Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

George Wilson — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:41:03 GMT

Higher intensity warm-up will also be beneficial in reducing oxygen-deficit in early part of the forthcoming race. The time spent walking around at the start, having girths checked etc.. will be adequate for ATP-pCr resynthesis, dissipation of lactic acid from glycolysis & (also) all recovery is aerobic, so fat will now be elevated as the main substrate in recovery, being made more available for race. Additionally vasodilation to major working muscles will be quicker, and raising the temperature of connective tissue (ligaments & tendons) that have poor blood supply, due to collagen-make-up, reducing risk of injury. Sympathetic-nervous-system (SNS) activity will be higher, assisting the release of splenic reserve of RBC, Plus, the neuro-logical benefits for the equine athletes. In summary, finish 'warm-up' at a higher intensity.

George Wilson. Exercise Physiologist (human & equine).

M.Sc (Sport Physiology)., BA Hons, Cert Ed

Researcher LJMU, UK

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

David — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 01:19:37 GMT

A few comments based on research published in refereed scientific articles.

1. Injury rates are higher after fast gallops on hard, fast tracks (Australia), and after gallops on very soft, wet tracks (japan).

2. Fast gallops several days before a race will not reduce the horse's reserve of red blood cells. The cells released from the spleen are simple taken up by the spleen again after the gallop, ready for release at the next demand, whether that is in 10 minutes or several days.

3. A trot and slow gallop on a treadmill increases the rate at which a horse can accelerate its oxygen uptake during a subsequent fast gallop, eg, 5-10 minutes after the warm up protocol. This response reduces the reliance on anaerobic metabolism during the fast gallop. More research is needed to identify the ideal intensity and durations of warm up before races. Absence of warm up is likely to result in premature fatigue.

4. Excitement/fear can cause splenic contraction, but it would be folly to rely on that before a race, given the highly varied temperament of different horses. Warm up also has many other potential benefits besides that of expansion of the blood volume, such as increased temperature of body fluids, eg, in the limbs, and it might result in dilated lower lung airways before the race.

Warm up reduces injury rates in human athletes.

5. Absence of blood at the nostrils does not necessarily mean that a horse has not bled in the lungs. Most thoroughbreds will have blood in their lower airways after a race.

Good to see conversations re science and racehorses. More science applied on the track will hopefully lead to improved racehorse welfare.

David Evans BVSc PhD

www.equinehealthfitness.com.au

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

nmhiplains — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:16:17 GMT

Bill

I ask Chip (Is there a unwritten law that you only train two rounds) why modern trainers stopped there two around gallops a 1/4 to 3/8 beyond the clocker's gap and then returned to the gap at a walk. NO answer

The logical thing to me would be to let your horses slow down to 2:30/3:00 rate and once you got in front of the grandstand to cowboy up and ask for a all out 1/16-1/8 before the finish line and have him carry it another furlong ---looks like this would give your racehorse the mental attitude to catch another gear as he rounded the clubhouse turn in a race. Then trot on around to the gap and leave the track. Even if you only did this once a week --preferably the third or fourth day after your weekly work you would get your spleen dumped 2X a week--also have you racehorse looking for the clubhouse turn!!!

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Bill Pressey — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:47:08 GMT

Sceptre-

Yes, normal pre-race excitement MAY cause a spleen dump, also may not - depending on the individual. If you are arguing that a sub 15 sec furlong warmup is not a performance enhancer, then you are not a competitive athlete.

Letting a horse jog with a pony at 10mph is not sufficient to prepare for a race with peak speeds of 40mph. Standardbreds don't do it, why should thoroughbreds? I've been to other countries that do it quite often, its just not as common in the US for whatever reason.

Part of what needs to be 'warmed up' for the race is the neruological systems - the brain/foot coordination.

Nmhiplains-

I agree the spleen should be contracted during fast exercise 2x a week throughout training as you indicated - but that is very tough to convince modern day trainers.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

