A evaluate launched July 31 by the workplace of New York State Gaming Fee equine medical director Dr. Scott Palmer examined 17 equine fatalities at Saratoga Race Course final summer time and generated a collection of suggestions.
Since final summer time’s breakdowns, which the NYSGC stated came about throughout unprecedented inclement climate at Saratoga, safer racing has ensued there and at different Thoroughbred racing venues operated by the New York Racing Affiliation. Equine fatalities throughout the nation have additionally dropped for the reason that full implementation of Horseracing Integrity and Security Authority guidelines.
A number of the key NYSGC suggestions, which the regulator has posted on-line with its full evaluate, embody:
- Use of goal real-time measurements of the racing surfaces to observe the variability of moisture content material.
- Actual-time testing of the composition of the racing floor to detect lack of fantastic supplies.
- Set up of an artificial racing floor at Saratoga, presumably to enhance its turf and grime programs, to supply a secure racing floor and preserve subject measurement when races are moved off the grass.
- Require attending veterinarian exams earlier than high-speed train and veterinarian’s listing horses to be examined earlier than exercises, whether or not at present on the listing or up to now.
- Use of HISA information to generate an epidemiologic danger issue report that can quantify danger for particular person horses—info that may be shared with trainers to acquire a present real-time danger evaluation for his or her horses.
- Modify the HISA intra-articular injection reporting system and enhance compliance for reporting medicine to HISA.
- Create a requirement to report nonfatal musculoskeletal accidents to HISA and supply a handy and dependable digital system for the correct reporting of nonfatal accidents.
- Modify the racing necropsy customary working process to be used in horses that perish in New York to constantly replicate the suitable stage of element to find out the presence of pre-existing orthopedic situations.
- Be part of with the continued research in progress in Kentucky and Virginia by putting sensors on all horses racing at NYRA racetracks to establish horses which can be candidates for a lameness examination and routine or superior imaging.
- Have New York racing stakeholders put money into a complete equine security program that features the acquisition of superior imaging gear (positron emission tomography scanner and a standing computed tomography scanner) to be positioned on the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists adjoining to Belmont Park.
- Enhance the NYRA ship-in protocol (a NYRA home rule) to require that no horse can try high-speed train over a NYRA racing or coaching floor previous to notification of the racing workplace of their intention to take action.
- Add procedures to permit notifications to forestall horses which can be on the veterinarian’s listing in different jurisdictions from coaching on a NYRA property previous to examination by a NYRA regulatory veterinarian.
The NYGSC report indicated that its suggestions are being developed or are to be thought-about.
“Dr. Scott Palmer’s evaluation of the 2023 summer time meet at Saratoga Race Course enhances our understanding of the myriad elements that contribute to equine accidents sustained throughout coaching or racing,” stated Pat McKenna, vp of communications for NYRA. “Constantly bettering equine security is an organizational crucial at NYRA that motivates all features of the operation and informs each determination across the evolving coaching and racing infrastructure at each Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. That is why NYRA is embracing all-weather surfaces, biometric wearable know-how, synthetic intelligence and superior equine imaging to additional mitigate danger and make sure the most secure potential atmosphere for racing and coaching. NYRA thanks Dr. Palmer and the New York State Gaming Fee for investing the time and sources essential to develop a complete evaluate of the 2023 summer time meet.”