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Letter To The Editor: Racing Surfaces And Testing

by Dr. Mick Peterson and Dr. Wayne McIlwraith

This year marks 15 years since the Racing Surfaces Testing Lab (RSTL) was founded by an engineering faculty member at the University of Maine and an orthopedic surgeon from Colorado State University. The non-commercial material testing lab emerged out of the 2006 Grayson-Jockey Club Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at the urging of Dennis Moore of Hollywood Park and Dan Fick of The Jockey Club. Initially located in one stall of a two-car detached garage in Orono, Maine, the independent non-profit was made possible by donations from The Jockey Club, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Churchill Downs Inc., The New York Racing Association, California Association of Racing Fairs and Oak Tree Foundation.

The RSTL in 2023 has little in common with that modest start. Now located in Lexington, Kentucky, the RSTL is in a 3,400-square-foot building on a 1/4-acre lot. The fenced lot is filled with vans and trailers that performed more than 70 pre-meet inspections at 53 racetracks in 2023. The lab no longer just performs standard tests but develops tests in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and racetrack operators, researchers, and graduate students from Europe, Latin America, and Australia. Fifteen years ago, surface standards for horse racing in the United States lagged behind other racing jurisdictions and sports. Today, thanks to a combination of federal legislation and a unique gift, horse racing in the United States has the potential to become an international model for safety and consistency across sport surfaces.

The beginning of the shift started with a 2019 gift from The Jockey Club which enabled the RSTL to take over existing on-site testing and the maintenance database. The single set of equipment previously available for pre-meet inspection had been based in Maine and later in Lexington to serve all racetracks in the United States. The gift provided funding for equipment to be located in Lexington as well as on the West Coast.

With this equipment, the RSTL could perform pre-meet testing at racetracks across the United States and respond quickly if concerns arose. Laboratory material testing was modernized with new equipment, which allowed critical testing to be performed in less than an hour instead of over several days. The existing database was replaced by a new system hosted by The Jockey Club, which started the RSTL on a path to more comprehensive data storage and provided a modern interface for the racetracks to enter maintenance data. The timing could not have been more auspicious. Demand was poised to far outstrip the testing capabilities that existed prior to receiving the gift from The Jockey Club.

When the HISA Safety Regulations went into effect in July 2022, pre-meet inspection, material testing and daily measurements were required at all covered racetracks. As a result of these regulations, the Maintenance Quality System protocols developed over the previous decade had become more than suggestions followed by a few of the most progressive racetracks. Using the new equipment, pre-meet inspections were immediately implemented by the RSTL for HISA. Today, after only one and a half years, test data is available from all covered racetracks. Updated information infrastructure from The Jockey Club forms the backbone of a system that feeds data to HISA in real time. Epidemiological models of horse injuries can now begin to include quantitative racetrack surface data.

Work remains. Dirt, turf and synthetic racetrack surfaces need continuous improvement. Complete daily monitoring of the tracks exists at only a few racetracks. Real-time race surface data is needed by superintendents and researchers. However, the data infrastructure and regulatory framework is in place. New information can be fed to racetrack maintenance personnel. The commitment of the RSTL is unchanged. The design of equipment and testing protocols are all publicly available and subject to peer review. Data from the tracks is widely shared among other racetracks. No other racing jurisdiction and very few other sports have combined research with transparency to build surfaces that are consistent, from day to day, and throughout the United States and Canada.

Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D. is the Director of the Racetrack Safety Program and Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He is also the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory. Wayne McIlwraith is the founding director of the Orthopaedic Research Center, a University Distinguished Professor in orthopaedics and holds the Barbara Cox Anthony University Chair in Orthopaedic Research at Colorado State University.

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The Week In Review: Can A Racetrack Have A Perfect Safety Record? Del Mar Is Getting Close

It's often been said that, no matter how hard the sport works to become safer, there will never come a time when there are zero fatalities. Unfortunately, that's probably true. But at the recently concluded Del Mar meet, not a single horse suffered a fatal breakdown during a race. Not once did a horse break a leg, crumple to the ground and then have to be euthanized behind a curtain blocking the view of a horrified public, the story making its way into the newspapers or the local news and on to PETA's list of reasons why horse racing should be banned.

