Rate of Fatal Injury Declines, Lowest Since Database Inception

[Wandering Eyes]

The rate of fatal injury in Thoroughbreds (per 1000 starts) declined from 1.53 in 2019 to 1.41 in 2020, a decrease of 7.8% and a number which represents the lowest rate of equine fatalities since data has been collected in the Equine Injury Database (EID) in 2009. The rate of fatal injury, which was 2.0 per 1000 starts in that first year, has dropped by 29.5% during that 12 year period. Based on the data collected in 2020, fully 99.86% of racing on the flat from tracks that participate in the EID were completed without a fatality. Over the course of calendar year 2020, roughly 99.7% of all Thoroughbred starts were included in the EID.

“Overall, there was an 8% decrease in the risk of fatal injury from 2019 to 2020. Since 2009, risk has declined by 29.5% (P<0.001) or equivalent to 140 fewer horses sustaining a fatal injury while racing in 2020 than would have occurred had there been no change in risk since 2009,” said Dr. Tim Parkin, the veterinary epidemiologist who has consulted on the EID since its inception. “We will dig deeper into the numbers in the coming months to better understand trends in the 2020 data.”

Added Kristin Werner, senior counsel and administrator of the EID: “Although we are thrilled to see improvement in the numbers from 2020 and commend the racetracks and regulatory authorities in their efforts to reduce injuries, other areas require closer study. The recording of additional data through tools like the Electronic Treatment Records System and the Management Quality System of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory will give regulators, racetracks, and researchers a better understanding of horse health and racetrack safety, allowing for additional scrutiny and research aimed at preventing injuries.”

According to the stats from 2020, 2-year-old racing reported the highest incidence of fatality (1.69/1000), while the rate of fatality decreased markedly with an increase in race distance. Races contested at six furlongs or under recorded the largest occurrence of fatality (1.66/1000). Dirt tracks saw a fatality rate of 1.49/1000, with turf tracks (1.27) and synthetic tracks (1.02) significantly lower.

The 21 racetracks accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance reported 1.32 racing fatalities per 1,000 starts versus 1.48 for the 62 non-accredited tracks that raced in 2020 and reported to the EID.

This story will be updated…

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