The association of 2-year-old training milestones with career length and racing success in a sample of Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand.
Abstract: There is increasing evidence that exercise early in life has a positive effect on musculoskeletal health. At present, there is little whole population research investigating the effect of racing as 2-year-olds on future racing career. Objective: To investigate the association between attaining training milestones as 2-year-olds with length of career and racing success in Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand. Methods: Retrospective data were obtained of the 2001/02-born Thoroughbred foal crop. The 3 training milestones were: registered with a trainer, trialled and raced. The association of the training milestones with career length was measured using the outcomes: number of race starts and number of years raced, in a Cox regression model. Logistic regression models analysed the association of the training milestones with the outcomes: won or placed in a race. Linear regression was performed to assess the association of training milestones with total career earnings. Results: Of 4683 horses in the population; 3152 horses were registered with a trainer, 2661 horses trialled and 2109 horses raced. Horses that raced as 2-year-olds had significantly (P<0.001) more race starts than those first raced as 3-year-olds or older, this was also true when the 2-year-old year data were omitted. Horses that raced as 2-year-olds had significantly (P<0.001) more years racing. Horses registered with a trainer, trialled or raced as 2-year-olds were more likely to have won or been placed in a race than those that achieved the milestones as 3-year-olds or older. Horses that first trialled and raced as 2-year-olds had greater total earnings than those that first trialled or raced at a later age. Conclusions: Two-year-old training milestones had a strong association with positive racing career outcomes. Horses in training or racing as 2-year-olds may have better musculoskeletal health throughout life than horses that are first in training or racing at a later age.
© 2012 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2012-02-10 PubMed ID: 22320408DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00534.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research studies the correlation between training milestones achieved as 2-year-olds and the length of career and racing success in Thoroughbred horses. A clear association was found indicating that earlier training might result in a longer and more successful racing career, possibly due to enhanced musculoskeletal health.
Methodology
- The study was based on retrospective data from the 2001/02-born Thoroughbred foal crop in New Zealand, comprising 4683 horses.
- The three critical training milestones focused on were registering with a trainer, trialling, and racing.
- The association between these milestones and career length was evaluated using the number of race starts and the number of years raced, analysed through a Cox regression model.
- A logistic regression model was employed to investigate the connection between training milestones and race performance, namely winning or securing a place in a race.
- A linear regression analysis was done to examine the correlation between training milestones and total career earnings.
Results
- Out of the total population, 3152 horses were registered with a trainer, 2661 horses trialled, and 2109 horses raced.
- Horses that trained, trialled, or raced as 2-year-olds had significantly more race starts and extended racing careers compared to those who started at a later age, even when data from the two-year-old year was removed.
- Two-year-old milestone achievers had a significantly higher probability of winning or being placed in a race than those who reached the milestones as 3-year-olds or older.
- Horses that first trialled and raced as 2-year-olds had greater total earnings than those that first trialled or raced at a later age.
Conclusion
- The study draws a crucial conclusion regarding the positive impact of achieving training milestones at an early age of two years on a horse’s racing career.
- Horses that started their training or racing as 2-year-olds potentially possess better musculoskeletal health throughout their life, enhancing their racing ability and contributing positively to their career longevity and success.
Cite This Article
APA
Tanner JC, Rogers CW, Firth EC.
(2012).
The association of 2-year-old training milestones with career length and racing success in a sample of Thoroughbred horses in New Zealand.
Equine Vet J, 45(1), 20-24.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00534.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Massey Equine, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. J.C.Tanner@massey.ac.nz
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animals
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- New Zealand
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Running
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Siegers E, van den Broek J, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan M, Munsters C. Longitudinal Training and Workload Assessment in Young Friesian Stallions in Relation to Fitness, Part 2-An Adapted Training Program.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 14;13(4).
- Legg KA, Gee EK, Breheny M, Gibson MJ, Rogers CW. A Bioeconomic Model for the Thoroughbred Racing Industry-Optimisation of the Production Cycle with a Horse Centric Welfare Perspective.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 30;13(3).
- Ishimaru M, Matsui A, Seki K, Korosue K, Akiyama K, Mizukami H, Yoshida T, Taya K. Effects of different winter climates in Japan on body composition of young Thoroughbreds in training.. J Vet Med Sci 2022 Nov 18;84(12):1585-1594.
- Araneda OF. Horse Racing as a Model to Study the Relationship between Air Pollutants and Physical Performance.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Apr 28;12(9).
- Rogers CW, Gee EK, Dittmer KE. Growth and Bone Development in the Horse: When Is a Horse Skeletally Mature?. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 29;11(12).
- Furtado T, Preshaw L, Hockenhull J, Wathan J, Douglas J, Horseman S, Smith R, Pollard D, Pinchbeck G, Rogers J, Hall C. How Happy Are Equine Athletes? Stakeholder Perceptions of Equine Welfare Issues Associated with Equestrian Sport.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 12;11(11).
- Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Walmsley EA, Wong ASM, Whitton RC. Association of Thoroughbred Racehorse Workloads and Rest Practices with Trainer Success.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Nov 1;11(11).
- Legg KA, Gee EK, Cochrane DJ, Rogers CW. Preliminary Examination of the Biological and Industry Constraints on the Structure and Pattern of Thoroughbred Racing in New Zealand over Thirteen Seasons: 2005/06-2017/18.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Sep 27;11(10).
- Crawford KL, Finnane A, Greer RM, Phillips CJC, Woldeyohannes SM, Perkins NR, Ahern BJ. Appraising the Welfare of Thoroughbred Racehorses in Training in Queensland, Australia: The Incidence and Type of Musculoskeletal Injuries Vary between Two-Year-Old and Older Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 5;10(11).
- Flash ML, Wong ASM, Stevenson MA, Gilkerson JR. Barriers to entering race training before 4 years of age for Thoroughbred horses born in the 2014 Australian foal crop.. PLoS One 2020;15(8):e0237003.
- Palmer AL, Bolwell CF, Stafford KJ, Gal A, Rogers CW. Patterns of Racing and Career Duration of Racing Greyhounds in New Zealand.. Animals (Basel) 2020 May 5;10(5).
- Parkes RSV, Weller R, Pfau T, Witte TH. The Effect of Training on Stride Duration in a Cohort of Two-Year-Old and Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Jul 22;9(7).
- Rowland M, Coombs T, Connor M. A Study of Traveller Horse Owners' Attitudes to Horse Care and Welfare Using an Equine Body Condition Scoring System.. Animals (Basel) 2019 Apr 12;9(4).
- Tanner J, Rogers C, Bolwell C, Cogger N, Gee E, Mcllwraith W. Analysis of Failure to Finish a Race in a Cohort of Thoroughbred Racehorses in New Zealand.. Animals (Basel) 2016 May 25;6(6).
- Rogers CW, Bolwell CF, Gee EK. Proactive Management of the Equine Athlete.. Animals (Basel) 2012 Dec 19;2(4):640-55.
- Pinchbeck GL, Clegg PD, Boyde A, Barr ED, Riggs CM. Horse-, training- and race-level risk factors for palmar/plantar osteochondral disease in the racing Thoroughbred.. Equine Vet J 2013 Sep;45(5):582-6.
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