A study published Jan. 12 in Equine Veterinary Journal shows strong potential for the development of a blood test that could indicate whether a racehorse is at risk for a catastrophic breakdown.

From an initial pool of 21 genes identified by previous research in horses and humans for their roles in encoding proteins associated with inflammation, bone repair and remodeling, tissue repair, and general response to injury, researchers at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center were able to zero in on three genes that showed significantly different activity between injured and non-injured horses.

The journal article can be found in the Equine Veterinary Journal at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13423

This story in the news:

• BloodHorse: https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/245807/progress-made-on-blood-test-to-identify-at-risk-horses
• TheHorse: https://thehorse.com/196644/3-biomarkers-linked-to-catastrophic-injuries-in-racehorses/
• Horses and People: https://horsesandpeople.com.au/predicting-catastrophic-racehorse-injuries-a-step-closer/