McIngvale To Help Defray Costs of StrideSAFE Technology at Rillito

'StrideSAFE' Horse Safety will be instituted as part of the track's Equine Wellness Program during the 2023 racing season, and prominent Thoroughbred owner James McIngvale has pledged to cover two-thirds of the costs for the testing of Thoroughbreds.

StrideSAFE is 'a biometric sensor mechanism that slips into the saddle cloth to detect minute changes in a horses's gait at high speed.' The changes are said to be undetectable to the naked eye and are recorded in a stoplight fashion–green for all clear, varying shades of amber as warnings for possible lameness issues and red for the most potentially serious injuries.

In a study conducted by the New York Racing Association of 6,600 starters in 2022, it was reported that the StrideSAFE technology accurately detected 90% of all the catastrophic injuries. The Rillito study aims to identify horses the Track Regulatory Veterinarians should examine before they run.

The testing of 1,000 Thoroughbreds and American Quarter Horses during the meet is estimated to cost $45,000. Though the technology has only been applies to Thoroughbreds thus far, Quarter Horses will be included at Rillito. Following the research, American Quarter Horse tracks could employ the StrideSAFE sensors across the country.