Unusual Drug Gives Pacer a Fighting Heart

COLUMBUS, Ohio —  A year ago, Doc Falcon did not race with a lot of heart.

As a 4-year-old pacer, the once promising career of Doc Falcon appeared to be at an end. He began bleeding through the nose and was taken to a veterinary clinic near Northfield Park, what was then his home harness track outside Cleveland.

“Doc’s heart was doing about 70% of the work of what a normal heart would do,” says Dr. Margaret Cumming, a veterinarian at the Randall Veterinary Center. “Seventy percent was enough to keep him alive, but that’s not good enough to win any races.”

Due to an irritation in the muscles of the heart, Doc’s heart was beating out of sync. The problem was diagnosed through an electro-cardiogram. After several medical procedures were tried to no avail, co-owners Chuck Mooney and Paul Piccirillo and driver-trainer Mel Turcotte decided to take a chance with a sometimes fatal drug, Quinidine, in May of 1986.

“We were told that the top muscle of his heart was dormant and wasn’t pumping,” says Turcotte. “We were told three things could happen: The drug would either founder him, kill him or return him to a normal heartbeat.”

Cumming says, “The medication can be toxic. If you can’t convert the heart to do all of its work, the horse really isn’t of much value as a racehorse or for breeding purposes.”

Turcotte added, “We figured we had nothing to lose and the horse had already been through so much in the way of injuries, that we decided to try it. In the first 24 hours, he didn’t die. In the next 24 hours, he didn’t founder. And he’s still racing today.”

So far in 1987, Doc Falcon has had a dozen starts, with three wins, three seconds and two thirds. He has earned $7,515 to boost his lifetime winnings to $32,837. On the opening night of Scioto Downs harness track outside Columbus, he won a $2,800 claiming race, timed in a lifetime record 2:00.

“This is the best he’s ever been,” says Turcotte. “He’s never been as sound or as ready as he is now. . . . Because of illnesses and injuries he’s never been able to put together 10 races. He would always race three or four times and then be off three or four months. But he’s always been a good-natured horse and a hard worker.”

Cumming adds, “Doc Falcon is a fighter. He’s the perfect example of an animal with a strong will.”