Medina Spirit | Horsephotos
Researchers at the University of Minnesota will assist in investigating the death of GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit (Protonico), who crash on monday due to a suspected cardiac event.
While a formal laparotomy will be conducted at the University of California, Davis, hair, blood and heart tissue samples are on their way to the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Laboratory of Genetics and Equestrian Genetics ), where scientists are studying arrhythmias. and sudden cardiac death in racehorses. The researchers expect to publish their findings to the California Horse Racing Council independently and well after the autopsy report, and “hope to determine whether Medina Spirit has specific genetic factors. put him at risk of sudden cardiac death.”
“CVM scientists, led by Assistant Professor Sian Durward-Akhurst and Professor Molly McCue, will also incorporate Medina Spirit samples into an ongoing research project aimed at understanding the genetic factors and another risk factor for sudden cardiac death in racehorses,” a statement from the UMN said. “The goal of the researchers is to identify horses at risk of sudden cardiac death – and put the tools in the hands of racecourse veterinarians to allow them to identify those horses in time. to scratch them out of the race – to prevent such tragedies in the future. Those tools include a resting electrocardiogram (ECG) combined with artificial intelligence to identify horses that are likely to develop irregular heart rhythms during the race – even if their resting ECG looks normal. often. ”
“The death of Medina Spirit was devastating, and sadly, such deaths happen all too often,” said Dr. McCue. “Our hope is to find a way to identify horses at risk so we can intervene before they lose their lives. In addition to helping equestrian athletes, this study may also provide answers for sudden cardiac death in young athletes.”
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