Attrition of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses at New York Racetracks due to exercise and non-exercise related fatalities during the 2016 – 2019 racing seasons.

This research examines the difference in attrition rates between Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses in New York racetracks over a period of three years, and identifies the causes and factors that contribute to this attrition.

Introduction to Study

• The study aimed at exploring the factors that contribute to the exit or ‘attrition’ of racing horses during games. It specifically compared Thoroughbred (TB) and Standardbred (SB) horses.
• The timeframe considered for the research was from 2016 to 2019, presenting a comprehensive view of horse attrition over a significant period.

Data Collection

• The data was sourced from the New York State Gaming Commission, The Jockey Club InCompass Solutions, and the United States Trotting Association Pathway databases.
• The dataset included 431 horses, of which 360 were Thoroughbreds and 71 were Standardbreds.

Comparison of Attrition Events

• There was a significant difference between the average incidence of attrition events per start for Thoroughbreds (0.304) and Standardbreds (0.035).
• The median age at attrition was also different between both horse breeds. Thoroughbreds reached attrition at an average age of 4.2 years compared to Standardbreds who reached attrition at 7.5 years.
• Thoroughbreds also started experiencing attrition after an average of 13.6 starts, while Standardbreds experienced this after 125.5 starts on average.

Causes of Attrition

• The leading causes of attrition events observed in both breeds were musculoskeletal injuries and medical conditions.
• However, these health issues were found to be significantly higher in Thoroughbred horses than in Standardbreds.
• On the other hand, sudden deaths were identified as being higher in Standardbred horses.

Factors Influencing Attrition

• Using multivariate analysis, the study identified the horse’s age, when the horse first started racing, whether the horse was an intact male, type of activity (racing, training, or other), and the horse’s breed as key factors affecting attrition.
• Standardbred horses were observed to be less likely to experience attrition events compared to Thoroughbred horses.

Conclusions

• The study provides valuable insights into racehorse attrition and its influencing contributors, which can be beneficial in animal welfare and the maintenance of horse health in racing activities.
• It also highlights the need for additional studies to better understand the underlying causes of these breed differences.