Horse Racing Research Articles

The effect of long term astaxanthin supplementation on the antioxidant status of racing Arabian horses – preliminary study

Astaxanthin due to its strong antioxidant activity is believed to reduce oxidative stress and therefore is considered as feed additive in pathological conditions and also for the athletes. It is promoted by several equine web portals, however, data supporting that concept in horses is limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of astaxanthin supplementation on the parameters of oxidative status in 3 years old, racing Arabian horses during long term observation and the changes related to a single training session of high intensity. Six horses were supplemented with astaxanthin at a dose of 0.52–0.58 mg/kg BW and 7 received no supplementation. Astaxanthin supplementation resulted in the increase in total antioxidant status by 31.5%, accompanied by decreases in the amount of total thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances -TBARS and glutathione reductases - GR values by 34.5% and 45.4%, respectively, after 1 month and this effect persisted until the end of the observation. After individual training session the activities of glutathione peroxidases and GR were lower by 69% and 46%, respectively, and TBARS lower by 38% in supplemented horses. These results directly confirmed the beneficial effects of astaxanthin supplementation on the antioxidant status of race horses. Astaxanthin partially counterbalance the training-related oxidative stress, save the horse natural antioxidant defense, and shift the redox status towards a more reducing environment. At the same time, exercise-induced reactive oxygen species production at certain level was maintained and so that contributed to training progress.

Evaluations of Morphometric Traits and Body Conformation Indices of Horse Ecotypes Reared in the Highlands of Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia.

Morphometric traits discrepancies are associated with production, reproduction, adaptation and behaviours in horses. It also determines the design of harnessing implements, physical injury level and working performance of the native horses. Thus, the study was conducted to evaluate morphometric traits and body conformation indices of horse ecotypes reared across four districts of Bale Zone, Ethiopia. Data of croup height, croup length, hip height, mid-back height, wither height, hip width, thoracic depth, chest width, body length, sternum height, thorax perimeter and cannon perimeter were measured in 500 horses (294 male and 206 female). Using those traits, 17 body conformation indices were calculated to define the horses for multi-faceted performances. The study revealed that croup height, hip height, wither height, hip width, croup length, body length, thorax perimeter and sternum height were significantly (p < 0.0001) different among the studied districts. The district effect was also significant at p < 0.05 for mid-back height, thoracic depth, chest width and cannon perimeter. The sexual dimorphism effect was statistically significant for all measured traits; however, females were inferior to males except for cannon perimeter. Body conformation indices of pelvic index, body index, transversal pelvic index and weight were highly significant (p < 0.0001) among the studied districts. The sex dimorphism effect was significant (p < 0.001) for dactyl-costal index, pelvic index, longitudinal pelvic index, transversal pelvic index, weight, tare index 1 (trot or gallop), tare index 2 (walk) and riding comfort degree, while non-significant (p > 0.05) for the remaining indices. The studied horses were classified as mediline, elipometric, light, small and suitable riding ecotypes with a medium-conforming body structure and good capacity for carrying loads on carts and backs for functional effectiveness. The correlations of body conformation indices ranged from very high to low, with positive and negative associations for functional capabilities. Therefore, selection for improvement needs to rank morphometric traits and body conformation indices in correlation to developing racing and modern sport horses in the highlands of the Bale eco-regions. Further, molecular studies will be essential to determine whether the predominated phenotypic multiplicity is genetic or environmentally progressed.

The Global (Mis)Allocation of Capital

The allocative efficiency of capital flows is one of the oldest and most contentious questions. We answer it by matching cross-border securities holdings reported in the US external statistics from 1995 to 2022 with the corresponding firm-level measures of allocative efficiency. We find that US investors tilt their international equity investment toward firms with high MRPK and markups, thereby fostering their potential for growth. Foreign investors tilt their holdings toward US firms with high productivity and intangible capital. A horse race shows that productivity is the best predictor of foreign investment in US firms and MRPK for US investment in foreign firms. Both US and foreign firms that receive more international funding increase spending on intangible capital, and foreign firms also increase tangible capital. The results are stronger for more productive firms.

Return to Sport After Conservative Management of Midshaft Clavicle Fractures in Professional Jockeys.

