“It might have something to do with the fact that most horses run on the drug Lasix these days.”
I think it’s more to do with PETA-hippie type crybabiness.
Everything has gone downhill since the ‘60s, and horse-racing is no exception.
“We might hurt them!!!”
Look at claimers - they use Lasix but are still being run quite frequently. The “best” have become hot-house flowers.
Claimers may run more often than Stakes horses but just scanning some PPs I have left over from the Keeneland Spring Meet, I'd say three weeks is the usual minimum.
I just happen to remember (fondly!) a bottom level claimer named Bullyampa that ran in NY back in the 60s. He ran on September 27, 1967, the date of the great race (The Woodward) that featured Buckpasser, Damascus and Dr. Fager. I have the PPs from that day. Bullyampa was making his fifth start in September!
ML/NJ