Vet scratches
 

I have noticed, looking through the charts, that there are are quite a few vet scratches at Presque Isle . At Finger Lakes it's not unusual as well. Even had one at Belmont the other day. What would cause a vet scratch ? Can a trainer be penalized for too many vet scratches ? Are vet scratch totals per trainer listed ? If so, is this public knowledge ?

A vet scratch can be made for a number of reasons:

1) If a trainer feels that their horse is not healthy enough to run (IE colic, fever, mucus etc) they can declare a vet scratch, many times this requires a form to be submitted from the stables vet validating the claim

2) Many tracks require a pre race examination by a state vet. They check legs and watch the horses jog and if they see something that they feel will harm the horse when they run they will scratch the horse.

3) A state vet may scratch a horse if they do something in the paddock, post parade or gate that injures them

4) A state vet may also scratch a horse if they are lame in post parade, sometimes the jockey may request the vet scratch a horse because it feels unsound to them. Two things happen here they either scratch the horse or they may find another jockey to ride the horse

The term vet scratch covers a wide array of possibilities. As for on-track vet scratches, the cheaper the racing, the more vet scratches because, generally, the more "sore" the horses are.

If you horse vet scratch's before the post parade your horse is given a certain amount of days it can't race. Some tracks give 5 days, some give 10 and some give more. Tracks used to give more like 30 days a while back but that has changed.

If the state vet scratches your horse in the post parade your horse will have to work for the Vet to get off the Vet's List before it will be able to run again.

Didn't a horse just run at Belmont last week that was on the vet-scratch list? I think I overheard something of the sort. Were there any penalties levied in the way of fines or suspensions?

a darley horse, dq'd from a win i believe.