NEWS
Study indicates more fatal hind leg
injuries occur on synthetic tracks
Posted: Saturday, August 29, 2009 4:52 PM
The results of a post-mortem study presented on Thursday during a regular meeting of the California Horse Racing Board appear to confirm trainers’ claims that synthetic surfaces have led to an increase in hind-end injuries.
The report on the Post-Mortem Program at the University of California-Davis for the calendar year 2008 formally documents for the first time more hind-end catastrophic injuries among Thoroughbred racing on synthetic surfaces when compared with those racing on dirt.
Hailu Kinde, D.V.M., M.P.V.M., interim director for the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, reported nine Thoroughbred deaths from left rear injuries and ten due to right rear injuries on synthetic surfaces. One death resulted from a hind-end injury on dirt, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The report revealed the largest number of catastrophic fractures were due to front leg injuries, with 36 sustaining right front injuries on synthetic tracks, compared with 22 on dirt. Thirty eight suffered left front injuries on synthetic surfaces, compared with 37 on dirt.
There were 351 horses submitted for the 2008 post mortems, including 258 Thoroughbreds and 86 Quarter Horses, the Times reported.
Rick Arthur, D.V.M., the CHRB equine medical director, said the report was the “most significant information” to come out of the 2008 Post-Mortem Program report.”
“The data indicates a higher incidence of hind-limb injuries on synthetic surfaces than on dirt surfaces and confirms what trainers have been telling us about an increase in hind-end injuries,” Arthur said
Injury and data collection as well as the reporting process continues to evolve and improve, Arthur said, including a more precise identification of the racing surfaces on which injuries occur [dirt, synthetic, or turf].
“As we improve quality control, the data is becoming more comprehensive and better formatted to be accessible,” Arthur said.
Arthur said that CHRB Executive Director Kirk Breed asked him and other experts at the University of California-Davis to help establish track safety standards based on good science.
Utilizing the interdisciplinary resources at the University of California-Davis, that project involves soil and agricultural engineers, equine surgeons, anatomists, and others who will help develop methods and protocols for collecting meteorological data, materials testing, performance testing, and maintenance procedures, all of which can be correlated to equine injury reports.
“Hopefully, we will be able to provide a plan to identify what we think needs to be done to evaluate racetracks and horse health with the goal of reducing catastrophic injuries,” Arthur said. “We have the talent and the personnel we need to address this problem.”
Racing executives from Del Mar, Hollywood Park, and Santa Anita Park spoke briefly on their efforts to document track maintenance procedures on a daily basis—data that will be included in the project. Efforts also are underway to have this information posted on websites.
