Tracking Injuries Tracking Injuries On TrackOn Track

Status of the development of a standardized injury reporting Status of the development of a standardized injury reporting system at North American Thoroughbred racetrackssystem at North American Thoroughbred racetracks

Mary C. Scollay-Ward, DVM

Senior Association Veterinarian

Calder Race Course / Gulfstream Park

ObjectivesObjectives Quanitate Quanitate

Racetrack injuriesRacetrack injuries TypeType FrequencyFrequency OutcomeOutcome

IdentifyIdentify Markers for Horses at Increased RiskMarkers for Horses at Increased Risk

Improve efficiency of pre-race inspectionsImprove efficiency of pre-race inspections Trainer accountabilityTrainer accountability

Improve Improve Injury management and prevention Injury management and prevention

Case Criteria (employed by reporting regulatory veterinarians)

: Horses observed to be lame on the racetrack before, during and immediately following a race

Horses observed to be lame in Detention Barn post-race

Horses scratched for unsoundness at pre-race exam

Horse identification

(optional)

Horse-specific

information

Injury-specific

information

17 07 034

Confidential racetrack code

Year

Individual case

If horse identification can be reported, information is retrieved from Jockey Club Information database—form completion abbreviated

Price factor = Claiming price Bottom claiming price

Example: Claiming price of injured horse is $25,000.

Bottom claiming price in that category at track is $5,000.

Price factor = 5.0

Use of standardized keywords in describing injuries

LF Fracture Distal Limb Ses-biax ComminutedLF Soft tissue Flexor tendon SDF/DDF Rupture

LF Joint Fetlock Disarticulation closed RF Other Grabbed 1/4

Triage Scoring

0 No lameness observed on trackI Grade III or lower lameness; no presumptive diagnosisII >Grade III lameness; no presumptive diagnosisIII Mild to moderate limb instability in 1 plane; closed injuryIV Severe instability in 1 plane; closed injuryV Limb instability in 2 or more planes / loss of column of support

(open or closed); open: fracture / joint capsule / tendon sheath

Prognosis and Outcome-- not always consistent

Participating racetracks:Participating racetracks:

Albuquerque DownsAlbuquerque DownsArlington ParkArlington ParkAqueductAqueductBelmont ParkBelmont ParkBeulah ParkBeulah ParkCalder Race CourseCalder Race CourseCanterbury DownsCanterbury DownsCharlestown RacesCharlestown RacesChurchill DownsChurchill DownsColonial DownsColonial DownsDelaware ParkDelaware ParkEllis ParkEllis ParkEmerald DownsEmerald DownsFonner ParkFonner ParkGulfstream ParkGulfstream Park

Indiana DownsIndiana DownsHastings ParkHastings ParkHawthorne RacecourseHawthorne RacecourseHoosier ParkHoosier ParkHollywood ParkHollywood ParkKeenelandKeenelandLone Star ParkLone Star ParkMeadowlandsMeadowlandsMonmouth ParkMonmouth ParkPenn NationalPenn NationalPhiladelphia ParkPhiladelphia ParkPrairie MeadowsPrairie MeadowsSaratogaSaratogaSuffolk DownsSuffolk DownsTurfwayTurfwayYavapai DownsYavapai Downs

Racing Injuries

High profile events

Training Injuries

Low profile events

Economic impact ?

Relationship to racing injuries ?

GP 2007 Injury Report Date: _________________________

Dirt: Fast Good Sloppy Turf: Firm Good Yielding

Exercise: Race Breeze Gallop Jog Non-exercise Other__________________

Limb: LF RF LH RH

Site: Appendicular skeleton: P1 P2 P3 Sesamoid—Medial / Lateral / Both MC3 MT3 Carpal Bones Tarsal Bones Radius Humerus Tibia Femur

Axial skeleton: Skull / Pelvis / Spine—cervical - thoracic - lumbar

Joint: Fetlock / Carpus / Tarsus / Shoulder / Stifle / Interphalangeal

Soft Tissue: Flexor tendon: SDF DDF Suspensory: Origin Body Dist. Ses. Lig Med Br. Lat Br. Muscle: ______________________________________ Other: _____________________________________________

Injury: Acute Chronic/Reinjury

Bone (non-fx): Osteitis / Bucked shins Bone (fx): Apical / Avulsion / Basilar / Chip / Condylar / Saucer / Slab / Spiral / Transverse Saggital / Incomplete / Non-displaced / Displaced / Comminuted / Compound

Joint: Inflammation (w/o radiographic/US changes) / DJD-OA (w/ radiographic/US changes)

Soft Tissue: Tendinitis / Desmitis / Myositis / Myalgia / Failure / Rupture

Diagnostics used: (circle all that apply) Physical exam / Radiology / Ultrasound / Scintigraphy / Other______________________

Treatment/Therapeutic modalities used: (circle all that apply) Rest Medication: Systemic / Local/directed / Intra-articular / Other________________________ ECSW / Ultra/Infra-sound / Electromagnetic / Alternative therapy (herbs/homeopathics/acupuncture, etc.) Surgery Euthanasia Other ____________________________

Prognosis for return to racing soundness: Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor / Career ending injury / Not applicable--Fatality

Anticipated return to training/racing: < 30 days 31-60 days 61-180 days 181-365 days >365 days Not applicable

Reporting criteria: Musculoskeletal injuries requiring withdrawal from training for 10 or more days. Injury Reporting

by Practicing Veterinarians

Confidentiality/ Anonymity:

Case Selection Criteria:

Horse which veterinarian advises to be Horse which veterinarian advises to be withdrawn from training for 10 or more withdrawn from training for 10 or more days due to musculoskeletal injury days due to musculoskeletal injury sustained racing or trainingsustained racing or training

Horse, trainer, veterinarian not identifiedHorse, trainer, veterinarian not identified

Responsible Use of Responsible Use of InformationInformation

National Statistics will be made publicNational Statistics will be made public Individual racetracks’ data will be Individual racetracks’ data will be

returned to submitting veterinarian as returned to submitting veterinarian as spread sheet filespread sheet file

Access to DataAccess to Data

Researchers desiring access to data will Researchers desiring access to data will submit proposal to review panel submit proposal to review panel

1 Year Goal1 Year Goal

Increase number of participant racetracksIncrease number of participant racetracks Generate composite statisticsGenerate composite statistics Form advisory committeeForm advisory committee

Review reporting formatReview reporting format Identify research needsIdentify research needs

2 Year Goal2 Year Goal

Expansion of data analysisExpansion of data analysis Identification of markers for horses at Identification of markers for horses at

increased riskincreased risk

3 Year Goal3 Year Goal

Confidential, on-line report submission Confidential, on-line report submission with data automatically entered into with data automatically entered into databasedatabase