Report says track conditions lead factor in horse deaths

SARATOGA (NEWS10) - The New York Gaming Commission has released a comprehensive 107-page report analyzing horse fatalities during the 2023 meet at Saratoga Race Course. The report delves into various factors that contribute to equine deaths, with a significant emphasis on track conditions as a primary concern.

According to the report, authored by Dr. Scott Palmer, the condition of the track plays a crucial role in horse fatalities. In response to the findings, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) is set to implement new measures to enhance safety.

“We will increase the monitoring of the moisture content by placing more high-tech sensors at each location,” said Pat McKenna, Vice President of Communications for NYRA. “We measure the moisture content in both the main track and both turf courses before, during, and after each day's live racing card. A consistent racing surface is a safe racing surface.”

However, some experts caution against attributing horse deaths solely to track conditions. Dr. Mick Peterson, Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky, who has worked with NYRA for over a decade, emphasized the complexity of the issue.

“You can’t point to one factor. It is multifactorial,” Dr. Peterson explained. “We’re still learning. The challenge is we need a huge data set because it’s multifactorial, and the track is one of the factors.”

Opinions vary within the horse racing community regarding the impact of track conditions. Gary Contessa, a leading trainer in New York State, highlighted that different horses react differently to wet track conditions.''

“I would have to say that I have a high amount of horses that love a wet track,” Contessa stated. “My opinion is that I don’t think it’s the track condition that makes horses get hurt. It’s trying to run a horse that doesn’t like that track condition on that track.”

Contessa also noted that NYRA does not penalize trainers for withdrawing horses from races due to concerns over track conditions. “They are so health-conscious and so conscious about the health of the horse, that if I call the stewards and say I can’t run my horse on this track, they don’t even ask.”

Despite these measures, critics of horse racing argue that more needs to be done to protect the animals. Patrick Battuello, an outspoken opponent of the sport, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the proposed changes.

“It could make a marginal difference. And that’s the best word for it, a marginal difference,” Battuello said. “But again, to what end? If 2,000 horses are dying, are you okay with 1,500? Like, how many are you okay with?”

The report’s findings and the reactions from industry stakeholders underscore the ongoing debate over safety in horse racing, with track conditions now at the forefront of discussions.