sceptre — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 03:57:37 GMT

Bill,

Your sole position is that a relatively fast paced warmup would benefit racehorses both in their training and pre-race. I suggest that the evidence you offer here is not persuasive. Let's first explore it (your evidence) from the training perspective. You contend that heart monitor measurements demonstate that those who began with a fast-paced warmup ( all else equal) concluded their work with a lower heart rate. Even should your data be sufficient and accurate (proper scientific method) such results do not support your contention that this method is a benefical training tool. For one, (all else equal and employing your spleen scenario), this method could prove counterproductive to anerobic conditioning-fairly essential to the performing racehorse. So, your fast paced warm-up subjects may appear to be performing better in their breezes but, perhaps, getting relatively less out of it. I'm sure that you'll claim that this training method has reaped success on race day, but we have only your word for it-you offer no evidence, proper or otherwise. As to the fast-paced warmup prior to the race itself-again you offer scantly little in the way of evidence. You merely mention an 0 for 9 4 yr. old colt that worked once slowly but scored well with your rate monitor. This colt then won his next start. You here made the decision to offer this as your sole piece of evidence in support of your position. But what kind of evidence is this? At best, it supports nothing other than the reliability of heart rate monitoring. In the case of this horse it may have demonstated that he had reached a more optimal stage of cardiac fittness. One can only wonder what that monitor would have revealed prior to his previous nine losses-you offer no data on this (and likely had none). Re-read what you had offered us and I think you'll agree. Again, you are merely making claims with little to support them.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

nmhiplains — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 01:54:46 GMT

Bill

According to research in Tom Ivers book the Fit Racehorse II there are two types of RBC. Those that are dumped from the spleen regularly remain round with a soft outer shell able to flow easily through the small capillary vessels of the lungs, however if the speen ISN'T completely dumped every three to four days those RBC in the spleen become hard shelled(spiculated SRBC) and irregularly shaped because of the acid content of the spleen.

Complete dumping of the spleen requires a 1/4 mile of high speed sprint or at less THREE miles of strong galloping. In the wild horses dump the spleen with short burst of sprints several times a day----Barrel racers, calf ropers, etc give there horses several thirty yard dashes with every practice run they make and most of them rope every day ---I have seen ropers make as many as fifty runs in a afternoon and only stop to drink a beer every 10 runs and have NEVER Seen a rope horse bleed -Most racehorse get a sprint work every 7-10 days, a day off after a work and only two miles of galloping at a 2min/mile rate maybe five days a week. Every one checks the old works of Preston Burch,Max Hirsh etc and assume there racehorses were worked like horses today.

Question IS Did they get the regular two mile gallop and then the sprint work or today's practice of just one mile warmup and then the work? They also worked there horses every three to four days thus regularly dumping the spleen ---If you just dump the spleen before/during the race and are only work a horse once every 7-10 days you are dumping hard shelled SRBC into the blood stream that will CAUSE bleeding unless LASSIX is used to thin the blood.

Question how does lassix affect the RBC in the spleen--are these hard shelled bad cells broken down before the race or are they still debilitating to the horse---Do they hit the brick wall caused by lactic acid faster than a horse whose spleen is dumped every three days and is not given LASSIX

Just a thought NOT dumping the spleen every three days may cause BLEEDING---LASSIX may cause a horse who has not had his spleen dumped regularly to hid the brick wall sooner. These SRBC may not be available to carry oxygen to the muscle cells and may contain acid absorbed from the spleen. thus SRBC not carrying oxygen to the muscle cells but flowing quicker to the muscles because of thinner blood surrounding them and also adding to the lactic acid content of the muscle cells.

PS I have seen barrel horses bleed but most of looked like fresh prospects right off the track.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

sceptre — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:40:52 GMT

Dear AliciaM,

Your post was appreciated, but it was not responsive to the issues I raised. One should also note that the author has remained silent. The spleen in the horse can store up to 1/3 of the rbc's potentially available-the rbc producing bone marrow accounts for the rest of the body's (horse's) supply. The spleen in humans does not function as an rbc storing organ-so, your analogy to human athletes is inaccurate. My central question related to the issue of whether normal pre-race stress would tend to cause splenic contraction to an extent similar to that of heavy pre-race warm-up. If indeed it does (or, if the jury is still out) then the author's assertions should be taken with much skepticism.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Bill Pressey — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:12:34 GMT

Sceptre-

You can wait for all the research you want, but I am out every morning measuring what does and doesn't work. I get paid to help my clients win races and I have to earn my keep every day. I don't care what some guy in a lab is finding out using a treadmill.

The times I have gone online to read up on the 'research' have mostly shown several studies that reach opposing conclusions.

Those that warm up with a short high speed burst perform the following breeze better in terms of heart rate vs speed graphs than when the same horse completes a typical low intensity warm up.

It's not a miracle, but it's significant.

Thanks Alicia for explaining things in a much more coherent manner than I am capable of.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

AliciaM — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:02:55 GMT

sceptre:

The RBC are only stored in the spleen...once spleenic dumping occurs, they circulate within the blood-stream until the body returns to a calm state--they don't just disappear. The spleen is not a reserve really either. It's a biological/evolutionary prey response. The number of red-blood cells that a horse has aren't needed at all times, therefore they're only stored in the spleen for a fight/flight response when they are dumped into the bloodstream to take the extra oxygen to the muscles. A warm-up like Drosselmeyer's would get all of the organs going and synched before the gate opens and get some of that anticipation out so he was focused. Watch other athletes before they run--humans or horses. Track runners do short little sprints before they go to the blocks. Barrel racers are an excellent example of this technique, they are warmed up quite a lot at just a jog and most do a practice run before their timed runs. If you watch you can tell which aren't on their toes; and if you ride you can feel the difference when they aren't as focused and it takes a hit on their performance.

