Every year, way too many Thoroughbred racehorses die of catastrophic injuries, prompting a furious search for answers.

Most of these injuries affect previously damaged legs and where there’s tissue damage, there’s inflammation. What if some horses develop exaggerated inflammation that puts them at risk of catastrophic injury? And what if it could be identified before a race by measuring certain inflammatory proteins?

Instead of quantifying proteins in horses, it’s easier to measure the genetic material controlling their production. So, researchers worked back from each protein to the mRNA—or genetic code—containing its blueprint.

After analyzing hundreds of blood samples, researchers have identified 3 mRNA markers that might pinpoint horses at risk. Now, they’re collecting thousands of pre-race samples to validate their findings.