This study explores the functional recovery and rates return to play (RTP) of professional jockeys following midshaft clavicle fractures, which have been managed conservatively. The high incidence of these fractures in horse racing underscores the importance of evaluating nonsurgical recovery paths for effective RTP. We used a retrospective cohort study to assess treatment outcomes. The research is set in the professional horse racing scene of Ireland. Sixteen professional Irish jockeys with conservatively managed midshaft clavicular fractures were examined. Jockeys who underwent surgery or were inactive at injury time were excluded. The study involved no direct interventions. Recovery was assessed using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures, alongside racing records to track RTP. The all-male cohort had an average age of 27 years. Results showed an average 67.1-day absence from racing, with 94% returning to preinjury competition levels. Complications were minimal, and patient outcomes were positive, as indicated by a mean QuickDASH score of 2.58, suggesting minimal residual disability. Findings highlight the success of conservative management for midshaft clavicle fractures in professional jockeys, enabling them to return to prior competitive levels with few complications and excellent functional recovery.

Limes (the Roman Frontier): Developing a Video Game for History Learning

The use of gaming technologies in education holds great promise to provide engaging learning experiences. Whereas video games have been successfully used to foster learning in several school subjects, the current understanding of the potential of video games for history learning is still limited. This paper details the development of Limes, a 2D top-down educational game created in Unity and rendered in pixel art. The game targets 5th/6th grade secondary school students and is set in the third century AD in southern Germany, a period characterized by political and social instabilities. Limes digs into the complex relations between the Roman Empire and the Alemanni tribe, one of the most powerful Germanic tribes of this period. The player can experience this pixelated world through the eyes of an Alemanni child, who forms a friendship with a Roman centurion. The unfolding narrative places the young protagonist in the precarious balance of peace and conflict, and the player needs to navigate the diplomatic tensions of the era. The gameplay consists of five levels, including primary missions and optional secondary missions which unlock special features (e.g., puzzles, quizzes). Limes incorporates a variety of game mechanics, ranging from running and interacting with characters to stealth missions, throwing rocks, and horse racing. These dynamics are integrated into the historical narrative of the game, enriching the player's experience. The game development process combined insights and methods from multiple disciplines, including game-based learning, educational, social, and cultural psychology, education sciences and pedagogy, and history education. Moreover, the game capitalizes on Unity’s wide array of development tools, which provide extensive customization possibilities, and employs pixel art, facilitating an engaging environment while maintaining a cost-conscious development process. Initial tests and expert feedback highlight the promise of Limes as a game that leverages historical accuracy and innovative educational tools to foster a deeper understanding of Roman history. Next steps include empirical studies with students to test the game's effectiveness (e.g., in improving interest in and knowledge of Roman history).

The Use of Electric Prodders on Rodeo Horses in Australia: Regulatory Inconsistency and Potential Illegality

Inflicting electric shock on a horse can cause significant pain for which they are not adapted. This is recognised in the animal welfare legislation of all Australian jurisdictions, which prohibit the use of electrical devices on horses. However, rodeo horses are exempted from this protection in some jurisdictions. This article analyses the regulatory framework to determine if legislative exemptions result in different legal protections for horses depending on whether they are used in rodeos or horse racing. It also considers instances of actual use of electrical devices on horses to determine whether the current regulatory framework is capable of enforcement. It argues that possession of electric prodders near horses at rodeos should be made an offence in all jurisdictions.

Enough but not too many: A bi-threshold model for behavioral diffusion.

Behavioral diffusion is commonly modeled with the linear threshold model, which assumes that individuals adopt a behavior when enough of their social contacts do so. We observe, however, that in many common empirical settings individuals also appear to abandon a behavior when too many of their close contacts exhibit it. The bi-threshold model captures this tendency by adding an upper threshold, which, when exceeded, triggers behavioral disadoption. Here we report an empirical test of the bi-threshold model. We overcome the significant challenge of estimating individuals' heterogeneous thresholds by extending a recently introduced decision-tree based algorithm to the bi-threshold setting. Using the context of the spread of news about three different topics on social media (the Higgs boson, the Melbourne Cup horse race, and the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in China), we show that the bi-threshold model predicts user engagement with the news orders of magnitude more accurately than the linear threshold model. We show that the performance gains are due especially to the bi-threshold model's comparative advantage in predicting behavioral decline, an important but previously overlooked stage of the behavioral diffusion cycle. Overall, the results confirm the existence of the second upper threshold in some contexts of diffusion of information and suggest that a similar mechanism may operate in other decision-making contexts.

