Stride SAFE + PET Scan can save horses

[Squeaky]

With the recent catastrophic breakdown of The Big Torpedo, a very timely article was published in the most recent JAVMA journal (McSweeney D et al. Using accelerometers to identify an high risk of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in three racing Thoroughbreds. JAVMA 2024; 262(9):1242-1250.) illustrates how 3 horses with abnormal accelerometer readings (StrideSAFE) with risk factor of 5 were identified as being at high risk for breakdown by PET scan results which supported the StrideSAFE findings. These horses were rested for 5-6 months and 2/3 were able to come back into breezing again after healing., This should be mandatory at all tracks for all horses. It takes 3 min to do the PET scan. It is sad that there are currently only 10 such units in the US. There should be multiple units at every track and equine hospital. Take some of the hundreds of millions spent at auction and put it toward equine medical research and supporting these type of programs which work! We can prevent these breakdowns!!

[barbaro111]

With the recent catastrophic breakdown of The Big Torpedo, a very timely article was published in the most recent JAVMA journal (McSweeney D et al. Using accelerometers to identify an high risk of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in three racing Thoroughbreds. JAVMA 2024; 262(9):1242-1250.) illustrates how 3 horses with abnormal accelerometer readings (StrideSAFE) with risk factor of 5 were identified as being at high risk for breakdown by PET scan results which supported the StrideSAFE findings. These horses were tested for 5-6 months and 2/3 were able to come back into breezing again after healing., This should be mandatory at all tracks for all horses. It takes 3 min to do the PET scan. It is sad that there are currently only 10 such units in the US. There should be multiple units at every track and equine hospital. Take some of the hundreds of millions didn’t at auction and put it toward equine medical research and supporting these type of programs which work! We can prevent these breakdowns!!

Totally agree-so why isnt it happening?

[BaroqueAgain1]

How much does that sophisticated equipment cost? What would be the salaries for the expertly-trained personnel to operate the equipment, and to diagnose the scans?
So many racetracks operate with small profit margins, and even keeping enough vets on staff appears to be hard for some.
I know that is not perfect for the horses, but having enough money to purchase/set up/operate this equipment could be a real obstacle for tracks.

[Squeaky]

How much does that sophisticated equipment cost? What would be the salaries for the expertly-trained personnel to operate the equipment, and to diagnose the scans?
So many racetracks operate with small profit margins, and even keeping enough vets on staff appears to be hard for some.
I know that is not perfect for the horses, but having enough money to purchase/set up/operate this equipment could be a real obstacle for tracks.

PET scan results can be read remotely by radiologists

[Curtis]

With the recent catastrophic breakdown of The Big Torpedo, a very timely article was published in the most recent JAVMA journal (McSweeney D et al. Using accelerometers to identify an high risk of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in three racing Thoroughbreds. JAVMA 2024; 262(9):1242-1250.) illustrates how 3 horses with abnormal accelerometer readings (StrideSAFE) with risk factor of 5 were identified as being at high risk for breakdown by PET scan results which supported the StrideSAFE findings. These horses were tested for 5-6 months and 2/3 were able to come back into breezing again after healing., This should be mandatory at all tracks for all horses. It takes 3 min to do the PET scan. It is sad that there are currently only 10 such units in the US. There should be multiple units at every track and equine hospital. Take some of the hundreds of millions didn’t at auction and put it toward equine medical research and supporting these type of programs which work! We can prevent these breakdowns!!

Totally agree-so why isnt it happening?

Money

[Squeaky]

Curtis, Your daughter may be interested in the article -I’m sure the vet school library has access..

[Curtis]

Curtis, Your daughter may be interested in the article -I’m sure the vet school library has access..

She’s home for the summer. I will share it with her.

[Tessablue]

I know NYRA has been studying StrideSAFE for several years, but I'm not sure if they've fully instituted it yet. Stride monitoring + PET scans + high-throughput AI analysis is the way, and in the a sport full of billionaires cost should be no obstacle. There was obviously something very amiss with that poor horse yesterday, and I hope we see tracks continue to move towards and aim for zero/near-zero injuries. It's completely doable, it just requires the willpower.

[barbaro111]

I know NYRA has been studying StrideSAFE for several years, but I'm not sure if they've fully instituted it yet. Stride monitoring + PET scans + high-throughput AI analysis is the way, and in the a sport full of billionaires cost should be no obstacle. There was obviously something very amiss with that poor horse yesterday, and I hope we see tracks continue to move towards and aim for zero/near-zero injuries. It's completely doable, it just requires the willpower.

I would think high profile tracks like Saratoga and Belmont would have this technology-- as you suggest, a sport full of billionaires-- cost should not be an obstacle---

[Tessablue]

I know NYRA has been studying StrideSAFE for several years, but I'm not sure if they've fully instituted it yet. Stride monitoring + PET scans + high-throughput AI analysis is the way, and in the a sport full of billionaires cost should be no obstacle. There was obviously something very amiss with that poor horse yesterday, and I hope we see tracks continue to move towards and aim for zero/near-zero injuries. It's completely doable, it just requires the willpower.

I would think high profile tracks like Saratoga and Belmont would have this technology-- as you suggest, a sport full of billionaires-- cost should not be an obstacle---

I should have clarified- NYRA does have a PET scanner (see here: https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/news/pet- ... e-hospital), but it's unclear whether this is just available on an as-needed basis or whether it's part of a pre-race veterinary check program. Don't quite have time to look into it further now, but the information is probably out there. The industry really does need to make uses of sales revenue to fund veterinary programs (and, while we're at it, aftercare). I know people don't particularly like Repole, and half the stuff he says is silly, but he's totally correct when he says that millionaires who aren't willing to fund aftercare efforts via sales money should just leave the sport.

[Tessablue]

Oh and I also meant to say: thank you Squeaky for pointing out that article, looking forward to reading it!

[Northport]

I know NYRA has been studying StrideSAFE for several years, but I'm not sure if they've fully instituted it yet. Stride monitoring + PET scans + high-throughput AI analysis is the way, and in the a sport full of billionaires cost should be no obstacle. There was obviously something very amiss with that poor horse yesterday, and I hope we see tracks continue to move towards and aim for zero/near-zero injuries. It's completely doable, it just requires the willpower.

I would think high profile tracks like Saratoga and Belmont would have this technology-- as you suggest, a sport full of billionaires-- cost should not be an obstacle---

I should have clarified- NYRA does have a PET scanner (see here: https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/news/pet- ... e-hospital), but it's unclear whether this is just available on an as-needed basis or whether it's part of a pre-race veterinary check program. Don't quite have time to look into it further now, but the information is probably out there. The industry really does need to make uses of sales revenue to fund veterinary programs (and, while we're at it, aftercare). I know people don't particularly like Repole, and half the stuff he says is silly, but he's totally correct when he says that millionaires who aren't willing to fund aftercare efforts via sales money should just leave the sport.

His frankness on Byk’s show was refreshing last week. I believe his words were something along the line of “if youre rich and arent helping to pay for aftercare, get the f**k out of the sport”. But the fact that he even has to be that frank is reflects a sad reality. If we cant even get breeders, sales companies, and owners to commit to setting aside 0.05 of their profits to aftercare, can we expect them to come together to purchase PET scan machines for every major racetrack?