“The initiatives supported by The Jockey Club, together with others or wholly backed by The Jockey Club, have increased substantially in the last decade and a half,” said James Gagliano, president and COO, The Jockey Club. “They reflect the commitment by the board of stewards to invest our profits into a wide array of projects and activities that may serve as catalysts for growth of the sport and for ensuring the safety and welfare of its participants.”

The Jockey Club, a non-profit organization, has created a group of for-profit subsidiaries and partnerships, including the The Jockey Club Information Systems (TJCIS), InCompass Solutions, Equibase Company, and The Jockey Club Technology Services (TJCTS). These companies provide the industry with technology services and products and the profits they create are dispersed to The Jockey Club for investment back into the sport.

The Jockey Club supports two charities: the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation.

Other Jockey Club initiatives include the multi-media fan development platform, American's Best Racing, while its aftercare efforts include support of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, as well as the Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program.

According to the impact report, The Jockey Club's 2024 investments in racing include over $3.5 million in industry growth initiatives and over $1.5 million in aftercare initiatives.

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The projects, led by Gisela Soboll Hussey of Michigan State University and Bettina Wagner of Cornell University, aim to develop novel nucleic acid vaccines to protect horses from EHV-1/EHM and EHV-4.

Soboll Hussey's project is titled, “Use of nucleic acid vaccines to protect from EHV-1/EHM,” and it will last three years. Her objective is to develop a novel mRNA-based EHV vaccine that protects horses from EHV-1 myeloencephalopathy, a method that will likely cross-protect horses against other types of equine herpesviruses. Wagner's project, titled, “A novel DNA vaccine platform to control EHV-1 and EHV-4,” will span two years and aims to develop an effective DNA vaccine for EHV-1 to protect horses against infection and disease, working to prevent catastrophic EHV outbreaks in the future.

The EHV-1 and EHM viruses affect horses of every breed and discipline, and they continue to cause significant economic losses through closures of racetracks and sales barns, delays in training schedules, and severe disease and death of horses. Total funding for the projects of $1,885,436 was provided by special donor Dr. John Ballantyne and Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation.

“The work of our research advisory committee is timely and essential,” Dell Hancock, chairman of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, said. “We look forward to working with these institutions to develop these vaccines and protect the equine industry from the devastating effects of EHV-1 and EHM.”

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“The Grayson Foundation is dedicated to tackling a variety of equine health challenges, which is clearly reflected in our selected projects for this year,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson. “Our research projects and career development awards wouldn't be possible without the kindness of our donors, and we thank them for their understanding of the significance of equine veterinary research.”

Details on the new projects are available here.

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Fatalities due to catastrophic musculoskeletal injury were not included in the study.

The use of Lasix was one of 15 risk factors identified in the report.

The study, relying on information from the Equine Injury Database, examined starts made by 284,387 Thoroughbreds at 144 racetracks in the U.S. and Canada from 2009 to 2021. A total of 4,198,073 starts were included in the study, which was conducted by Dr. Euan Bennet and Dr. Tim Parkin. The number of starts equals 92.2% of all races in North America run during the period of the study.

Among the starters, there were 536 instances where a horse died within the three-day window after racing, a rate of  0.13 per 1,000 starts.

Horses falling into the “sudden death” category had to have died within three days of racing and have had one or more of five fatal injury descriptions:  (1) sudden death (recorded as “SUD” in the EID); (2) pulmonary hemorrhage; (3) exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH); (4) postexertional distress/heatstroke (PED); and (5) cardiac arrhythmia.

The study included 233,276 starts made by horses without Lasix. Eighteen or 0.08 per 1,000 starters died within three days. There were 3,964,797 starters who ran with Lasix and the result was 518 sudden deaths or 0.13 per 1000 starters. Ninety-four percent of all horses in the study raced with Lasix.

