Will a Nasal Strip Help California Chrome Win the Triple Crown?

NFL players wear them to help them breathe, and so will racehorse California Chrome on June 7, when he attempts to win the Triple Crown.

But there was some doubt as to whether the horse would be allowed to wear a nasal strip at the Belmont Stakes, where a first-place finish would make him the 12th horse in history to win the Triple Crown.

Could a breathing strip on a horse really help it win? California Chrome’s supporters seem to say both yes and no.

Just as humans wear them to help them breathe during sports or at night, the adhesive strips are designed to improve air flow into a horse’s nostrils — giving horses a boost, said Art Sherman, the horse’s trainer. Sherman suggested the horse might not run without it. Read more...