officials involved Mid-Atlantic Strategic Plan to Reduce Equine Deaths announced a reduction in catastrophic outages in the region this year during a conference call with reporters on Nov. 11.
The plan, a collaboration between tracks, regulators, industry groups and other stakeholders in the Mid-Atlantic, aims to improve equine safety through evidence-based best practices in a collaborative, multi-jurisdictional program. Recommendations include increased veterinary supervision, medication restrictions and rule changes.
Alan Foreman, Chairman of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and Dr. Scott Palmer, equine medical director for the Modern York State Gaming Commission, is leading the project along with Andy Belfiore, strategic plans project manager.
According to Palmer, the number of fatalities per 1,000 launches in the region fell significantly from an average of 2.4 in 2010-14 to 1.8 in 2015-19. This year the incidence rate is 1.21 – far better than the national average. That means 99.9% of launches in the Mid-Atlantic this year were fatal.
“Whatever you want to achieve in an organization, that’s a pretty good track record. Not that we’re elated with that,” Palmer said. “But I think it’s critical to keep that perspective.”
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Palmer said all but two mid-Atlantic states, Modern York and Virginia, have seen a decline in fatalities this year. He pointed out fatalities Finger lakes have declined while their incidence has increased at Modern York Racing Association tracks, likely due to a summer surge Saratoga Racetrack. The NYRA death rate increased from 1.19 per 1,000 launches in 2019 to 1.58 in the first 10 months of 2020, he said.
Unusually, 60% of the catastrophic injuries at Saratoga this summer were among youth, he said, leading him to believe that reduced racing and training activities caused by COVID-19-related closures this spring may have contributed. It is widely believed that busy training strengthens bone development in two-year-olds, and horses that race at two years aged are statistically healthier.
Overall, safety in the region has improved, as has compliance.
“It is encouraging to see the dedication and challenging work of so many people in the Mid-Atlantic come to fruition,” Foreman said. “We have representatives from all factions of the Thoroughbred industry in the region at the table. Everyone has the chance to be heard and to have their specific problems taken into account. We are proud to say that by working together we have been able to make significant progress on issues of medication reform and horse health.
Alan Foreman
According to officials, every Mid-Atlantic state has adopted the following reforms:
- A ban on “stacking” non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – the utilize of more than one NSAID in the week of a race
- Transfer of joint injection records for stressed horses
- Autopsies of fatally injured horses
- Mortality Review Committee
- Rules for contestable claims
Additional reforms have been implemented in all states except West Virginia, including:
- 48-hour withdrawal period for NSAIDs
- Increased penalties for NSAID violations
- 14-day right of withdrawal for joint injections
The West Virginia Racing Commission considered legislation to adopt the fresh guidelines for NSAIDs and joint injections, but was ultimately rejected by the commission.
“We are disappointed that West Virginia continues to be an outlier in this area,” Foreman said. “Regulatory changes in the state must go through the Legislature, which takes time, but we will continue to work with all parties to make this happen.”
Although West Virginia did not implement all reforms, catastrophic injuries in the state fell significantly this year. Mountaineering Park And Hollywood Casino at Charles Town RacesPalmer said.
This year, additional proactive steps were taken in the Mid-Atlantic, including a ban on bisphosphonates in all horses under 4 years of age and restrictions on the utilize of thyroid supplements and clenbuterol. Further training for trainers is also suggested.
Plan officials have called for uniformity on restrictions on the riding crop's utilize, although one state in its region, Modern Jersey, has opted to ban the riding crop starting in 2021, except for safety reasons. This rule is under appeal and a legal challenge is pending.
Foreman said her proposal for a riding crop calls for no more than six strikes and that a horse should not be struck more than twice in a row without having the opportunity to respond. The whip was used in a sneaky motion until the last quarter mile of the race.
Officials said one area where further progress could be made in reducing deaths is training. They noted California's success in this area, but expanding veterinary inspections and other financial costs would pose challenges. There are also a number of training centers in the region.
