In response to suggestions made during a recent meeting on racing surfaces, stakeholders have retooled an online Injury Reporting Form designed to provide the Maryland Racing Commission and Maryland Jockey Club with real-time data with the goal of rapidly responding to track issues when they crop up.
Attending veterinarians and trainers are being asked to submit the online form for horses that are injured during training and racing at Laurel, Pimlico Race Course and the Maryland State Fair at Timonium. Similar to information compiled in 2020 on bleeding after race-day Lasix was banned for 2-year-olds racing in Maryland, the data will be strictly confidential and monitored by the MRC.
The Injury Reporting Form is available at http://mdhorsemen.com/
Trainers are urged to work with their veterinarians to ensure injuries—minor or serious—are promptly reported.
Information required on the form includes the trainer's name; horse's name; horse's age; horse's sex; the track where the injury occurred; the date of the injury; the location of the injury (barn, track and where on the track, or other); the veterinarian's name; the type of injury (soft tissue, fracture or other); whether the injury is new or recurring; which diagnostics were performed, if any; and the diagnosis and related comments.
“We want people to know this not an effort to place horses on the vet's list,” said Dr. Libby Daniel, MRC Equine Medical and Welfare Director. “This is about identifying problem areas on the track or problems with the surface itself. That is the main goal of this form.”
MJC Acting President Mike Rogers said receiving injury information promptly is extremely important when it comes to identifying potential issues with racing surfaces. “The data helps us identify problems and modify maintenance practices if necessary,” he said. “We're clearly trying to look for trends.”
For additional information, contact MRC Executive Director Mike Hopkins at 410-428-2391 or mike.hopkins@maryland.gov.
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