“…it could be hypothesized that furosemide administration in horses may increase the risk of sudden death through fatal arrhythmogenesis,” the study reads. “However, as the exact cause of sudden death (cardiac vs non-cardiac) was not determined for the horses of this study, we can only speculate at possible mechanisms. Further investigation is required to understand which, if any, pathophysiologic mechanisms could underlie the association between furosemide use and sudden death, as this finding raises further concerns about the ethics of race-day administration.”

The researchers also concluded: “…identifying any potential causal link between furosemide administration and sudden death should be a priority.”

The study looked at 49 risk factors and concluded that 15 of those factors could have led to a horse dying following a race. The list includes:

(*) Horses racing in the winter were at a 28% reduced risk of dying when compared to horses racing in the summer;

(*) There were fewer fatalities in longer races. In races contested at a mile or longer horses were 32% less likely to die than horses competing in races at six furlongs or shorter;

(*) Older horses were more likely to die than younger ones. Horses five or over were 44% more likely to die than horses who were three or younger;

(*) Horses that had been racing frequently were less likely to die than horses who had their races spaced out. For each additional race start made in the previous 0 to 30 days, individual horses were at reduced risk of sudden death. Horses that had made two or more race starts in the period 90 to 180 days before the current race were at 19% decreased risk of fatality compared to horses that had made 0 or 1 start in the same time period;

(*) Horses racing for the first time in a claiming race were at an increased risk. They were at 38% increased odds of sudden death compared to horses that were not making their debut in the claiming ranks;

(*) Horses that had previously been on a vet list, were 31% more likely to die compared to horses than had never been on a vet list;

(*) Horses whose last starts were made on a synthetic track were at 33% reduced odds of sudden death compared to starts made on dirt tracks;

The researchers hoped their information could lead to fewer sudden deaths.

The study reads: “Further work is required to determine which, if any, clinical signs are potential indicators and, indeed, whether such a rare outcome could be reliably predicted. The thoughtful application of big data predictive modeling would be helpful here; routine biometric monitoring of racehorses throughout their training and racing careers could provide valuable insights into horses' physical well-being.”

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The event will start at 8:20 a.m. ET and last until approximately 5 p.m. ET. It is free and open to the public. Topics on the agenda include an update on the Equine Injury Database, presentations about preparing the 2-year-old Thoroughbred for racing, jockey weights, wearable technologies for horses, and the use of positron emission tomography scans.

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Organized by Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), the event returns to the Kentucky Horse Park, April 28-May 1. Known as the “Best Weekend All Year,” the event hosts the prestigious Five Star three-day event, the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian, plus a spectacular show jumping Grand Prix, the $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

“We are deeply honored to be selected as the official charity of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event,” said Dell Hancock, chairman of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation. “EEI's commitment to helping non-profit organizations should be commended, especially given the financial challenges of the past year. Their generosity will help improve the lives of all horses, from three-day eventers to horses in your backyard.”

Since 1983, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has provided more than $27.5 million to fund 366 projects at 44 universities in North America and overseas. Through the years, research funded by Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and its predecessor (the Grayson Foundation) has uncovered solutions to critical problems affecting horse health as well as clues to numerous other solutions of equine health issues. For more information, visit Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Inc.

“Over the years, EEI has maintained a strong commitment to supporting charities that serve the local community and support the equine industry,” said EEI president Mike Cooper. “This year, after so many individuals and organizations stood by us during the challenges presented by COVID-19, we are redoubling our commitment to giving back and we are thrilled to partner with the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation as our official charity.”

As the official charity, Grayson-Jockey Club Research will receive a portion of the proceeds from a special farm-to-table fundraising charity dinner on Thursday, April 28, in the Big Barn at the Kentucky Horse Park. Ticket and other information is available at https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/fundraisingdinner/.

The LRK3DE is a thrilling multi-day competition featuring Olympic-level riders and horses in what can best be described as an equestrian triathlon. Horses and riders compete for $400,000 in prize money in three phases of competition – Dressage, Cross-Country and Show Jumping. LRK3DE is one of only seven annual Five Star three-day events in the world and is the first and longest-running Five Star in the Americas. As the United States' premier event, it also serves as the Land Rover/USEF CCI-5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian.

