NEWS
Thoroughbred ‘speed gene’ traced to 17th century mare
Posted: Friday, January 27, 2012 7:48 PM
The Thoroughbred “speed gene,” a gene variant common in most race horses, has been traced to a 17th century British mare, according to a report by LiveScience.
The gene was discovered in 2010 by Emmeline Hill and her team at University College Dublin. The gene, called MSTN, is associated with the speed and stamina of Thoroughbreds.
In North America, the team’s research shows that Canada’s Nearctic and Northern Dancer have played major roles in spreading the “speed gene.”
To read the LiveScience report, click here.
To read a story from the Vancouver Sun on the Canadian influence of the speed gene, click here.
