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REFINE YOUR TRAINING WITH PERFORMANCE GENETICS WORDS: HOLLY ROBILLIARD
Understanding a horse’s performance strengths and weaknesses is crucial when planning their training regimen. Training Thoroughbreds isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor—factors like racing age, track distance and surface type are just a few of the things we have to consider.
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ver the years, advances in veterinary care, nutrition and conditioning have shaped the sport, helping us to produce more competitive horses. But imagine tailoring your training plan based on DNA—not just intuition. Now, there’s an increasing emphasis on a promising tool that enables you to do just that: performance genetics. It isn’t just scientists who feel that equine genetics can change the way we understand horse racing, either. California Horse Racing Board Vice Chairman Oscar Gonzales said, “California breeding is at a crossroads—if we want to produce top-quality horses, we must embrace new technologies and analytics. By using information from Thoroughbred DNA, we can make better breeding and training decisions that promote health and soundness, ensuring the best horses reach the track. Other sports are using tech to elevate their game, and so should we.”
22 TRAINERMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 74
By understanding a horse’s genetic makeup and embracing a scientific approach, trainers can fine-tune both their training programs and racing strategies. In this article, we will explore how key genetic markers—including the myostatin gene (MSTN), height and respiratory health, temperament, and genomic inbreeding values (GIV)—can influence training, optimize performance, and ultimately increase strike rates.
Race length suitability Performance genetics aren’t entirely new to the Thoroughbred world. For years, breeders and trainers have been using the “speed” gene, MSTN, to help determine a horse’s ideal racing distance. But how does this gene affect performance, and why is it so important for training? Myostatin is a protein that plays a crucial role in the negative regulation of muscle mass, particularly the balance between