Though equine skin cancers are usually fairly easy to identify, internal cancers can be significantly more difficult to diagnose.
Clinical symptoms are often vague, like weight loss and fever, while testing for known biomarkers is not ideal as many other factors can influence their concentrations.
Blood work, diagnostic imaging, endoscopic exams, and rectal palpation are often used to help make a definitive diagnosis. Other effective diagnostic tools include advanced imaging, like the use of a CT machine, and biopsies. Peritoneal and pleural fluids may be examined as well, but those results are not concrete.
Bloodwork results may indicate organ dysfunction, but it is rarely specific enough. Cancer cells can induce paraneoplastic syndromes, in which substances are produced that cause secondary changes to blood work or physical signs.
Measuring these circulating substances, called tumor markers, can help diagnose the type of cancer and its stage; it can also be helpful in monitoring cancer treatment and disease control.
There are three main types of internal tumor markers: hormones, enzymes, and antibodies.
Scientists at the Free University of Berlin performed a review seeking to describe the tumor markers available in equine medicine, as well as the factors influencing their concentration or activity
They concluded that none of the known tumor markers is an ideal biomarker; factors like age, pregnancy, inflammation, infection, or lactation can increase the concentration or activity of these biomarkers.
To avoid false positive diagnoses, test results should be examined alongside the horse's history, clinical signs, and lab results. Ongoing testing is also advised; as tumors typically progress, the results should follow suit.
On New Year's Eve, 2022, Fight On Lucy loaded onto a van at Belmont Park and headed north, leaving her racetrack career behind her. It was a moment to celebrate; at the end of a very busy month and a near-record year, TAKE THE LEAD was hitting a remarkable milestone of 1,000 horses retired through the program since it launched nearly 10 years ago.
The TAKE THE LEAD Thoroughbred Retirement Program was unveiled by the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) in 2013 to assist the owners and trainers at the New York Racing Association tracks in finding accredited aftercare for their horses. TAKE THE LEAD serves as a liaison between the horsemen and women and the aftercare organizations, gathering the necessary information, diagnostics, and paperwork on each horse, then finding a placement with a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-approved partner and arranging for transportation from the track. The initiative is funded primarily by NYTHA and through a portion of the claiming surcharge on horses claimed at NYRA racetracks.
“Rick Violette started the program when he was president of NYTHA, and it has really blossomed,” the organization's president, Rick Schosberg, said. “The word has spread; we get calls pretty much daily about horses that need retirement homes, and we go to work. Our team is small – myself, our Executive Director Andy Belfiore, our Aftercare Coordinator Kristen Mason, and our bookkeeping guru Dionne Johnson – but we are all dedicated to making sure our horses have the very best chance of happy and healthy lives beyond the track.”
Fight On Lucy is a fitting representative of the 999 horses who came before her. Bred in New York by the venerable Bongard family's Rojan Farm, she earned $314,429 the hard way, making 39 starts over five seasons. She was raced by a partnership of Ellen Bongard and her sister Barbara, Carla Skodinski, Ellen Petrino, and Kathleen Condon. Her trainer, Pat Kelly, is a founding member of TAKE THE LEAD and its sister program, TAKE2.
The decision to retire Lucy was, in part, a legal one. Sadly, Ellen Bongard passed away unexpectedly two years ago, and the estate needed to be closed. But it is also in keeping with TAKE THE LEAD's mantra of retiring “one race early.” The connections made the decision to send Lucy on to her second career, rather than to sell or continue to race under a different ownership, while she was 100-percent sound.
“We had a big powwow up in Saratoga last year to talk about her,” Kelly explained. “Lucy was still competitive, and the owners loved watching her run and keeping Ellen's memory alive. It was heartbreaking from that standpoint, but Lucy was turning seven, and the owners wanted to do right by her. It was time to make a plan.”
Cindy Norton, who served as Rojan Farm's manager for many years, added, “The owners were never going to run her in a claiming race, and we wanted to see her retired while she was sound and happy.”
Coming Full Circle
Fight On Lucy traveled from Belmont Park to New Vocations in Gansevoort, NY, just a short drive from where she was foaled. Waiting to greet her was Amanda Vance, who oversees New Vocation's New York operation. It was a special moment for Vance, who had played a pivotal role in Lucy's life when she was just two weeks old.
While the end of her racing career was carefully orchestrated, the start to Lucy's life had not gone so smoothly.
As Norton explained: “Her dam got colic two weeks after Lucy was born. We tried surgery, but it was not successful.”
