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Air pollution exceedances routinely occur at Thoroughbred racetracks in the contiguous United States
Danielle Scott1, Kimberly Kreitner2, Linda Kim2
1Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
Objective:
To characterize spatiotemporal patterns of criteria air pollutants surrounding Thoroughbred racetracks in the US.
Methods:
We identified all active Thoroughbred racetracks from 2011 through 2024, linking their location with daily air quality data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality System. Mean daily and annual pollutant concentrations within a 50-km bounding box of each racetrack were summarized using descriptive statistics and evaluated for monthly and annual trends. Exceedances were defined as any observation in which pollutant concentration met or exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and were assessed across EPA regions to characterize spatial patterns.
Results:
Of the 56 racetracks included in the study, all experienced an exceedance of at least 1 pollutant, most commonly ozone (96%) and particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5; 95%). Lead had the most exceedances, but these declined over the study period. Median pollutant concentrations were below the NAAQS across EPA regions, though annual PM2.5 exceeded the NAAQS threshold in the Great Lakes and Southwest. While most pollutants declined over time, ozone, PM2.5, and particulate matter ≤ 10 μm in diameter increased after 2020. Among observations, 25.2% of PM2.5 measurements were ≥ 11 µg/m3, a level linked with performance declines.
Conclusions:
These findings indicate that air pollution near racetracks frequently reaches levels relevant to equine health and performance and is associated with human health risk.
Clinical Relevance:
Racetrack veterinarians and managers should be aware of air quality and have knowledge of the risks of exposure. Integration of air quality monitoring at racetracks can guide action to safeguard the health of horses, jockeys, and spectators.