(One horse was injured during a dirt race, had to be operated on and, five days after the accident, had to be put down due to complications. Three horses died during morning training due to traditional musculoskeletal injuries.)

In a meet where there were plenty of highlights, Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) winning the GI Pacific Classic, the brilliant victory by Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) in the GI Del Mar Debutante, the dominance of Jockey Juan Hernandez, nothing was more important than Del Mar's safety record. These are the types of stories racing so badly needs in the midst of so many other tracks having nightmarish meets when it comes to breakdowns and these are the types of numbers that give you hope other tracks can get their fatality levels down to Del Mar levels.

And the story was much the same in 2022. There was not a single fatality that occurred during a race that year either. Officially, Del Mar had two equine deaths in 2022 that were once again the results of horses being injured in race only to be put down a few days later after attempts to save their lives were unsuccessful. Del Mar has not had a fatality during a race since 2021, when one horse died during a 2-year-old dirt race.

“We've been very fortunate and have put in a lot of hard work,” said Del Mar President Josh Rubinstein. “This is more a California story than just a Del Mar story. The numbers at Santa Anita have also been very good and both tracks have benefitted from the efforts from the CHRB. The biggest thing is there's clearly been a culture change and our horseman and horsewomen have really embraced the reforms we've implemented, which hasn't always been easy. Without their buy-in we wouldn't have gotten to where we are now.”

This was not always the case. Before there was Santa Anita 2019 when 30 horses had to be euthanized over a six-month period, Del Mar was having some high-profile problems of its own. When it took out its synthetic track after the 2014 meet, the number of fatalities per 1,000 starts jumped from .69 to 2.28 But it was not until the 2016 meet where the numbers went completely south and turned Del Mar into what may have been the deadliest racetrack in the country. During 54 days of racing, there were 12 fatalities during racing and they occurred at a rate of 3.01 per 1,000 starts. The national rate was 1.54 per 1,000 starts. Worse yet, 11 horses broke down during training hours, giving Del Mar 23 total fatalities for the meet that lasted just 54 days.

“You hate for this to happen anywhere but when something like this happens in California there is a massive spotlight on you, something you don't want to see. It was difficult. It really forced us to look at every single piece of the racing operation. We spent a lot of long days and nights figuring out how we could improve and get better, starting with 2017. Fortunately, we have continued in the right direction.”

Del Mar management realized that something had to be done and that if the numbers did not improve that could have a cataclysmic effect on the sport. Much of the reforms now seen throughout California, began at Del Mar after the 2016 meet. The number of fatalities per 1,000 starts dropped to 1.50 for 2017. Since, that number has been .79, .62, .28 and .56. Depending upon how the case of the horse who died a few days after surgery is handled, the 2023 number could be zero.

The California/Del Mar play book is to have veterinarians examine a horse again and again and again before they are given the green light to race.

“There are all the veterinarian checks and the things that go into getting a horse ready to go on race day,” Rubinstein said. “With all the vet checks, the CHRB they've been terrific. While we do have our own track vets that oversee morning training and assist with the exams, the majority of the vet checks are by the CHRB. They have been terrific to work with as have industry stakeholders like the TOC. It costs more to get a horse to the races with these reforms and checks and for the most part the owners have been very much on board. It really has been a team effort.”

After 2016, the Del Mar team also realized that vet checks alone would not be enough.

Dennis Moore was brought in to oversee the main track and John Beggin was hired to oversee the turf course.

“We believe we have the best in the business in our main track superintendent, Dennis Moore, and John Beggin, who handles the turf course,” Rubinstein said. “They've both done a terrific job. On the main track, Dennis puts in a tremendous amount of hard work in the off season getting the track ready. Every day, he's looking at different levels, compaction levels, moisture levels. He works to insure the track is dialed in to be consistent, safe and fair. You talk to the horsemen and overall they are extremely pleased with main track and turf course here.”