Which factors in China? A pre-registered report

We evaluate the ability of the asset pricing models of Liu, Stambaugh and Yuan (2019) and Fama and French (2018) to price Chinese stocks. Our model comparisons are conducted using spanning tests following Barillas and Shanken (2017) and maximum squared Sharpe ratios following Barillas, Kan, Robotti and Shanken (2020). We will first examine the models of Liu et al. (2019) and Fama and French (2018) in isolation. Next, we will conduct horse race tests between the models. The superior model will be determined based on spanning regressions and a comparison of the maximum squared Sharpe ratios derived from the model's factors.

Inter-Candidate Agenda Setting Effect of the 2018 Mexican Presidential Election: Political Party Candidates Vs. an Inde-pendent Candidate

The 2018 Mexican presidential election marked the initiation of a new political communication dynamic in which traditional electoral communication strategies of political parties were challenged by an independent candidate. This study evaluated this innovative electoral setting by examining Telemundo’s electoral coverage of party-affiliated candidates —Anaya Cortés, Meade Kuribreña, and López Obrador— and the independent candidate —Rodríguez Calderón— through agenda setting theory. The data was collected from Telemundo’s national newscast “Noticias Telemundo” with José Díaz Balart during INE’s official 90-day electoral campaign period. The inter-candidate agenda setting effect regarding the horse race topics was strong among the contenders suggesting that Telemundo’s journalists were disseminating the same information regarding party candidates, but the journalists’ reporting differed when covering the independent candidate. Outcomes indicate that there were two dominant political discussions in Telemundo regarding horse race topics, one emerging from all party candidates and the other one from the independent candidate. The inter-candidate agenda setting effect of issues presented strong correlations among all contenders, suggesting that their policy issues news agendas in Telemundo were nearly identical, which could have made it difficult for voters to distinguish among the candidates’ campaign messages. Overall, Rodríguez Calderón challenged parties’ political communication strategies in terms of horse race topics for his ability to disseminate a distinct campaign message in Telemundo despite having acquired the most negative coverage from journalists. But the independent candidate did not represent an opposition for parties regarding issues because his political rhetoric was not dissimilar from the other contenders.

“Eco-friendly HPLC method for analysis of dipyrone and hyoscine in different matrices with biomonitoring”

A selective, precise, and accurate reversed HPLC method has been developed and validated for simultaneous separation and determination of two veterinary drugs, dipyrone and hyoscine, in their combined dosage form in the presence of their official impurities, namely 4-aminoantipyrine and tropic acid, in addition to the formulated preservative: phenol. The linearity range was found to be (1.00–35.00 µg/mL) for dipyrone and (2.50–50.00 µg/mL) for hyoscine. It exhibited a satisfactory linearity regression R (0.9999) for both drugs with LOD 0.22 µg/mL and 0.72 µg/mL and LOQ 0.65 µg/mL and 2.19 µg/mL for dipyrone and hyoscine, respectively. Additionally, the two cited drugs were also determined in the presence of dipyrone active metabolite 4-aminoantipyrine using diclofenac as an internal standard in bovine urine. The linearity range was found to be (15–75 µg/mL) for dipyrone, (2.5–60 µg/mL) for hyoscine, and (2.5–60 µg/mL) for 4-aminoantipyrine with linearity regression R (0.9999–0.9998). The LLOQ (15, 2.5, 2.5 µg/mL), LQC (45, 7.5, 7.5 µg/mL), MQC (55, 25, 25 µg/mL), and HQC (60, 50 50 µg/mL) were determined for dipyrone, hyoscine and 4-aminoantipyrine, respectively. UV detection was carried out at 220 nm. The method was validated according to the ICH guidelines, as well as according to FDA guidelines for determining both drugs in bioanalytical matrices and both proved accuracy and precision. A statistical comparison was made between the results obtained and those obtained by the reported method, showing no significant difference in accuracy and precision at p = 0.05. The suggested method was proved eco-friendly through a greenness assessment using two different tools (The analytical eco-scale scored 83, and the AGREE-Analytical Greenness Metric approach scored 0.83). The suggested method can be used in the routine work of quality control labs, screening for drug abuse, and ensuring clean sport for horse racing.

Gene doping in horse racing and equine sports: Current landscape and future perspectives.

Gene doping, the use of gene therapy or genetic manipulation to enhance athletic performance, has emerged as a potential threat to the integrity and welfare of equine sports, such as horse racing and equestrian sports. This review aims to provide an overview of gene doping in horses, including the underlying technologies, potential applications, detection methods, ethical concerns and future perspectives. By understanding the current landscape of gene doping in horses, stakeholders can work together to develop strategies to safeguard the integrity of equine sports.

