Doping a horse with the intent of losing
 

It really makes no sense at all for anyone to ever attempt doing it anymore -- the takeout is too high and the betting pools are too small and the betting system is pari-mutual.

However, when I read that doping a horse with the intent to lose long predates doping with the intent to win ... I was curious what are some of the drugs that a groom or trainer might have used in the long lost bookmaking days if they wanted to stop their horse without involving a jockey?

Here is the piece of a column that talks about it:

Didnt know they used drugs...had been aware of 'sponging'. Of course there was always the story of 'something' having been done to holy bull when he ran so poorly in the derby...and in reading about some of the top horses, they always had increased security....guess i just never thought about someone giving a horse something.

Sponging cases didn't start being reported until about the 1930's.

From 1890-to-1920 "night riding" incidents would occasionally be reported.

Night Riders -- often working for a big gambler -- would sneak into a horses stall at night, take him out, and ride him to exhaustion before sneaking him back into the stall.

They would do this with horses who are entered to run that day.

Here is part of what was reported when one of the Night Riders working in NY was captured.





Here was a take of one of the biggest bettors of the time:

Dave Johnson is older than he looks