Internationally respected equine veterinarian Dr. Stuart E. Brown II, who joined Keeneland in June 2020, is Vice President of Equine Safety.

Dr. Brown leads Keeneland’s effort to develop, communicate and enforce safety and integrity policies for both racing and sales operations; reviews all racing-related accidents with the goal of prevention; assesses relevant equine health and safety research; and proactively communicates best practices to the racing community and public. His duties encompass Keeneland and The Thoroughbred Center, the training center in Lexington that Keeneland owns.       

Dr. Brown completed his undergraduate work at Transylvania University and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tuskegee University. He spent nearly 30 years with Lexington’s Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, specializing in equine reproduction and ambulatory medicine. He is Chairman of both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Insurance Trustand the Organization of Racing Investigators; is the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Delegate to the AVMA House of Delegates; is an Executive Board Member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium; is on the Board of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association; and is member of The Jockey Club, the AAEP Public Policy and Welfare Council, the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA) Legislative Advocacy Committee; and the Grayson- Jockey Club Research Advisory Committee. He also is on the Dean’s Advisory Committee of University of Kentucky Equine Science.

Dr. Brown received the 2022 Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association Distinguished Service Award; the 2021 AVMA Meritorious Service Award; and the 2017 AAEP President’s Award. He is married to Jen Roytz and lives in Versailles, Kentucky.

Keeneland Race Track Maintenance And Study Key To Safer Surfaces

Keeneland Collaborates With Kentucky Tracks On Medication Reform

In an unprecedented show of unity, Keeneland teamed with Kentucky’s other Thoroughbred tracks – Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs – to advocate for medication reforms that were adopted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in 2020.

Among the reforms currently in place:

• A ban on the use of furosemide, commonly known as Lasix, on race day for 2-year-olds and for horses entered in stakes races.
• Extension of the pre-race window for administration of corticosteroids for intra-articular injections. The standard at Kentucky tracks is 14 days pre-race.
• Extension of the pre-race window to 48 hours for administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• Prohibition on stacking pre-race NSAIDs: If more than one NSAID is given, the first must be at least 48 hours before the race and the second can be administered no less than four days pre-race.
• Restriction on the use of bisphosphonates in horses younger than 4 years old. Bisphosphonates may be used in horses 4 and older to treat navicular syndrome, but the drug may only be administered by a veterinarian and the horse must remain on the Vet’s List for at least six months.
• Race-day therapies are restricted to nebulizers. Spas, cryotherapies and magnet wave treatments are prohibited.

Enhanced Veterinary Inspections And Monitoring Strengthen Safety Protocols

Keeneland Vice President of Equine Safety Dr. Stuart Brown and Racing Safety Officer Dr. George Mundy have initiated innovative strategies in furtherance of the track’s commitment to safety and welfare.  

Protocols include mandatory veterinary inspections prior to workouts and race entry along with enhanced medical reporting and transparency requirements for trainers and attending veterinarians with regard to the fitness of horses to work and race. 

Horses are examined at their barns and on the track every day. These evaluations focus on the well-being of each horse and become the foundation for decisions made on the horse’s behalf regarding competing, seeking further diagnostics, scheduling time off or considering other suitable options.

“The single most important opportunity we have to positively impact the welfare of the equine racing athlete can be found in the creation of these unique examinations centered on the well-being of every horse who touches our racing surface,” Dr. Brown said. “By defining the parameters contained within the Equine Safety Agreements we have with our horsemen, we create the qualitative approach to advocate for the safety of each horse that resides at Keeneland and TTC. The outcomes of these conversations among the advocates who care for these horses allow us to assess their suitability to compete safely on our racing surfaces.”

Dr. Brown and Dr. Mundy worked with Keeneland’s Broadcast Services team to create a network of video cameras that capture footage of horses training and racing over Keeneland’s dirt and turf surfaces and all-weather training track. The system that monitors and evaluates horses for safety purposes is the first at a U.S. race track.

Stationary cameras that pan, tilt and zoom provide multiple views of horses on each track. Dr. Mundy can control camera positions and record video from his perch on the fourth-floor Grandstand overlooking the main track. He communicates with Dr. Brown, who is trackside and in the stable area throughout the race day. The two share observations about horses training, warming up before races and galloping out after races. If needed, they can provide video to state veterinarians, stewards and trainers anywhere on track for viewing.  

“Twenty-five years of information gathering has taught us that a horse at risk of injury falls somewhere in the Bone Stress Continuum,” Dr. Mundy said. “Horses are honest and changes in their routine exercise gaits are often early indicators of ongoing or impending injury. Keeneland’s video surveillance program is yet another tool for horsemen and veterinarians to enhance the safety of our racing and training populations each and every day.”

Keeneland reports information about horses that are injured during racing or training to the Jockey Club Equine Injury Database (EID). The EID is a national database created to track racing injuries in an effort to identify the frequency, types and outcome by using a standardized format that generates valid statistics, identifies markers for horses at increased risk of injury and serves as a data source for research directed at improving safety and preventing injuries.

Focus On The Care Of The Racehorse In Racing And Training

Outriders act as the police officers of the race track. These experienced horse people are positioned around the track every day to carefully monitor training and racing: acting as first responders when a horse and rider need assistance; enforcing appropriate rider etiquette as it pertains to safety on the race track and ensuring certified safety helmets and vests are worn by every rider.

Race Track Warning System

Keeneland uses a dual lights and siren warning system which is activated to alert riders in the event of a loose horse during training, a failure to remove the starting gate during a race or other incident that might require halting a race.

State-of-the-Art Equine Ambulances

Three specially designed, state-of-the-art equine ambulances are stationed just off the race track and are able to quickly reach a horse that is injured or needs a precautionary ride back to its barn.

These ambulances feature a hydraulic system that allows the rear of the vehicle to lower to the ground so the horse can more easily walk aboard. Padded walls can be adjusted to hold the horse comfortably in place during transport. Traveling on each ambulance are a veterinarian and three members of Keeneland’s track maintenance crew.

Keeneland also leverages the expertise of its security team to provide immediate transport to nearby, world-renowned equine veterinary facilities such as Hagyard Equine Medical Institute or Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital for further comprehensive care as required.

Starting Gate Safety 

Keeneland starter Jeff Powell and his crew take a thoughtful approach to operating the starting gate on race days and they work in tandem with the Keeneland racing staff and equine safety team to ensure the well-being of horse and rider. This collaboration is a further extension of Keeneland’s commitment to putting the horse first.  

Keeneland has two 14-stall starting gates (one functions as a back-up gate in case of a malfunction). Both are lined with thick rubber padding that protects horses and riders from injury while they are in the gate.

Safe Footing

Walkways to the track through the Paddock, Walking Ring and Tunnel as well as in the Winner’s Circle are made of rubber pavers. The pavers reduce slippage and are more forgiving on horses’ hooves than harder surfaces.

Keeneland Safety Committee

Keeneland has established a safety committee that meets weekly during race meets (and as necessary during the off-season) to discuss concerns, find solutions and create and review protocols. The Safety Committee comprises Keeneland management and staff representing racing, track maintenance, mutuels, security, communications, broadcast, outriders, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Jockeys’ Guild.

STEP NO. 1

Choose Your Bet

STEP NO. 2

Find A Place To Make Your Bet

Results

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