Trainers and vets are correct and admirable to keep what's going on with their horses absolutely, completely private. Only the owners can legally release information. A vet can't even verify a particular animal has been admitted or seen.
When you walk through a vet hospital (if you are alllowed back there, accompanied) any names you see on stalls are often aliases. I've seen entire owner & horse aliases, too, on charts, to protect privacy of an ownership group or horse from talkative techs and stall cleaners.
When you purchase a horse privately, you are responsible for having your vet suss out any problems. The seller and seller's vet is required to tell you nothing (but cannot outright lie, you can get them for that). With stock that can be sold for hundreds of thousands, millions, of dollars, you bet the trainer, help, and vet better keep private things private.
That said: I wish the US would change and become more like Japan, Australia, regarding what information has to be released and accounted for to the gambling public. Far greater accountability elsewhere.
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"Have the clean racing people run any ads explaining that giving a horse a Starbucks and a chocolate poppyseed muffin for breakfast would likely result in a ten year suspension for the trainer?" - Dr. Andrew Roberts
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