Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire
Breeders’ Cup Outlines Best-In-Class Safety & Integrity Measures In Place For 2025 World Championships
Breeders’ Cup Release
DEL MAR, Calif. – As part of Breeders’ Cup Limited’s ongoing commitment to the safety and welfare of our equine and human athletes, the 2025 World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will run in accordance with comprehensive safety and integrity protocols. These best-in-class safety and integrity measures evolve every year in consultation with leading experts in the field as science and technology continues to advance in the sport of horse racing.
This year marks the third running of the World Championships under the full jurisdiction of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). Under HISA’s Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, Breeders’ Cup participants are subject to out-of-competition (OOC) testing, pre-race TCO2 testing and post-race testing administered by the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU).
Early Preparations: Out-of-Competition Testing, Veterinary Coordination & Racing Surface Oversight
The Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Team has held regular coordination meetings with partners at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, HISA, HIWU and the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) since July to determine OOC testing schedules and protocols for veterinary exams, injury management, emergency preparedness, and diagnostic tool implementation.
A list of possible starters, including graded stakes and Challenge Series winners, was compiled and has been monitored on an ongoing basis since June of this year so HIWU could begin OOC testing for banned substances of potential contenders. This includes collaborating with regulators in jurisdictions outside the United States to coordinate testing of potential competitors hailing from those jurisdictions. OOC testing will be ongoing through race day.
In addition, monitoring of the racing surface at Del Mar has been ongoing for months. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club surface experts – Track Superintendent Dennis Moore and Turf Course Superintendent John Beggin – have worked closely with Dr. Mick Peterson, Program Director of the University of Kentucky Racetrack Safety Program, throughout their evaluation and maintenance operations to ensure the most consistent racing surfaces possible at Del Mar. Additionally, TurfTrax software has been employed to measure the condition of the turf track. These results are posted daily for horsemen and the media.
Safety & Integrity Protocols: October Through World Championships
Preliminary screening protocols conducted by the Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Review Panel began immediately following the last domestic Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race on Oct. 5. The Review Team assessed the records of more than 220 potential contenders, including veterinary and treatment records, training and racing patterns, and physical examinations of select horses conducted by regulatory veterinarians in the applicable racing jurisdictions around the world. In some cases, the use of advanced diagnostic tools was also required.
An equine PET scan machine on loan from the University of California, Davis and a mobile radiography device will also be available to veterinarians on-site at Del Mar.
Upon the close of pre-entries on Oct. 20, medical records for all domestic contenders were requested from HISA and reviewed by the Review Panel a second time. For international contenders, the previous 30 days of medical records were requested and submitted for review. Mandatory 24-hour surveillance for all runners began at 11:00 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Additionally, every Breeders’ Cup runner is subject to:
- Comprehensive on-site veterinary exams, including jog-up exams and the use of diagnostic technology as needed, beginning Wednesday, Oct. 22
- Additional physical examinations and the use of the AI-powered SLEIP app to analyze the horse’s gait, at the determination of the Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Team
- In-stall and on-track veterinary oversight during training and schooling
- Mandatory jog-up exams before entering any racing surface at Del Mar starting Friday, Oct. 24
- HISA-mandated pre-race veterinary examinations in the barn and veterinary monitoring of horses in the paddock and during warm-up on race day
- Extensive pre-race TCO2 testing, as well as post-race testing of the first four finishers along with other runners as designated by the stewards
- Observation of all other finishers cooling out as they exit the racetrack to determine if any aid or further assessment is required
Breeders’ Cup has once again issued a Breeders’ Cup Veterinary Guide detailing exam procedures and requirements for all horses competing in the World Championships. Additional resources detailing Breeders’ Cup’s health and safety protocols for the 2025 World Championships can be found atwww.BreedersCup.com/safety.