Nurse mares were in short supply, but the Bongards had gotten to know one of the team at the equine clinic where the surgery was performed – Amanda Vance. As it happened, Vance had an older pony mare on her farm that she thought might serve as a companion to the now orphan.
“The pony's name was Bella – she was retired from riding, and she'd had foals in the past,” Vance said. “I thought, 'we can give it a try.' We shipped her over and at first she was not so sure about Lucy, but then she accepted her, and they were together until Lucy was weaned. Bella's last job in life was to bring up Lucy – and she did a good job of it.”
Lucy and Bella
Lucy made her racetrack debut at Belmont in October of 2018 and finished third.
She never earned headlines, but, as Barbara Bongard enthused, “She tried hard every time.”
Over her 39 starts, the dark bay New York-bred won three times, with four seconds and nine thirds.
“She was a very enthusiastic racehorse,” Kelly said. “She loved what she did.”
The team gave Lucy one final start in the Bay Ridge Stakes at Aqueduct Dec. 17, but it was a tough spot and, after a rough start, Lucy finished last. It might not have been the fairy-tale victory hoped for, but it is still a happy ending for the mare – as is the goal for all of the horses who go through the TAKE THE LEAD Program.
Lucy is now enjoying a little R&R before embarking on a second career.
“We're giving her a little time to hang out,” Vance said. “She's turned out with other mares, and she thinks that's the best. She loves her girl gang.
“When she's ready, we will get her started and evaluate her under saddle,” she continued. “We see what type of rider would best suit her and what she might want to do for a second career. She's willing and brave and she could go in any direction, but we will tell us what she wants to do. When she's ready, she will be available for adoption by one of our approved adopters.”
Vance is honored to be part of the Lucy story once again.
“I didn't think I would be as affected, but it's pretty special having her here at New Vocations,” she said. “It's been great to spend time with her again, and to be able to tell a future adopter her story first-hand, and share the photos of Lucy and Bella? That's going to be fun.”
Barbara Bongard, Cindy Norton and other members of the partnership have already been out to visit Lucy several times, and they plan to remain in touch no matter where the future takes her.
“Everyone is really attached to her,” Norton said. “We're excited to see what she might do next – hopefully she will make someone a nice little hunter or jumper. Amanda will figure it out. It's up to her now – it is pretty cool to see the story come full circle.”
Kelly concluded, “It really has been kind of a magical journey.”
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture issued the following notice on Wednesday, Jan. 25, following the confirmed EHV-1 positive in Barn 21 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.:
Movement of horses from Gulfstream to Kentucky Tracks: Horses moving from Gulfstream racetrack (or having recently been on the grounds) can be allowed entry if the horse meets the published requirements for entry in addition to the modifications listed below:
Prior to a horse destined to a Kentucky track/training facility departing, the horse's trainer or veterinarian is to contact the equine medical director, or his designated person, and provide required information on each horse that is seeking approval to move to the track.
Approval of a designated horse to enter the Kentucky destination track by that track's equine medical director is based on the condition that the horse is to be temperature monitored and recorded twice daily for seven (7) days post arrival with the temperature logs posted on the stall. Any elevated fever or other sign or suspicion of illness shall immediately be reported to the equine medical director.
The horse is to travel on a Health Certificate showing examination and issuance of the certificate performed the day of departure or during the 12hours immediately preceding the departure. The certificate shall have the EHV vaccination recorded on it as well as the date the equine medical director approved the move and the estimated time of departure and KY arrival.
These requirements are being adjusted in consultation with the track's equine medical directors and are subject to change without any advanced notice being provided should the disease event at Gulfstream Park change.
Though offering free-choice hay to horses most closely resembles how horses were designed to eat, it can be anxiety-inducing to see just how much one horse can ingest. The majority of horses will self-regulate their hay intake after a few weeks of being offered free-choice hay, reports The Horse, but there are always some horses that continue to gorge themselves.
Excessive weight gain is of significant concern for horses that are at risk of metabolic disorders, , so ongoing scrutiny of the horse's body condition – about every two weeks — is necessary.
A few things can be done to encourage a horse to self-regulate his hay intake.
Test the hay. Hay that is free fed should have less nutritional value, which will help prevent horses from gaining weight no matter how much hay they ingest.
Use a slow feeder. Slow-feed hay nets come in multiple styles, including small-holed nets and rigid plastic. Designed to slow hay consumption, they also prevent a lot of wasted hay. These slow feeders can also be placed strategically to encourage a horse to move and burn calories.
Keep the hay supply coming. Horses often ingest a lot of hay initially as they are accustomed to specific meal times and they anticipate an end to the meal. Once a horse understands that hay is constantly available, he will often self-regulate the amount he eats.
