Tracking Injuries On Track Status of the development of a standardized injury reporting system at North American Thoroughbred racetracks Mary C. Scollay-Ward, DVM Senior Association Veterinarian Calder Race Course / Gulfstream Park

Objectives Quanitate Quanitate Racetrack injuries Racetrack injuries Type Type Frequency Frequency Outcome Outcome Identify Identify Markers for Horses at Increased Risk Markers for Horses at Increased Risk Improve efficiency of pre-race inspections Improve efficiency of pre-race inspections Trainer accountability Trainer accountability Improve Improve Injury management and prevention Injury management and prevention

Case Criteria (employed by reporting regulatory veterinarians) : Horses observed to be lame on the racetrack before, during and immediately following a race Horses observed to be lame in Detention Barn post-race Horses scratched for unsoundness at pre-race exam

Horse identification (optional) Horse-specific information Injury-specific information

Confidential racetrack code Year Individual case

If horse identification can be reported, information is retrieved from Jockey Club Information databaseform completion abbreviated

Price factor = Claiming price Bottom claiming price Example: Claiming price of injured horse is $25,000. Bottom claiming price in that category at track is $5,000. Price factor = 5.0

Use of standardized keywords in describing injuries LF Fracture Distal Limb Ses-biax Comminuted LF Soft tissue Flexor tendon SDF/DDF Rupture LF Joint Fetlock Disarticulation closed RF Other Grabbed 1/4

Triage Scoring 0No lameness observed on track IGrade III or lower lameness; no presumptive diagnosis II>Grade III lameness; no presumptive diagnosis IIIMild to moderate limb instability in 1 plane; closed injury IVSevere instability in 1 plane; closed injury VLimb instability in 2 or more planes / loss of column of support (open or closed); open: fracture / joint capsule / tendon sheath

Prognosis and Outcome-- not always consistent

Participating racetracks: Albuquerque Downs Arlington Park Aqueduct Belmont Park Beulah Park Calder Race Course Canterbury Downs Charlestown Races Churchill Downs Colonial Downs Delaware Park Ellis Park Emerald Downs Fonner Park Gulfstream Park Indiana Downs Hastings Park Hawthorne Racecourse Hoosier Park Hollywood Park Keeneland Lone Star Park Meadowlands Monmouth Park Penn National Philadelphia Park Prairie Meadows Saratoga Suffolk Downs Turfway Yavapai Downs

Racing Injuries High profile events Training Injuries Low profile events Economic impact ? Relationship to racing injuries ?

Injury Reporting by Practicing Veterinarians Confidentiality/ Anonymity: Case Selection Criteria : Horse which veterinarian advises to be withdrawn from training for 10 or more days due to musculoskeletal injury sustained racing or training Horse, trainer, veterinarian not identified

Responsible Use of Information National Statistics will be made public National Statistics will be made public Individual racetracks data will be returned to submitting veterinarian as spread sheet file Individual racetracks data will be returned to submitting veterinarian as spread sheet file

Access to Data Researchers desiring access to data will submit proposal to review panel Researchers desiring access to data will submit proposal to review panel

1 Year Goal Increase number of participant racetracks Increase number of participant racetracks Generate composite statistics Generate composite statistics Form advisory committee Form advisory committee Review reporting format Review reporting format Identify research needs Identify research needs

2 Year Goal Expansion of data analysis Expansion of data analysis Identification of markers for horses at increased risk Identification of markers for horses at increased risk

3 Year Goal 3 Year Goal Confidential, on-line report submission with data automatically entered into database Confidential, on-line report submission with data automatically entered into database