고정효과 로짓모형을 통한 국내 경마 적중 요인에 대한 탐색적 연구 - 과천경마장 사례를 중심으로

This paper analyzes main factors to exert effects on horse-race winning which has not been identified in Korea, discussing people’s predictor variables and winning system. Fixed effects logit model is used to estimate impacts of institutional variables such as rating and weighting decided by horse racing authority, subjective variables constructed by betting people, and other information variables about horses and betting environments, using panel data from 2015 to 2018. Estimation results show that people make quite sophisticated estimation of their betting, contrary to popular knowledge in Korea, and that rating and weighting decrease differences of horses’ running abilities which is the well-known policy of horse racing authority in Korea to attract people’s interest in a tighter competition at the same time. However, the information asymmetry problem caused from long shot anomaly needs to be resolved by more information offering by winning function and smart data discussed in this paper. And to conclude, empirical results of winning function estimation offer people in track with detailed implications for more rational behavior and present possibility to raise the efficiency of horse race betting market smartly.

Dual Enclavity and Nomadicity. Life Trajectories of Kyrgyz Horse Racing Riders Working in Poland

In recent years (since 2019), a professional niche formed by Kyrgyz men has rapidly risen to dominate the horse racing ranking in Poland. This article explores their life trajectories and proposes a theoretical framework describing their mode of mobility. It is based on interviews with Kyrgyz riders, complemented by interviews with horse racing trainers. The study reveals details of their life trajectories and identifies some common features and sequences in their experiences. These are: the usage of unique cultural capital acquired in childhood and physical capital to transition from traditional horse racing to English-style racing, the gradual shift from transregional occupational networks to transnational ones in which Poland serves as a waiting zone, and unspecified (but related to the global horse racing industry) plans for the future. This case study is analysed from the perspective of translocality and transnational migration. I argue that the socio-economic circumstances in the migrants’ country of origin and the vocational pathway they undertook as teenagers within the horse racing, result in the permanent temporality of their mobility between enclaves of horse racing centres. The article proposes the concept of dual enclavity and nomadicity to capture the particular nature of this form of mobility.

Thoroughbred Horse Racing Safety Regulations

Horse racing faces many challenges in modern-day society and the once famous “sport of kings” is in danger of becoming a thing of the past. In the United States alone, the horse industry contributes more than $122 billion to the economy annually (Bull, 2023). Horse racing contributes over $30 billion and is one of the largest entertainment and sporting industries (Bull, 2023). However, the sport is facing major challenges with concerns for the safety of its equine and human participants. Horse racing's future depends on the safety of horses and jockeys, the implementation of new technology to improve the industry, and an evaluation of the impact of both new and existing regulations on the sport.

Development and validation of general plasma screening method for performance enhancing drugs in racehorses utilizing liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS).

The screening of drugs in plasma and urine often requires initial extraction (such as liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction) before the samples are submitted to instrumental analyses. These extraction procedures are often laborious and time-consuming. In this manuscript, a high-throughput automated assay based on liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) suitable for use as an initial testing procedure covering multiple classes of compounds prohibited in horse racing is described. The assay requires a 600-μL plasma aliquot, which is subjected to solid phase extraction (SPE) using OASIS HLB 96-well SPE with Biotage Extrahera system, evaporation, and reconstitution in a 96-well collection plate. LC-HRMS analyses were carried out on a Thermo Q-Exactive Mass spectrometer coupled with Thermo UHPLC system equipped with Thermo Accela ALS 2.4.0 autosampler linked to ACE Excel column. Drug targets were detected by retention time and accurate mass, with a mass tolerance window of 5ppm in positive and negative ionization mode. The screening method was validated for over 300 drug targets in a 13-min run. Validation data including sensitivity, specificity, extraction recovery, and precision are presented. As the method employs full-scan mass spectrometry, unlimited number of drug targets can theoretically be incorporated into this method.

Astaxanthin Supplementation Does Not Alter Training-Related Changes in Inflammatory Cytokine Profile in Arabian Racing Horses.

