Page 26 - June 2005 The Game

26 The Game, June 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Backstretch Briefs
McMaster Equine Clinic helps provide Answers
Tommy Wolski
There are many causes for lameness or illness in horses and when an initial exam by a veterinarian does not yield the answer to the problem then more extensive testing is often required.
The Mcmaster Equine Clinic, located at Mohawk Raceway in Campbellville has the latest technology to probe further and provide answers to many of the lameness and illness concerns of today’s racehorses.
Located inside the backstretch gates at Mohawk raceway, the McMaster Equine clinic is a diagnostic and treatment clinic which is operated by Dr. Dan McMaster along with Dr. Kathy Hayes. The
clinic features the latest
in diagnostic technology
which offers many ways
to arrive at an accurate
diagnosis. It also
provides shock wave
therapy, injections and
other up to date
treatments.
which is saved to video tape and still photos can be printed at any time.
The fluoroscope is currently used for scanning young horses for early signs of OCD and before purchasing yearlings at auctions.
The latest addition to the diagnostic equipment available is a standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit which was purchased jointly by Dr. McMaster and three other practicing veterinarians in the thoroughbred, standardbred and show horse fields.
The standing MRI machine is located at the Darbyville Equine Clinic in Campbellville, not far from Mohawk Racetrack and is available for
The new face in town!
For nearly two decades, one of the toughest racetracks in North America for a new rider to crack the top ten jockeys list has been Exhibition/Hastings Park.
Since 1976, when a young Chris Loseth captured his first of eight riding titles, names like Brian Johnson, Sam Krasner, Mark Patzer, Mark Walker and Alan Cuthbertson meant coming to British Columbia to ride was almost impossible.
As the years rolled on, only Loseth remains active and continues to hold his own with a new crop of faces.
It was in 1995, the tide began to change for the fab five of Exhibition Park. A young Dave Wilson won his first of four riding titles. Followed by Gerry Olguin leading all riders in victories (1997/98) at Hastings. He later packed his tack and began a successful career in Ontario.
From 2002-2004, a new era began with the arrival of Seattle based jockey Pedro Alvarado to Hastings Racecourse. In each of those three years, Alvarado has been the dominating force among riders, winning riding titles each of those seasons.
This season, with the addition of slot machines scheduled for next year at Hastings and the attraction of bigger purses, racing fans will again see some new faces listed in the daily racing program.
Among them is David Nuesch, a top journeyman rider who has arrived with an impressive riding record of $16,550,000 in purse earnings from 1250 winners.
In 1987, Nuesch led all apprentice riders in winners while riding regularly in the big apple of New York.
His accomplishments almost won him the prestigious Eclipse Award for Top Apprentice Jockey that year, Nuesch was edged out by Kent Desormeaux.
Two years in a row,
Nuesch was named recipient of the Eric Betia Award for top Apprentice in New York.
In 2002, after taking some time away from racing, he learned about a chance to do stunt work in the move Seabiscuit.
"That opportunity came at the perfect time. I had wanted to get a break from racing, but really didn't want to be away totally from the sport. I remember because I was tall, they almost cast me as the double for Tobey Maguire, instead they choose Ricky Frazier, but it was good enough to help get me into a job in the movie." said Nuesch.
As for why he chose Hastings to ride this season, Nuesch, who led all jockeys, including Pedro Alvarado in wins at Emerald Downs in 1998, explains, "During the winter, I received a phone call from Gordy Rumble who was an agent at Emerald Downs when I was there and he pitched me about going to Hastings. Since I was riding in Northern California and it is always a battle there making a living, I thought with the slot machines and a casino going in, this (Hastings) might be a good place to give a try." says Nuesch.
For Nuesch, presently in fifth place in the Hastings jockey standings, his decision to try riding in Vancouver was definitely the right choice, not only for him, but also with horsemen and racing fans.
Jockey David Nuesch in the Paddock at Hastings
The McMaster clinic has your typical blood lab, endoscopes, x-ray machines and ultrasound equipment, however it also has some not-so- typical technology that can yield amazing clarity when looking for the ailment that may be plaguing the horse.
Digital Radiography has been in use at the clinic for the past six or seven years. It is taken like a typical x-ray how- ever instead of printing onto film for output, a special plate is used which allows the picture to be digitized. The result can be viewed clearly on a computer screen and can be altered in size or brightness to achieve a clearer picture. The image can also be stored onaCDoremailedtoan attending surgeon or veterinarian.
The Fluoroscope machine is an amazing piece of technology which provides ‘real- time’ imaging on a video screen and records the images for further review. The main advantage of the machine is that it allows the veterinarians to view bones and joints at multiple angles. The fluoroscope is non- invasive and allows them to see around corners and under other bones which aren’t usually visible with other imaging technology. The machine records the equivalent of thousands of x-rays
Dr. McKee performs an exam using the fluoroscope machine at McMaster Equine Clinic
scans of the lower limbs from the knee and hock down as well as the hoof.
The standing MRI has been operational since December 2004 and is used to determine the cause of chronic lame- ness problems when all other forms of diagnostic have been exhausted without result.
An MRI machine uses a natural magnetic source and is a safe and non- invasive way to diagnosing tumors, infections, torn ligaments, bone tumors or cysts as well as soft tissue masses.
The main benefit of an MRI image is that it allows for three-dimen- sional images which show every aspect of the area including bone and tissue. An x-ray image shows only bone while an ultrasound image shows only soft tissue.
The standing MRI does not require a horse to have anesthetic, a mild sedative is usually all that is needed to record an accurate image.
There are currently six standing MRI’s in use for veterinary purposes in North America and the Darbyville Clinic has the only standing MRI in Canada.
If you would like to learn more about how MRI technology works it was suggested by the clinic’s staff to visit the website howstuffworks.com. If you key in the letters MRI, and click on the link “Introduction of How MRI Works” it provides a detailed and easy to understand explanation.
The standing MRI shows 3-D images of both bone and tissue matter which provides the attending veterinarians with superior diagnostic ability.
The new standing MRI unit at the Darbyville Equine Farm in Campbellville