Case 5: 3-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorse — Lameness Work-Up After a Claiming Race

OVERVIEW

The horse presented with

• A 3-year-old Thoroughbred racehorse that finished 3rd in a maiden claiming race and subsequently showed a lameness issue in training.
• A full diagnostic work-up finding a right front block to the metacarpophalangeal joint (MCJ) with no significant findings in the right hind, and radiographs showing C3 sclerosis, with imaging likely indicating cartilage damage.

Gait analysis at presentation showed impact asymmetry patterns in the right front and hind.

Day 0 · Referred for work-up following training lameness after a race

TREATMENT APPROACH

The plan, in order

• equicenta® CTM injected at the site of injury.
• Controlled rehabilitation with progressive return to breezing.
• Ongoing monitoring through the return to racing.

OUTCOME

Day 90 and Day 180 — Return to Racing

At the Day 90 evaluation, the horse was sound and ready for breezing. By Day 180, the horse was back to racing, with sustained performance confirmed via Equibase.com — public race records show three subsequent starts (finishing 8th, 6th, and 3rd) along with recorded breeze workouts.

Day 90/180 · Sound, breezing, and back to racing

CLINICAL TAKEAWAY

This case tracks a return-to-racing timeline using public performance records as an objective outcome measure, rather than only gait-analysis data — a useful complement to the clinical metrics used elsewhere.¹

FINAL THOUGHT

Horse First. Sport Second.

At Equine Performance Labs, cases like this reinforce our core belief: meaningful recovery isn’t just about returning to work — it’s about restoring comfort, function, and longevity in every stride.