Stable Analytics delivers modern engineering and data science for horse racing. Featured products include wearable equine biometric sensors (Equigraph) for safety monitoring and early detection of musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbreds, and data-driven pedigree modeling to determine optimal on-track results (Equient).
Bernhard, 28, is a former engineer for SpaceX, a company that designs and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.
His answers have been edited for clarity and space.
Blood Horse: How did the company you co-founded, Stable Analytics, come about?
Ben Bernard: My background is in technology, engineering and data science. When I got into horse racing, my goal was to be able to contribute through the technology space and that is what the focus of Stable Analytics is.
BRA: Was it difficult for you to stop what you were doing at SpaceX?
BB: When I was in school, I always wanted to get into the space industry. The goal was always space. I really enjoyed my time at SpaceX, but at the same time I started getting into horse racing just like my family got into it. I noticed there were a lot of opportunities where I thought technology could have an impact in the industry, and the industry itself is a lot of fun, so that was the reason I made the switch.
BRA: Your team at Stable Analytics – Byron Rogers, Director of Research and Development, and Dr. Tim McGrath, director of engineering – come from diverse backgrounds.
BB: They are attracted because of their specific skills. It’s building a team from both sides, with experience in data science and engineering, but also in the horse racing industry. Byron is here specifically because of his expertise in data science and family tree analysis. His main focus at Stable Analytics is building this machine learning-based family tree platform. Tim was brought along specifically for his expertise in estimation theory, specifically as it applies to our wearable devices.
BRA: Equibase works with Stable Analytics on your wearable devices. How did that partnership come about?
BB: Stable Analytics is a small team with good expertise in engineering and product development, and Equibase is the best at distributing data at scale in the industry. We thought that partnering with them would allow us to bring our product to market as quickly and efficiently as possible.
BRA: At what point in development are Stable Analytics wearables?
BB: They are still in the study phase. The main research is (conducted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners). They launched a study this year in which six wearable companies were selected for the final phase of the study, which runs from January 1, 2025 to the end of 2025. Each sensor company will recruit a minimum of 100 2-year-olds to wear the wearables during training throughout the year. Each wearable company will analyze each horse, make predictions about injuries and submit them to the research database, and the AAEP will track which sensors correctly identify injuries before they occur.
We also use the wearables at Pin Oak.
BRA: What is your role at Pin Oak?
BB: In general, we like to make well-rounded decisions based on data and traditional horsemanship. I do high-level strategy and decision-making and a lot of that is data-driven analysis; whether it is breeding decisions, such as matings, or racing decisions, choosing races for horses, or selecting trainers, sales decisions. Basically for everything, I try to take a data-driven approach and bring that to the table because we have other experts who are great riders and can bring that perspective.
BRA: What do you hope to achieve with your participation in the sector?
BB: My main overarching goal is to eliminate catastrophic injuries, and it is a very lofty goal, and it will take years and years, not just one year. But really, the goal is zero catastrophic injuries and nothing (less than that) is acceptable.
If the sensors play a role in this, fine. If it’s something else we find out, fine. If it’s something else that someone else discovers, I’ll drop the sensors and do as they suggest. I really just want the injuries to go away.
BRA: How nice is it for you to be able to merge two things you love: science and horses?
BB: It’s a lot of fun. Part of my role at SpaceX was that I was in Mission Control for a mission that I worked on for a year, maybe two years. Being part of it, actively doing things in Mission Control, and then seeing it all come together and be successful – it’s an amazing feeling. My friends there ask me, “Don’t you miss that feeling?” I tell them it’s a similar feeling to see your horse win a race after you’ve put in a lot of work with that horse. Maybe you bred that horse, raised it, analyzed the data while it was training, and watched it win.
BRA: You had a fondness for Geaux Rocket Ride, your parents’ first horse. How did his life-threatening injury affect you?
BB: I lived in LA when he was training with Richard Mandella at Santa Anita. On weekends I would go there and watch him train. That’s really what sparked my interest in racing. What happened specifically with Geaux Rocket Ride is what made me so passionate about injury prevention.
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