The RBC go through life cycles like any other cell. The best way to keep the blood healthy and the RBC being made and replaced regularlly would be through proper diet and exercise to keep the blood flowing and keep the spleen (and other organs) working well. And of course genetics and factors of conditioning and living environment throughout life are going to be big players in blood health as well.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

nmhiplains — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:59:20 GMT

I think MTB success at the Derby was more a effect of a fast first quarter and a slow last half 3/4 25:40 mile 25:17 1 1/4 His success as a two year old was probably due more to David Cotley training methods(and a large heart score) Chip's ten days between sprint works/two mile gallops favor a late closer,although all handicappers known a deep closer is a poor bet.

Tom Ivers recommended a work at less every five days and the ideal was to strive for two works a week (three and fourth day) to set up the possibility of a race every two weeks----lack of exercise riders is more the limiting factor in today's under conditioned horses then genetics and studys on the effects of lassix on racehorses were done in SAF know for poor conditioned horses---WHY weren't endurance horses (reconditioned as sprinters used as a control group) NOW all we hear is the positive effects of lassix!!! Give a bunch of plodders any thing and you will see an improvement.----The real question is which one of these Derby trainers is giving his horses a unclocked mile work at faster than the normal two minute mile (1:46-1:50) three to four days after the 4 or 5 furlong clocked sprint work they get every week---This is what builds lactic acid tolerance and allows a horse to finish from off the pace(:24 last 1/4) just make sure his trainers not a Silky Sullivan fan!!!LOL

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Leon — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:59:03 GMT

Sophiekea:

As a 3-year old in the US, he did not win one single race before nor after the Derby. That's my point.

The author concluded that what helped MTB win the Derby was his early campaign in the soft "stuff", when his best races where on dirt in TC races. It is a very questionable conclusion.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Karen in Indiana — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 02:56:12 GMT

Your physiology comments are interesting and would account for the much lower incidence of bleeding with European horse, since they don't use ponies and usually do faster warm-ups before a race. I've always wondered why we do use ponies since they do hold the horses back from a faster warm-up and that would seem counterproductive just from a muscle and ligament point of view.

Much of what is done in training, especially with the larger outfits, seems to be done with more of a management convenience than for the horse. It's easier to manage more horses when the races are spread out every 6 weeks instead of every three or four.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

John T — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:15:07 GMT

The U.S based Jockey Club,s first

comprehenisve analysis of thoroughbred injury data in the U.S

and Canada show racehorse deaths happen at a rate of 2.04 per 1000

starts.Woodbine,which races on polytrack and turf had 12 horses euthanized last year,a rate of 0.95

per 1000 starts.

The analysis is part of a study

that will focus mainly on whether

synthetic tracks are safer than dirt tracks.

Despite all the gloom and doom talked about at California tracks,

last fall data from the California

horse racing board showed that the

number of fatal injuries in the State had fallen by 40 per cent since thoroughbred tracks switched

from dirt to synthetic surfaces.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

sceptre — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 15:25:56 GMT

Bill,

Your thought provoking piece is appreciated, but I feel yourv conclusions need be taken with a grain of salt. My readings suggest that the jury is still very much out on the ideal manner of warm-up, blow-out, not to mention race frequency. Relatively little research has been conducted in these areas, and what research has been done was performed by others far more credentialed than you. For example, some suggest that the spleen can fully contract from mere pre-race excitement. Point is, more research is needed before one can arrive at the certainty of conclusions you espouse. As with other internet offerings, we should read them with a healthy dose of skepticism. Once again, this BloodHorse site has failed to exercise the necessary due diligence.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

nancy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:56:33 GMT

Interesting article. But to come to MTB's defense, he did have an epiglottis problem for which he underwent surgery. It has never been acknowledged that the surgery was a success and that he breathing was a 100%. It is my understanding that in many cases the surgery does not sufficiently alleviate the problem, if at all.

Unfortunately, Chip Woolley hasn't commented on the long term results of the surgery and if it is related to MTB's losses.

Don't knock him when you don't have all the facts. Regardless of what he ran on - he won races and ran a fair and honest race in the Derby! It would be nice if Woolley came forward and gave us an update on MTB's health!

