Newsdate: March 27, 2025 11:30 am
Location: ITHACA, New York

The Equine Pregnancy Lab at the Cornell Baker Institute for Animal Health, part of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Hanover Shoe Farms to study the genetic causes of early pregnancy loss in the Standardbred mare.

Rider on a Standardbred mare practicing a dressage routine.

Dr. Mandi de Mestre has found that over 50% of pregnancy losses are attributed to genetic abnormalities in the fetus including chromosomal errors.
© 2017 by Izzypie New window.

The leads for this initiative are Dr. Mandi de Mestre, the McConville Professor of Equine Medicine and Director of the Baker Institute for Animal Health and Russell Williams, President and C.E.O. of the Hanover Shoe Farms.

She has found that over 50% of pregnancy losses are attributed to genetic abnormalities in the fetus including chromosomal errors.

Dr. de Mestre’s previous studies utilized a Thoroughbred model primarily, and she is eager to extend this project to include Standardbreds, which use Artificial Insemination (AI) as the primary breeding method.

According to Dr. de Mestre, “As the largest Standardbred breeding farm in North America, Hanover Shoe Farms is a welcome partner for the collaboration and their outstanding staff and noted excellence at managing a large and valuable herd will provide the project with the support to explore the important contribution of this condition in the Standardbred.”

For additional details, please contact Heather Hughes, Assistant Director for Marketing and Communications at the Cornell Baker Institute for Animal Health  (hh522@cornell.edu).

About the Partners

Cornell Baker Institute for Animal Health The Baker Institute was founded in 1950 and has since grown into a globally recognized center for research in animal health. Its past discoveries have had profound impacts on the clinical management of diseases of veterinary species that continue to this day.

Building on this tradition, today the faculty, staff, and trainees of the Baker Institute conduct pioneering and collaborative research that addresses current and emerging issues in animal health, while providing world-class training to the next generations of researchers. 

Hanover Shoe Farms is renowned as the world's largest Standardbred breeding farm. The farm comprises 2,426 acres in and around Hanover, Pennsylvania, with a yearling farm near Gettysburg and a satellite stallion station in Lambertville, New Jersey. Hanover Shoe Farms stands numerous stallions and is home to a large number of broodmares, with the farm expecting around 300 foals and breeding close to 400 mares annually.

Press release by Len Johnson - Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine