Cooperation Emphasized During Vet Panel at OwnerView

Speaking as part of a panel at the sixth annual Thoroughbred OwnerView Conference Oct. 30 at Santa Anita Park, three veterinarians emphasized the importance of cooperation between trainers and regulatory and practicing veterinarians for successful care of racehorses.

Current and prospective owners are attending the conference, hosted by OwnerView—a program run by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association—BloodHorse, Breeders' Cup, and The Stronach Group. The conference incorporates information on becoming a horse owner with Breeders' Cup attendance.

Each of the three veterinarians that served as panelists explained a different segment of horse care, beginning with Dr. Jeff Blea, a practicing veterinarian in Southern California who focused on leg injuries, including timetables and prognosis. He shared a slideshow of X-rays illustrating various conditions.

Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, The Jockey Club steward at the New York Racing Association tracks, followed with the role regulatory veterinarians serve in watching over equine participants. She explained the need for scratching horses when they appear at risk.

Dr. Jim Chiapetta, co-inventor and principal with FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips and CEO of Biovisics Medical, then elaborated on respiratory care and treatment.

"Dr. Blea made a comment: 'No foot. No horse,'" Chiapetta said. "My feeling is no lungs, (then) it doesn't matter how many feet they have."

The comment drew laughs from the audience, though the panel discussion in general was not as lighthearted as earlier discussions during the conference. The topics discussed were a reminder of the many injuries a horse can experience, some manageable with time and treatment, others career-ending.

Durenberger brought to light for owners how regulatory veterinarians act as safeguards for their horses, though at times that can mean a potential scratch. She pointed out that in New York in 2018, approximately 1% of horses were scratched on advice by regulatory veterinarians, either on race-day morning or with the horse on the track, perhaps on the way to the gate.

She pointed out that while disappointing to an owner, this caution was often warranted. The average return-to-race time for these horses was approximately three months, and roughly a third were sidelined for six months or more, indicative of these horses having a significant physical setback that was spotted before the race.

"What this means is the system worked. The team worked," she said.  

Blea echoed those sentiments, illustrating a recent example of being called to evaluate a horse for a client after it had been flagged by a regulatory veterinarian. Upon examination, the horse showed the early makings of a potentially threatening injury.  

"The moral of the story is you can't have an 'Us vs. Them.' It doesn't work," Blea said. "It has got to be a team effort, which is inclusive of not only the regulatory vets and practicing vets but it has to include the trainers and the owners."