Acupuncture & Kentucky Derby Winner - Street Sense

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

Congratulations to Chris Cahill, Lexington, for his part in fine-tuning STREET

SENSE - winner of Kentucky Derby. See this:

http://www.kentucky.com/269/story/68442.html

 

ON WINS AND NEEDLES: Acupuncture part of Street Sense's holistic

routine By Maryjean Wall MWALL

 

Mark Cornelison Trainer Carl Nafzger visited Street Sense on Friday while

the Kentucky Derby winner was eating his hay breakfast. Nafzger says the

colt's healthy immune system makes him a winner on the track. Photo by

Mark Cornelison | Staff Preakness Stakes Post time: 6:05 p.m. Saturday

Where: Pimlico, in Baltimore Purse: $1 million Distance: 1 3/16 miles TV: 5

p.m. (NBC-18) Draw: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

 

The winning path for Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby did not begin on

the rail, as most people think. It might have begun two days before the race

with an acupuncture treatment to promote healthy, open " paths " through the

horse's body. Call it the Spa Derby.

 

On the same day a veterinarian gave acupuncture to Street Sense, Derby

runner-up Hard Spun got a rubdown from an equine sports massage

therapist. Both horses will meet again Saturday in the Preakness Stakes at

Baltimore. Odds are they won't be the only ones racing anywhere in North

America to receive alternative sports therapy that day.

 

Many racing stables incorporate acupuncture, chiropractry, massage, other

forms of physical therapy, and herbal supplements into their training

regimens. " Have we abandoned the veterinary world? Absolutely not,

because they work hand-in-hand, " said Wanda Nafzger, wife of Carl

Nafzger, the trainer of Street Sense. But though many use alternative

therapies on horses, Carl Nafzger wrote one part of the book on this. His

book, Traits of a Winner, strongly stated Nafzger's belief that an equine

athlete absolutely must possess a healthy immune system.

 

He identified this as one of four traits a horse must have in order to be

successful on the track. Nonetheless, life appears to be the same vicious

circle for horses as it often is for humans. Life can beget stress, which in

turn can damage the immune system. Nafzger is one trainer who tries to

solve the stress conundrum in holistic ways. He says he does not want to

cover up a problem " with just a shot. "

 

Horses in his care might receive chiropractic treatments. They might munch

on pharmaceutical-grade herbs if they are supposed to help correct specific

imbalances. Nafzger buys these supplements from an herbalist, Cathy

McGlory, who periodically visits his barn.

 

But not all the horses receive herbs. Street Sense is among those who do

not. " We buy certain herbs from her for specific problems, " Nafzger said.

" And right now, Street Sense doesn't have any specific problems. "

 

The three other requirements for a successful horse, identified in Nafzger's

book, are ability, a sound body and a sound mind. Finding all three -- along

with a healthy immune system -- in one package is to hit the lottery.

 

Street Sense appears to be one of these lucky horses. Nafzger said he

received reports that Street Sense was " the perfect foal " from the time of his

birth at Chesapeake Farm in Lexington. He said it has helped him as a

trainer to be familiar with the personalities of two prior generations in Street

Sense's family. He trained the horse's mother, Bedazzle, and grand-mother,

Majestic Legend, for Street Sense's owner, Jim Tafel. But even the most

perfect foal cannot avoid stress upon maturing into a young racehorse. The

racetrack is a stressful place, always noisy, busy, and dusty, with the

environment constantly changing as stables ship from one track to another.

 

Any athletic training regimen can also bring on stress. Nafzger's belief in

acupuncture as an effective counter to stress and physical problems

convinced veterinarian Chris Cahill of Lexington to pursue a career-changing

course almost 20 years ago. Cahill underwent a certification course with the

International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1991, after seeing how well

the method was working in Nafzger's operation. Now, he oversees this

phase of the stable's program as part of his veterinary practice. " Carl

introduced me to it, " Cahill said.

 

Street Sense gets acupuncture treatments about every six weeks. Cahill

said he uses a small number of acupuncture needles on the Derby winner:

about 10, compared with perhaps 20 needles that some horses might need.

Street Sense appears to like the acupuncture needles. As soon as they are

inserted, " He'll take a deep breath and drop his head, and that's it, " Cahill

said. The treatment two days before the Derby was only to make sure the

horse " was hitting on all cylinders, " Cahill said. Most decidedly, Street Sense

had all cylinders firing. He came off the rail in the stretch and blew past

pace-setting Hard Spun to win the Derby by 21/4 lengths. Now, his fans can

only hope his holistic care will continue its magic as he takes his show on to

the Preakness Stakes, second leg in the Triple Crown.

 

 

 

Best regards,