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NYRA’s Brian Jabelman To Lead Third Session Of Racecourse Manager Online Certification Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, an online curriculum for turf surface maintenance personnel, will host its third and final session on Monday, June 21 at 11 a.m. ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced Thursday.

Entitled “Measurement of Turf Condition,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations from eight leading authorities on racing surfaces. Brian Jabelman, Senior Director of Track Operations, for The New York Racing Association will provide introductory remarks as the leader of the session. In addition to Jabelman, topics and participants include:

“The phases of loading with respect to surface functional props.” – Dr. Sarah Jane Hobbs, University of Central Lancashire;
“Current tools and limitations for measuring biomechanical response.” -Peter is a PhD student in the Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering department at the University of Kentucky.
“Calibration and correlation – what kinds of things do we use to measure turfgrass responses and safety.” – Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University; and Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL);
“Measurement of surfaces in British Eventing.” – Alison Northrop, Senior Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England ;
“Take-off and landing areas in measurements of turf for appropriate biomechanical response.” – Jim Pendergest, Director of Racing Surfaces, Keeneland Race Course; and John “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University;
“Data from the Maintenance Quality System and the Equine Injury Database.” – Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D.

Individuals who pre-register at https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/ will be sent a Zoom link prior to Monday's webinar.

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D.

The post NYRA’s Brian Jabelman To Lead Third Session Of Racecourse Manager Online Certification Program appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Gulfstream To Install Tapeta Surface Between Turf, Dirt Courses

Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. will install a Tapeta synthetic racing surface over the outer 60 feet of its turf course, the Daily Racing Form reported on Friday. The installation will give Gulfstream three surfaces over which to race.

“We had over 100 races taken off the turf last year, and that becomes a major blow to our handle due to the inevitable reduction of field sizes,” Gulfstream's Bill Badgett told DRF. “With the option to switch those races to the Tapeta track rather than a wet main track, we'll be able to keep the fields intact, which keeps the handle intact, which in turn helps keep the purses intact.”

The Tapeta will also be able to be used for morning training, as well as an option for a surface change if the main track becomes too sloppy.

No timeframe has yet been established for the installation.

Research Into Training Programs Needed To Protect Equine Tendons

The superficial digital flexor tendons in a horse's front legs are responsible for much of the animal's athleticism: They store energy and play a critical role in the efficiency of the horse's trot and gallop. However, these tendons are especially susceptible to injury: They are one of the most common causes of lameness in performance horses. Tendon injuries are slow and difficult to heal, so it's imperative that they be detected early and that training methods be adapted to allow time for the tissues to heal.

Drs. Claire O'Brien, Neil Marr and Chavaunne Thorpe investigated the biomechanical and biothermal effects of strain on this tendon and how both forces contributed to microdamage. Though the tendon is essential for efficient performance and locomotion, it has a very narrow window for error, which makes it susceptible to injury.

The trio reviewed 140 scientific papers and discovered that most superficial digital flexor tendon injuries occur during fitness work. Risks to tendons include variations in training intensity and frequency, surfaces and equipment. Individual risk factors include breed, age and sex; variations in tendon blood supply, strength and flexibility may contribute to chronic tendon injuries and longer recover rates.

The team suggest that research be done in several areas so that recommendations based on scientific principles can be made for training programs; these would minimize the risk of tendon injury. They also suggest that those involved in a horse' training understand the following:

The physiologic demands high-intensity training places on equine tendons
Heavy training sessions that mimic competition should be closely monitored and only repeated every 72 hours to allow tendons enough time to repair and adapt. Factors such as the horse's age, history of injury and previous competition experience should help guide decision making on the frequency of training sessions
The effects of other factors like surface type, fence height, bandaging and ambient temperature place on tendon temperature and strain
Training should be increased incrementally over time, using objective measures to gauge each horse's physiologic response

Read the full article here.