As part of the action-packed weekend, the third annual $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will take place on Saturday afternoon, April 30, after the cross-country portion of the LRK3DE. Stadium seat tickets for the Grand Prix are just $10 and are available here. There will also be a $36,500 Welcome Speed Cup Ranking Class on Friday in Rolex Stadium, after the day's LRK3DE dressage competition. No stadium seat ticket is required for Friday's Ranking Class. Further information is available at Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix.

Tickets for the 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian and the $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute are now on sale! Single-Day and Multi-Day tickets are available. All grounds admission tickets to the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event include general parking and admission to the Kentucky Horse Park and International Trade Fair, but do not include access to the competition in Rolex Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Reserved grandstand seating is sold separately from grounds admission and traditionally the best seats sell out, so everyone is encouraged to place orders as early as possible. Grounds admission is free for children 12 years and under with adult ticket purchases.

For a unique world-class Kentucky experience, exclusive Ringside Hospitality Packages are also available, including Patron Plus, Patron Club, and Kentucky Club (Saturday only). Tickets can be ordered online at https://kentuckythreedayevent.com/tickets/ or over the phone (859-254-8123). Further information on the Land Rover Kentucky is available here.

Read more here.

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“Dr. Lavin made innumerable contributions to Grayson over the last 40 years, including time spent as a valued member of both our board of directors and research advisory committee (RAC),” said Dell Hancock, chair of Grayson. “He was instrumental in the reorganization of our research approval process, which resulted in the development of the research advisory committee we use today. Dr. Lavin believed that the veterinary community should be involved in Grayson's work, and we are proud to honor him with this position, which will facilitate a veterinary relationship with the foundation that he believed was so important.”

Oaklawn Park will be supporting this new role with a lead gift of $250,000.

“We are grateful to Oaklawn and the Cella family for their demonstrated commitment to equine health in helping to fund this position,” Hancock said.

“For three generations, the Cella-Lavin families have been working together in the best interest of the Thoroughbred,” said Louis Cella, president of Oaklawn. “We all have such great memories of Doc. It is a great honor to kick off this campaign to create the A. Gary Lavin Chair.”

Responsibilities of the A. Gary Lavin Chair will include RAC member recruitment, orientation, and management; management of grant applications, reviews, deadlines, and conflict eliminations; fundraising; and publicity.

“My father was a lifelong advocate of equine health and longtime supporter of Grayson, and my family is proud to see his legacy continue through this new position,” said Kevin Lavin, vice chairman of Grayson. “We are appreciative of the support that it has already received and thankful to the Cella family for their initiative in the fundraising effort.”

Those who are interested in supporting the endowment can designate donations to Grayson as being specifically for the A. Gary Lavin Chair position.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1983, the foundation has provided more than $30.6 million to fund 397 projects at 45 universities in North America and overseas. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.

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“We are heartened by the continued commitment of universities to supporting equine veterinary research throughout these difficult times and that we are able to distribute more funding than ever before, enabling us to help horses of all breeds and disciplines,” said Dell Hancock, chair of Grayson.

“Despite a challenging year, Grayson-Jockey Club was excited to receive 51 grant applications from a variety of veterinary institutions in North America as well as five other countries,” said Dr. Stephen M. Reed, chair of Grayson's research advisory committee. “The subject matter is diverse and ranges from identifying new methods to treat and prevent infectious disease to development of computational models using big data to investigation of novel imaging techniques to prevent orthopedic injuries.”

Below is an alphabetical list by school of the new projects:

Passive Immunization of Foals with RNA-AB against R Equi

Jeroen Pollet, Baylor College of Medicine

By inhalation therapy, we intend to deliver the genetic code for a protective antibody against Rhodococcus equi into the lung cells of newborn foals, to rapidly protect them against infection.

