A study of performance by Australian racehorses with predominantly North American pedigrees has revealed some insight into the use of race-day medication in America.

While the genetic integrity of North American-bred horses does not seem to have been adversely affected by the use of race-day medication, the study also showed these horses apparently do not need medication to be successful. A first glance of this study’s results was presented Aug. 11 at The Jockey Club’s 61st Annual Round Table Conference held at Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The study, commissioned by The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Safety Committee and overseen by committee member Hiram Polk Jr., MD, used data collected from Racing Services of Australia on all runners foaled since 1995. From a database of nearly 147,500 runners, the Jockey Club study analyzed the records of 14,502 horses that had been divided into three groups depending on where their ancestors raced looking back three generations: horses whose ancestors only raced in North America, horses with at least half their ancestors having raced in North America, and horses that had no ancestors that raced in North America.

Australia does not permit horses to have any medication in their systems on race day