Plan devised to identify high risk horses

[Grits]

http://www.drf.com/news/jockey-club-devises-plan-alert-officials-when-high-risk-horses-entered


So far, it has not yet been determined whether the trainer of the horse will be made aware that the computer software tagged the horse for being at a higher risk of injury. A trainer may react negatively to being told that a horse was deemed to be at risk, Jockey Club officials acknowledged, and it is likely that the protocol will call for the alert to be treated as confidential.

“That is something that is going to have to be worked out,” said Bob Curran, a spokesperson for the Jockey Club. “Right now, this is anticipated to be private.”

Edit to add quote.

[Vengeance of Rain]

I applaud the good intentions here but there are an awful lot of questions and it seems like it will take a long time to sort through.

Any start is a good start in regard to protecting at-risk horses but this stuff has got to be made public, the criteria expanded and different scenarios addressed because it's one thing to say look over this particular horse because of A and B but then if the information is ignored... what then?

When do the vets get the stats, what do they mean the trainers might not, they aren't going to inform the bettors (?)... a lot of unanswered questions.

There needs to be a plan in place for the beginning of the use of this information or it might not be taken too seriously. That is my fear anyway.

[lamboguy]

anything that can prevent a fatal accident is a good step. this sounds very vague and may lead to unfairness, but at least it shows there is some concern for the horses and the riders.

safety for horses and humans should come before anything else in this sport.

[DJofSD]

This is going to open a can of worms.

For example, as a bettor, do you want to find out after the fact that a horse was identified as a risk, and then, either was scratched, or, allowed to run?

Either way, the bettor is on the outside looking in.

[Spalding No!]

This is going to open a can of worms.

For example, as a bettor, do you want to find out after the fact that a horse was identified as a risk, and then, either was scratched, or, allowed to run?

Either way, the bettor is on the outside looking in.
I would suggest that the bettor would be ahead of the curve on this one.

Experienced racetrackers can read the Form and are aware of major red flags, particularly with claiming horses.

However, believe it or not, some racing officials don't read PPs, and I suppose it might be a worthwhile tool for them.

That said, instead of playing hot potato with the responsibility of weeding out "high risk" animals, letting these horses make it all the way to the pre-race examination, why not take the conservative/pro-active route and simply refuse certain entries? I realize that its hard to fill races nowadays, but if you're turning a blind eye and filling those races with horses at risk, you're not doing yourself any favors in the long run.

[5k-claim]

In August, Dr. Parkin gave a presentation at the Jockey Club’s Round Table Conference identifying a highly specific subset of horses as being at a much greater risk of injury. That subset was a horse who had not started prior to his 5-year-old year, had made his first start in the last nine months, had made 10 or more starts in the past six months, and had not started in the past 15 days. Uh.... okay.

The alert, according to the Jockey Club, will be intended to notify the racing office that the horse should be subjected to additional scrutiny during its pre-race veterinary examinations, which are required in nearly every major racing jurisdiction. So what is going to happen?

A.) Additional tests for this subset that the other entries will not have?

If it means a free x-ray or ultrasound, I will take one of those for mine.

B.) A more "thorough" examination?

Why can't all of the entries get that? Shouldn't they?

C.) Harder for these horses to "pass" the test, even if they are showing no more heat, swelling or lack of flexibility than the other entries?

This should make for some free entertainment in the receiving barn.

D.) More pressure on the state vets to move into CYA mode and scratch these horses since they have been flagged by this computer database as being at higher risk?

If I was a state vet, I might feel that temptation from time to time. I like for my 'A' to be 'C'd.

Bob Curran, a Jockey Club spokesman, said the criteria for the alerts would continue to be refined as more data is collected.This feels like piddling around with a handicapping program, trying to pick a winner.

How about this idea instead, give all of the entries the best possible pre-race examinations that time and state money and slots money will allow for. Make it a priority and a focus of ever increasing improvements. For the safety of all of the horses.

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