Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association
Posted: Jan. 16, 2020
An evaluation report of Breeders’ Cup pre-race safety and veterinary protocols conducted by Dr. Larry Bramlage of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Kentucky was released by Breeders’ Cup Jan. 15.
The Breeders’ Cup Board of Directors retained Bramlage after Mongolian Groom was injured during and then euthanized after the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park.
Bramlage, who conducted the evaluation with support from outside counsel Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC, noted in the evaluation report that from 229 horses that raced during the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Mongolian Groom was the only horse to sustain an injury.
“It is hard to fault a process that had a 99.6% accuracy rate, but there were opportunities to remove Mongolian Groom from competition that were missed due to time constraints or process deficiencies that could be made more prominent,” Bramlage said.
The evaluation report identifies six suggested process improvements aimed at refining safety and evaluation protocols for future events which he believes will yield continued progress in ensuring the safety of its participants.