This study aimed to evaluate the oral supplementation of astaxanthin (ATX) on inflammatory markers in 3-year-old Arabian racehorses. Despite the recognized antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of ATX observed in vitro in rodent models and in human athletes, the effects in equine subjects remain unknown. This study involved a controlled trial with 14 horses receiving either ATX (six horses) or a placebo (eight horses), monitored over four months of race training. Inflammatory cytokines: TNFα, IFNγ, IL-6, IL-10, and prostaglandin E (PGE), were measured monthly to assess the impact of ATX on the inflammatory response. The results indicated no significant differences in measured parameters between the ATX and the control group during the study. However, a significant time-dependent decrease in TNFα and IFNγ levels (p = 0.001) was observed in both groups, suggesting that regular training naturally modulates inflammatory responses. Moreover, positive correlations were noted between TNFα and IFNγ (p < 0.001) in the early phase of the study and between IL-6 and IL-10 (p = 0.008) in the later phase. Hematological parameters remained stable and within reference ranges, indicating no adverse effects of ATX supplementation. Performance metrics, including the number of races completed and wins, showed no significant differences between groups, suggesting that ATX did not enhance athletic performance under the study conditions. Overall, while ATX supplementation affected neither cytokine levels nor performance in Arabian racehorses, the natural anti-inflammatory effects of regular training were evident. Further research is needed to explore potential benefits of ATX supplementation under different conditions, such as in horses with subclinical inflammation or varying training regimens, to fully clarify its role and applications in equine sports medicine.

Entropy-Based Strategies for Multi-Bracket Pools.

Much work in the parimutuel betting literature has discussed estimating event outcome probabilities or developing optimal wagering strategies, particularly for horse race betting. Some betting pools, however, involve betting not just on a single event, but on a tuple of events. For example, pick six betting in horse racing, March Madness bracket challenges, and predicting a randomly drawn bitstring each involve making a series of individual forecasts. Although traditional optimal wagering strategies work well when the size of the tuple is very small (e.g., betting on the winner of a horse race), they are intractable for more general betting pools in higher dimensions (e.g., March Madness bracket challenges). Hence we pose the multi-brackets problem: supposing we wish to predict a tuple of events and that we know the true probabilities of each potential outcome of each event, what is the best way to tractably generate a set of n predicted tuples? The most general version of this problem is extremely difficult, so we begin with a simpler setting. In particular, we generate n independent predicted tuples according to a distribution having optimal entropy. This entropy-based approach is tractable, scalable, and performs well.

A Study on Legalization of Betting in India, in Reference with Game of Skills and Game of Chance

The Indian law though differentiates between games of skill and games of chance. As an example, games like India bet365, Dream eleven aren't gambling as they involve "mere skill" selecting of players or team though the end result of the sport depends upon the possibility however choosing of player or team . It involves some skills and can't be termed as associated game of chance. The objective of the research is, to understand the difference between games of skill and games of chance, to study the economic benefits by legalizing betting, to analyse the effects of gambling, to study about the measure taken to reduce gambling addiction. The researcher has done descriptive study on issues in legalization of betting in India. The primary information for the research is collected through online method from 203 randomly selected respondents. The independent variables are age, gender and education qualifications. The dependent variables are, will legalization of betting contribute to the economy of the nation, in scale 1-10 rate, is betting on horse race gambling, what do you think are the effects of gambling, how to reduce gambling addiction. The aim of the paper is to study about the issues in legalizing betting. The findings of the research is that legalizing betting will contribute to the economy of the nation, but the monitoring of the money flow will be the greatest problem. Hence, before legalizing the betting culture the legislation should be assisted and shape the law accordingly

STUDY ON NORMAL HRMATOLOGICAL VALUES OF ARABIAN RACE HORSES

Hematological values for sixty clinically normal Arabian bred race horses of both sexes were estimated.Red cell ,count, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean ‘corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, white cell count, differential leukocytic count, total serum protein, albumin and globulin were determined by using several laboratory techniques. It appeared that the total serum protein and globulin were significantly higher in the stallions than those in mares (P &lt; 0.05) whereas the results of other hemaltological parameters were comparable and the mean values did not show significant differences (P &gt; 0.05).

Detection of sildenafil and its 9 metabolites in a post-race horse urine sample: A case report

The use of prohibited substances in horse racing is a major concern that jeopardizes both the fairness of competitions and the health of horses. This problem can stem from the use of licensed drugs for animal health, as well as unlicensed substances. Horse doping laboratories monitor the potential use of these substances in racehorses within the framework of regulations set by the International Federation of Horse Racing Authority. In this context, sildenafil and its major metabolite n-desmethyl sildenafil were detected in a post-race horse urine sample sent to the Pendik Veterinary Control Institute Doping Control Laboratory through a screening analysis performed with Liquid Chromatography Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry. These results were confirmed by Q Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry and follow-up analyses were performed. As a result of these analyses; simultaneous detection of 9 metabolites in horse urine was reported, two of them for the first time. In addition, the pioneer and comprehensive data resulting from this study provide preliminary data for future studies and anti-doping analyses.