Hyperthermia and Acidosis in Exertional Muscle Damage

Michael Davis, Oklahoma State University

This project will identify an underlying cause of exercise-associated muscle fatigue and soreness and allow trainers to more precisely condition horses with fewer training days lost to muscle soreness.

Developing an Improved Serological Test for Strangles

Noah Cohen, Texas A&M

We propose to develop a more accurate blood test to identify horses infected with the bacterium that causes strangles to improve control and prevention of strangles.

Mitigation of Equine Recurrent Uveitis through SOCS

Joseph Larkin, University of Florida

We seek to design a topical eye drop, using a natural protein, which helps to prevent pain and blindness associated with equine recurrent uveitis.

Environmental Origins of Equine Antimicrobial Resistance

Brandy Burgess, University of Georgia

This study will elucidate how antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants are shared among horses and hospital environment, as well as the role antimicrobial exposure plays at this interface.

Treatment of Joint Injury with Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Thomas Koch, University of Guelph

Evaluation of equine umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells to treat joint injuries in horses.

Optimizing Bone Growth to Reduce Equine Fracture

Mariana Kersh, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Reduction in distal limb fractures through exercise in young horses would have a significant positive impact on horse welfare and the economics and public perception of the horse industry.

New Generation Equine Influenza Bivalent VLP Vaccine

Thomas Chambers, University of Kentucky

We propose to create a novel, safe and effective vaccine for equine influenza based on the 21st-century technology of noninfectious virus-like particles produced in plants.

Injury Prediction from Stride Derived Racing Load

Chris Whitton, University of Melbourne

By studying patterns in bone fatigue accrual over time in racehorses, we will better, and earlier, identify horses at risk of limb injury, facilitating timely evidence based preventative strategies.

Predicting Exercising Arrhythmias with Resting ECGs

Molly McCue, University of Minnesota

We will use at rest ECGs to identify horses with irregular heart rhythms at exercise that can cause sudden cardiac death (SCD), allowing for increased monitoring and improved understanding of SCD.

Understanding and Preventing Supporting Limb Laminitis

Andrew Van Eps, University of Pennsylvania

We aim to make supporting limb laminitis preventable through analysis of archived model tissues, a multi-center limb motion study of horses at risk, and development of a prototype therapeutic device.

Diagnosis of Incipient Condylar Stress Fracture

Peter Muir, University of Wisconsin-Madison

This study will save the lives of racehorses by establishing screening using fetlock CT for diagnosis of horses with a high risk of imminent serious injury for personalized clinical care.

The Storm Cat Career Development Award, inaugurated in 2006, grants $20,000 to an individual considering a career in equine research. This year's recipient is Dr. Callum G. Donelly of the University of California, Davis. Dr. Donelly has completed his residency program and is in a research training position under the mentorship of Dr. Carrie Fino. His project, “Proteomic Investigation of Equine Spinal Ataxia,” is expected to identify novel protein biomarkers that differentiate normal horses from those with spinal ataxia, with high sensitivity and specificity.

The Elaine and Bertram Klein Career Development Award was first awarded in 2015 and grants $20,000 to a prospective equine researcher. This year's recipient is Dr. Aileen Rowland of Texas A&M University. Dr. Rowland's research focuses on the efficacy of xenogeny-free mesenchymal stem cells for osteoarthritis.

“We are pleased to continue our funding of two career development awards to support individuals passionate about equine research,” said Dr. Johnny Mac Smith, consultant to the research advisory committee. “Dr. Donelly and Dr. Rowland are worthy recipients of these grants, and I look forward to seeing how their current and future projects contribute to improving equine health in the future.”

Details on the new projects are available at the following link: grayson-jockeyclub.org/default.asp?section=2&area=Research&menu=2.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of equine research funding. The projects it supports enhance the health and safety of horses of all breeds. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson.jockeyclub.org.

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