An initial analysis of equine injury data released earlier this year shows no statistically significant difference in the risk of fatalities in Thoroughbreds on different racing surfaces, officials said June 28 during the third Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit, held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

The analysis of information contained in the Equine Injury Database looked at factors that could be associated with fatal breakdowns. The results are strictly preliminary; in fact, officials said it could take a few more years of data before they could even consider a more detailed study.

"This will take time," said Dr. Tim Parkin of the University of Glasgow in Scotland. "There are no quick answers. We need to consider (multi-factor models), but we probably need at least three years of full data."

The EID was launched in November 2008 with 73 participating racetracks, a number that has grown to 86 that account for about 86% of total flat racing starts in North America. The initial analysis was based on one year's worth of data from November 2008 to November 2009