A Comparison of Devices for Race Day Characterization of North American Turfgrass Thoroughbred Racing Surfaces.
Authors: Schmitt Peter R, Sanderson Wayne, Rogers John Trey, Barzee Tyler J, Peterson Michael Mick
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Regulatory requirements under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act now mandate both pre-race and daily characterisation of turf racing surfaces in North America, yet the Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST) used for comprehensive inspections is too time-intensive and equipment-heavy for practical daily application. Researchers compared five simpler hand-held tools against OBST measurements across plots representing typical North American turf racetracks, establishing correlations and regression models to identify which devices could reliably substitute for daily monitoring. The moisture probe emerged as the strongest single predictor of OBST values and therefore the primary tool for race-day assessment, whilst the Longchamp Penetrometer merits concurrent use given its established predictive validity for equine injury and performance outcomes; adding the Clegg Impact Hammer further improved the regression model's accuracy. The Turf Shear Tester and GoingStick® showed poor correlation with biomechanical measurements and are not recommended for regulatory compliance purposes. For farriers and track managers implementing these new protocols, deploying moisture and penetrometer readings in tandem—supplemented by Clegg data where facilities can manage it—provides a practical, evidence-based framework for daily surface quality assurance without necessitating the full OBST apparatus.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •For race day turf surface monitoring under HISA regulations, use a moisture probe as your primary device—it best reflects the biomechanical properties measured by the gold-standard OBST.
- •Combine the moisture probe with a Longchamp Penetrometer for daily assessments, as the penetrometer has proven predictive value for horse safety outcomes.
- •Avoid relying on the Turf Shear Tester or GoingStick® for regulatory compliance measurements, as they don't correlate reliably with biomechanical surface characteristics.
Key Findings
- •The moisture probe demonstrated the strongest correlation to OBST measurements for race day turf surface characterization.
- •The Longchamp Penetrometer was prioritized for daily measurements due to its established correlation with horse performance and injuries.
- •The Clegg Impact Hammer provided additional improvement to linear regression models when combined with other simple tools.
- •The Turf Shear Tester and GoingStick® did not correlate well with the biomechanically-based OBST device.