A genome-wide SNP-association study confirms a sequence variant (g.66493737C>T) in the equine myostatin (MSTN) gene as the most powerful predictor of optimum racing distance for Thoroughbred racehorses

Table 1 Description of phenotype cohorts

	N	No. sires	Mean RPR	Range RPR	Mean BRD	Range BRD
All TBs	118	107	116	84-138	8.6	5-16
Short (≤ 8 f)	68	63	114	84-129	6.8	5-8
Middle-long (> 8 f)	50	48	120	107-138	11.3	9-16

All TBs (Thoroughbreds) were used for the quantitative association test analysis. Racing Post Ratings (RPR) represent handicap ratings (best lifetime RPR) that are indicative of performance ability. Best race distance (BRD) was the distance (f) of the highest grade of race (Group 1, 2, 3, Listed) won.

ISSN: 1471-2164