A Comparison of Devices for Race Day Characterization of North American Turfgrass Thoroughbred Racing Surfaces

Details

• Personal Author:
  Barzee TJ ; Peterson MM ; Rogers JT III ; Sanderson, Wayne T. ; Schmitt PR
• Description:
  Both pre-race meet and daily turf surface condition measurements are required by regulations adopted as part of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA). The Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST) is the primary device used for characterizing a racing surface and is used for the pre-meet inspections. Tools that are better suited for the daily testing of turf surfaces are also needed to meet the new federal regulations. The purpose of this study was to compare five simple tools commonly used in turf applications to the OBST. Data were collected with each of the six devices at plots chosen to approximate the current and potential compositions of North American turf racetracks. Correlations and linear regression models were then established between the simple tool measurements and the parameters measured by the OBST. The moisture probe was found to be the primary device for race day characterization due to its strong correlation to OBST measurements. The Longchamp Penetrometer is also prioritized for daily measurements due to its established correlation to horse performance and injuries. The Clegg Impact Hammer provides further improvement of the linear regression model. The Turf Shear Tester and GoingStick® were not found to correlate well to the biomechanically based device. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Animals Biomechanical Phenomena Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Animal Handlers Author Keywords: Equine Biomechanics Injuries Jockey Portable Tools Racing Safety Surface Properties Turfgrass
• ISSN:
  2076-2615
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Kentucky ; Michigan ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  38
• Volume:
  14
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069116
• Citation:
  Animals 2024 Jan; 14(1):38
• Contact Point Address:
  Peter R. Schmitt, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40503
• Email:
  peter.schmitt@uky.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• NORA Priority Area:
  Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• Performing Organization:
  University of Kentucky, Lexington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20120701
• Source Full Name:
  Animals
• End Date:
  20240630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:14076ca35b1fb7e7b60ed504dca9c6aebf0940c70f05365e448c6bc5e37d6bb7aca4f70f3f9b48ffbf0932acd70b9beb45ff841b072ea82c989f8d65dd2ae4f5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207654/cdc_207654_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 257.46 KB ]