HISA funds two research projects on sudden death in racehorses

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has designated funding toward two research projects that are looking to establish indicators for risk of sudden death in racehorses, HISA announced on Tuesday.

One of the studies, which is being conducted by Dr. Sian Durward-Akhurst at the University of Minnesota, is analyzing the genomes and other biological markers in horses to identify common risks for sudden death. The study is hoping to produce non-invasive screening tests to determine at-risk horses for closer monitoring.

The other study is being conducted by Durward-Akhurst and Dr. Cris Navas at the University of Pennsylvania using wearable technology. The study, which is ongoing, has recruited 193 horses to wear the devices during training sessions to collect data on biometrics, stride characteristics, speed, and other metrics.

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Sudden death is extremely rare in racehorses, accounting for one death out of every 10,000 starts, but the phenomenon is beginning to draw increased focus due to a significant decline in musculoskeletal injuries over the past decade in U.S. Thoroughbred racing. At the Breeders’ Cup event two weeks ago at Del Mar, no horses suffered catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries, but one horse, Jayarebe, died suddenly during the gallop out of the Turf after running fifth.

Researchers have said that identifying horses at risk for sudden death – which is typically due to a cardiac event – is extremely difficult within racing’s existing knowledge base, but that there are promising leads.

The funding of the projects, which are both expected to be completed by the end of next year, was announced by HISA’s Exercise-Associated Sudden Death Working Group, which was formed in the fall of 2023.

“This ongoing challenge requires increased attention, which is exactly why HISA exists,” said Lisa Lazarus, the chief executive officer of HISA, in a release. “We are optimistic that this group’s research will enhance our understanding and help inform policy changes that will reduce sudden fatalities and safeguard our horses.”

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