Most tracks don't have the resources Del Mar has and can't afford to hire extra veterinarians, expert track superintendents or to put in such things like PET scans. But that doesn't mean they can't do better. Though the rate of breakdowns in this country is still way too high, Del Mar has proven that no track should settle for the status quo. They went from one of the most dangerous tracks in the country to one of the safest and all it really took was some effort and determination to solve an awful problem. They've done so well that perfection seems like an attainable goal.

At Gulfstream, Playing the Name Game

You might have noticed that trainer Jose Di Angelo won both divisions of the Florida Stallion S. Saturday at Gulfstream, taking the filly version with Welcome Back (Adios Charlie). Three races later he won the division for males with a horse named Bentornato (Valiant Minister). Bentornato means “welcome back” in Italian. The horses are owned by different owners, and the names are simply a coincidence.

“With Bentornato, I picked the horse out when he was at a baby sale at OBS (where he was bought for $45,000),” Di Angelo explained. “The owner pinhooked the horse and the guy that bought him from him returned the horse. That's why he named him Bentornato or Welcome Back. The other horse was always named Welcome Back.”

Saratoga Horse of the Meet

Each year Del Mar announced its “Horse of the Meet”, a long-standing tradition that takes place at the conclusion of the meet. It was Pacific Classic winner Arabian Knight. The voting is conducted among a panel of experts. How about Saratoga doing the same thing, bestowing what would be an important honor of the most outstanding horse at the sport's most important meet? My vote would have gone to Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed), but strong cases could have been made for Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) and Arcangelo (Arrogate). In addition to handing out the award, how about giving a cash prize to the groom, hotwalker and exercise rider of the winner. Say $25,000 each, money that can go a long way toward helping the unsung heroes of the backstretch.

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Letter To The Editor: It All Begins With Churchill Downs

Horse racing is at an existential moment. Just weeks after a series of breakdowns at Churchill Downs cast a shadow over the Kentucky Derby, a wave of horrifying horse deaths at Saratoga Race Course has once again brought questions about safety to the forefront of public consciousness.

This is a tragedy, as every horse that breaks down also breaks our hearts. However, I believe our sport has reached a tipping point, and I predict there will be a Silver Lining emerging from all these tragedies. In the past week, I have engaged with industry leaders, including the current NYRA Board of Directors as well as Dave O'Rourke, NYRA's President & CEO. They are in the process of analyzing relevant data regarding synthetic surfaces and the potential installation at our NY racetracks.

This is significant. As a reminder, the Stronach Group eliminated synthetic tracks from their California venues due to insufficient industry support. Keeneland was also compelled to remove its synthetic course because too many owners and trainers were unwilling to prepare for major races, such as The Kentucky Derby, on synthetic surfaces.

This is precisely why we need the entire industry to embrace change collectively. The New York Racing Association (NYRA), which operates Saratoga, is already a leader in horse safety. These recent tragedies are serving as a catalyst to advance additional safety initiatives, including an increased commitment to investing in transformational science and technology, including synthetic surfaces.

NYRA is currently installing a Tapeta track at Belmont Park, which will serve as the fourth racing surface. In light of the recent events at Saratoga, NYRA is contemplating an expansion of this commitment. Additionally, NYRA quickly adopted measures to enhance veterinary scrutiny, such as requiring a trainer's attending veterinarian to attest to the horse's soundness prior to entry. NYRA will also be investing in the most advanced PET and CAT scan technology to help detect pre-existing injuries before they become more serious.

Track superintendent Glen Kozak and the NYRA team excel in constructing and maintaining the current racing surfaces at all NYRA facilities. They are leaders in the field, even consulted by competing tracks around the country. However, dirt track safety remains an industry-wide concern. The surface is outdated when compared to newer engineered alternatives.

As trainer Mark Casse, who trains the majority of his stable on the synthetic course at Woodbine, points out, “What if we had kept the Model T? Instead, look at what we've done with automobiles, how we've made them so much safer. We're still using a racetrack that's been around for 125 years, and there's only so much you can do for it.”

A mounting body of evidence indicates that synthetic tracks are safer for horses. A study by the University of Kentucky found that horses were less prone to injuries on synthetic tracks compared to dirt tracks. A University of Pennsylvania study discovered that synthetic tracks were linked to a lower risk of catastrophic injuries. Most recently, data from The Jockey Club Equine Injury Database conclusively demonstrates that synthetic courses were considerably safer than dirt surfaces in every year from 2019 to 2022, over three times safer in 2022.

