Novel risk factors associated with fatal musculoskeletal injury in Thoroughbreds in North American racing (2009-2023).

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Equine Injury Database (EID) is a census-level record of Thoroughbred racing in North America, currently recording 95.6% of all race starts in 2023, along with partial training and veterinary histories of each horse.

Objectives

To identify horse-, race- and track-level risk factors associated with race-related fatal musculoskeletal injury (MSI) of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America.

Study design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

The study cohort included all race starts made by horses born after 31 December 2006, at tracks that fully report to the EID and consisted of 3,851,659 race starts made by 250,840 Thoroughbred racehorses (median [IQR] starts per horse 11 [5-22]) at 115 racetracks in the USA and Canada between 2009 and 2023, inclus

SUBMITTER: Bennet ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12699123 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature