A Resolution for an Outstanding Professor
California Senator Bob Margett, Glendora, and Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, Pasadena, have recognized Sue Stover, a professor in the department of Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, as one of the "Outstanding Women in Thoroughbred Horse Racing."
The legislators hosted a ceremony at Santa Anita Race Park in Arcadia April 11 to announce a legislative resolution acknowledging Stover's contributions as a researcher in equine musculoskeletal research. The proclamation also cites her influence as a positive role model for young people and her lasting impact on Thoroughbred racing and the history and economy of California.
Stover discovered that pre-existing conditions and high-intensity training can cause catastrophic injury in racehorses. Her investigation of the association of horseshoe "toe grabs" with increased risk of injury led to the banning of toe grabs on California racetracks. She also advocated the installation of bone scanning instruments at Santa Anita's racetrack. Stover directs the J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory, one of several centers in the school dedicated to the health issues of equine athletes.
The $4 billion Thoroughbred racing industry in California involves about 69,000 horses.