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Peggy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:27:10 GMT

That warmups are in important in any sport is old news but somehow got sidelined in much of TB racing. there was a big filly race at Saratoga last summer where the winner literally ran little sprints during the warmup, looking as though she really was having fun and obviously very fit. Does anyone know of a horsescience conditioning list similar to the one Tom Ivers had before he died? It got a little crazy towards the end when he was so sick but basically was very interesting/stimulating.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

sophiekea — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:49:45 GMT

Leon, MTB won quite a few races before the Derby. He was champion 2 year old in Canada. I dont think he got that by getting seconds and thirds.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Bill — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:22:28 GMT

I don't know about 'evidence' but I have charted heart rate and gallop speed over 1100 times on dirt and poly.

When a maiden breezes 4F on dirt, his heart rate takes over 2 minutes to get back down to under 120bpm, while that same horse can breeze 6F on poly with the same HR recover. This means that the oxygen debt incurred during the breeze is roughly equal, but the work on poly was 50% longer - meaning dirt caused the most oxygen debt per work unit.

Now I love dirt, you will get fitter but you also risk injury because it's tougher on the skeleton - and half mile breezes every week arent necessarily ideal for everyone.

Anyone who feels different is certainly within their rights to do so, but do you have any info that isnt merely subjective?

The spleen refills within several minutes, if it is full of blood then that blood is unavailable to muscles - you want it empty during a race.

My BS is in Exercise Physiology, but that means almost nothing. The real education is found during the early mornings working with these fantastic animals.

No modern day horses and trained race with optimal frequency. The old timers had it right. We baby them too much now because it's a money game. Optimal training takes place when you use objective feedback from the horses physiological systems to determine what the appropriate workload is.

But that is a lot of work when you have a stable of 40.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

nmhiplains — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:53:15 GMT

I have noticed few trainers in this business have read Tom Ivers "The fit Racehorse II and few believe you can give a horse more than one work a week however Max Hirsh and Preston Burch both often gave there horses sprint and route works as close as a day apart (see Assualt feb24 3F in :37, feb25 8F in 1:47 Training Thoroughbreds page 61) One of last years winning stakes trainers told me today's horses are breed inferior to yesterdays winners and could not stand that amount of riding---needless to say when I ask for a work every five days I was told he was the trainer not me---My horse was returned with a bowed tendon two weeks latter (After a work at ten days) however as long as trainers shoot for the bullet 3 furlong work of the day-- horses will continuity be broken down on the track---Tom Collins "Race Horse Training" urged clients interested in his training methods to train at a 13/13.5 Furlong rate to insurance there were no problems with soundness during training and leave the speed works for the RACE

Just curious to Conveyance chances in the Derby(not sure he'll be there) but he is the only one getting a route work after a speed work 5/7 furlongs

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Freetex — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:17:09 GMT

Thank you, very interesting.

I wonder if a three to four week prep on dirt for synthetic track 3 year olds will be enough for in the Kentucky Derby.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

sceptre — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:10:34 GMT

I'm having some difficulty grasping your logic/your take on the physiology as it relates to the horse's spleen. All else equal, more perfusion (greater oxygen carrying blood flow) during a race is better than less. While this may increase the incidence of "bleeding" (a distinct negative), it also inhances tissue oxygenation ( a positive). So a strong blowout near to race day, or an excessive warm-up could both deplete the spleen's red cell reserves-perhaps making this reserve unavailable during the race. Question is-how quickly can these splenic reserves be replenished? Lastly, what are your credentials?

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

JAJ — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:36:00 GMT

I'm not so sure I agree with you about the synthetic tracks. My trainer feels the Poly track of my home track is much harder on the babies, and takes babies to the dirt training track. The trainer also feels that they need to be fitter to run on the Poly than on dirt.

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

CRob87 — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:10:29 GMT

In regards to MTB...

I always heard that MTB's success in the Derby came from his training at Sunland Park because of it's (Possible???) higher altitude/elevation and thinner air. And then his lack of success after the Derby was because he never went back to Sunland for any further training.

Which made some sense to me because i'd always heard that a lot of records were broken at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics because it's City is below sea level. So the Olympic athletes who trained in Denver and other higher elevated Cities had a sizeable advantage when they came down to race at normal elevations.

Has anyone else ever heard of this or have any thoughts on it's validity ???

re: Using Exercise Physiology to Handicap Races

Leon — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:44:31 GMT

There is absolutely no evidence supporting the affirmation that dirt increases the likelihood of an injury.

With regards to Mine That Bird, your theory worked so well, he was not able to win a race either before the Derby nor after. Champions Rachel Alexandra & Summer Bird did not need the "soft" stuff to develop the form that got them their Eclipses.

I found your article interesting, until you started reaching far-fetched conclusions.