The future of horse racing hinges on a bold collective effort from the industry. However, achieving this requires industry-wide consensus on necessary steps to enhance safety for both the cherished animals and the brave jockeys risking life and limb. A fragmented endeavor, however well-intentioned, is likely to fail, dooming our sport to historical insignificance.

Past attempts to introduce synthetic surfaces faltered, partly due to the industry's collective reluctance to embrace change. The horse racing industry stands at a pivotal juncture and should move together in a unified way to ensure horse safety and industry survival.

I call upon the country's leading racing organizations to embrace science and technology by quickly moving to adopt synthetic surfaces.

This silver lining all begins with The Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs Inc. Board.

Earle Mack was a member of the Board of Trustees, New York Racing Association, Chairman of the New York State Racing Commission, Member of the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund and a Member, Board of Directors, of the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. He was honored with the Eclipse Award of Merit in recognition for a lifetime of outstanding achievement last year.

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Why I Chose To Work With Hisa To Make It The Best It Can Be

by Dr. Sara Langsam

After having read Dr. Thomas Little's Open Letter to the Industry regarding HISA, I thought it was important to share a different voice and perspective. For the last 20 years, I have practiced as a private racetrack practitioner with one of the largest racetrack veterinary practices in the country. I agree with Dr. Little that private veterinary practitioners are a critical component of making sure horses are ready and sound for racing. However, I disagree with his views on HISA and its relationships with private practitioners.

HISA has been a big change for us all. However, I have always firmly believed that horseracing needs uniformity in its rules and regulations. It wasn't easy for veterinarians, or anyone for that matter, to have to adapt to different rules from state to state. Having to consult websites and calling colleagues to double check local rules in a different state was onerous and complicated. It wasn't good for either horses nor horsemen and bred confusion in general. In addition, we need to accept that standards have changed, our social license to operate as a sport is more in jeopardy than ever before. We cannot escape the fact that highly visible fatalities like the ones that took place at Churchill Downs and Saratoga this year put the industry under heavy scrutiny. Therefore, we must show the public that we are always doing the best for the horse. And as practitioners, we are the experts in the room to help the industry minimize equine injuries. We need to come together and help provide solutions. HISA can be a part of that solution.

So while we may not all have been there at the conception of HISA, something like it has been coming on for years. Previous groups have tried and failed to create uniformity and our threatened industry needed some clear direction. I will wholeheartedly agree that HISA is far from perfect, but it has always been described to me by it's stewards as a living and breathing, evolving document. The safety rules are being edited as we speak. I can tell you from first-hand information that numerous private veterinarians, myself included, have been asked to go over the current rules and proposed revisions.

And while our suggestions have not all been taken, they have all been considered. All of the current governing documents, the ADMC rules included, have had public comment periods where private attending veterinarians, along with other people in our industry, have been asked to voice their opinions. If you have a constructive revision they want to hear it. As a group, we are terrible at complaining amongst ourselves but not being productive and taking those complaints and suggestions for improvement to the powers that can change them. In addition, Lisa Lazarus created HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group almost a year ago. Three private racetrack veterinarians are currently part of the 18-member group. The rest of the group is comprised of owners, trainers and industry executives. She and other members of the HISA board have used this group as a place to discuss issues that have come up as well as rule revisions. We represent the industry and all of us have taken questions and concerns from our fellow horsemen not in the group to the Board and they have listened.

Like I said, HISA is not perfect, but it is the best chance the industry has to guarantee that horseracing is around forever. Its success needs everyone's input, and so I encourage my colleagues to come forward and share constructive suggestions so that we can move forward together instead of dividing ourselves further. I chose to work with HISA to make it the best it can be rather than continue to fight it and then head back to our individual corners where we lived before.

Dr Sara Langsam is a shareholder in TFB Equine and is based out of Belmont Park in New York. She currently is serving as the chair of American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) Racing Committee and is a member of HISA's Horsemen's Advisory Group.

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