diana day this year?

[TGJB]

Miff-- that was supposed to encourage me?

[miff]

JB,

Whats the problem?,they\'ll be like the rest of the drunks in attendance.Better get a new TG symbol ready.

Mike

[hooper]

From the Thoroughbred Times

Non-sweaters
Anhidrosis renders a horse unable to sweat, which is why horsemen coined the term non-sweaters for horses suffering from the condition. Although no one knows what causes horses to stop sweating, researchers theorize that sweat glands lose their ability to produce sweat when an excessive demand is placed on them, either over time or by one traumatic episode of heat stress.
Constant triggering of sweat gland receptors desensitizes them and makes them unresponsive to stimuli. Once damaged, the receptors rarely recover their original sensitivity, even over time. Microscopic examination of sweat glands of anhidrotic horses shows them to be contracted and occluded by necrotic cells, a likely result of their inactivity.
Anhidrosis affects sedentary as well as working horses, but non-sweaters that are asked to compete in heat and humidity experience a marked decrease in performance because their bodies are unable to regulate their temperature adequately. Thermoregulation is necessary for the horse to maintain normal body temperature.
Without sweat to cool the blood sent to the surface of the skin, non-sweaters must compensate by increased respiration to cool the blood coursing through the membranes of the lungs. With nostrils flaring in an effort to circulate air in and out of the lungs, non-sweaters become fatigued after only a few minutes of exercise, and climbing temperature and pulse rate predisposes them to heat stress. These horses often develop anorexia and weight loss. In some cases the skin becomes dry and flaky and hair loss occurs. Severely anhidrotic horses even show signs of distress standing idly in a paddock during hot, humid weather.
Efforts to alleviate the symptoms by supplementing the horses diet with electrolytes and thyroxin have previously resulted in little success. This has left horsemen with only one option, the age-old solution of moving anhidrotic horses to a cooler climate, which is often impractical.

[mlnolan00]

Beer on?  (snort)

[phil123]

Sounds like it might not be such a problem, or at least that Sheppard has come up with a work around.

From Hovdey\'s column today on DRF:

 Never mind steroids, Lasix, and bute. Forever Together gets a pint of Guinness in her feed each evening, just to help her sweat.

\"I don\'t know why it works,\" said her trainer, Jonathan Sheppard, outside Barn 27 Thursday morning. \"I have noticed, though, that people who drink a lot of beer tend to sweat quite a lot.\"

Spoken like a man who enjoys fine wine. Sheppard discovered that Forever Together had stopped sweating earlier this year. This is not good for a hair-covered animal. The body needs to be cooled down after physical endeavor, and sweating does the job. Forever Together, every inch the spoiled princess, now perspires on cue.

Sheppard, one of eight Hall of Fame trainers with Cup runners, is in town for a rare California appearance with nothing less than a championship on the line. If Forever Together can add the Filly and Mare Turf to her wins in the Diana and the First Lady, the deal is done.

[sighthound]

Looks like the issue\'s been covered pretty well , \"beer on\" angle (a nice Guiness) does work, often seems to make them start sweating again if they are not too bad.

Non-sweaters can run - most trainers at this level are not going to put them in the race if they are not expected to be okay.  I would trust Sheppard\'s judgement - if he puts a horse in it\'s ready to go.

They also may pour water over them in the paddock, etc. (nice to know if you see a horse soaked, when everyone else is dry)

Watch the weather carefully - humidity makes it far more difficult for the horse to cool (and they would prefer it to be 35-40 degrees anyway)

[jimbo66]

That is a problem, at least for this gambler.  I thought 8-1 on Delightful Kiss was one of the better \"square bets\" in a pretty bad race.  

Not as interested in Forever Together.  She ran huge last time and has that big Diana, but me thinks she doesn\'t want the distance and will be bet.  Wait A While will be very tough in the F&M Turf over this course.  Of course, won\'t run worse than her \"2\", which she runs all the time, but I give her a 25% chance to get back to that \"0\".  This course, this distance, is her best chance.

[alm]

The problem with these posts is this: if you know the horse is a non-sweater and you still have to bet the race, you should have your head examined.

Skip the race or drop the horse from your bet...it\'s a bad proposition under SoCal conditions.  I\'ve owned a couple and I\'ve never seen any of mine or anyone else\'s I\'ve known about run well in the heat.

God bless them if they do, but you are better off just watching.