Performance Genetics

brogers · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:38 am Post subject: Performance Genetics

PERFORMANCE GENETICS COMMENCES OPERATIONS

Performance Genetics, a new thoroughbred genetics company is please to announce their commencement of operations. The company, founded by Byron Rogers, Alan Porter, Jason Litt, Alex Solis Jr, Dr. Greg Fox and Dr. Steven Tammariello, is using the latest genomic technology along with cardiovascular and statistical information to identify and breed elite thoroughbred racehorses.

Lexington, KY – 1st September 2011 – Byron Rogers, Alan Porter, Jason Litt, Alex Solis Jr, Dr. Greg Fox and Dr. Steven Tammariello have joined to form a new thoroughbred genetics and evaluation company, Performance Genetics.

Performance Genetics will be primarily concerned with the predictive analysis of performance in the unraced thoroughbred and using genomic techniques and breeding values to increase the potential of breeding outcomes.

“We are excited about the team we have brought together here. Alan and I have developed TrueNicks, a leading pedigree evaluation service, and through Pedigree Consultants have advised on the matings of well over 300 stakes winners including four Eclipse Award winners and many overseas champions. Both Jason and Alex have extensive experience in selection and management of racing stock and have a large client base to bring to the table. Dr. Greg Fox brings a wealth of experience to the company, in particular his cardiovascular evaluation techniques which have been seen to great effect in assessing and selecting champions such as Henny Hughes and Lookin at Lucky and Dr Steven Tammariello, is a highly regarded molecular geneticist in an exacting field such as Alzheimer research, whose work on thoroughbred genetics we have been most impressed with, “ said Performance Genetics CEO Byron Rogers.

Using the Equine 70KSNP chip, the latest technology to be offered in the field, the company recently completed a sequence of some 400 horses resulting in over 26 million data points for analysis. The Performance Genetics DNA database includes horses such as Azeri, Caller One, Cigar, Desert Stormer, Formal Gold, General Challenge, Gulch, Pretty Discreet, Serena's Song and, Turkoman. The database includes 6 of the top 10 stallions on the North American General Sires list of 2010 and 10 of the last 18 recipients of the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.

“The database of DNA that we have alone makes it possible for us to do some outstanding comparisons with other groups of horses as it relates to performance. The 70KSNP chip that we used, which was only released in March this year, gave us great coverage of the genome. We believe that we are the only thoroughbred genetics company that used this superior chip to develop our research on and with the quality of the horses that we sampled, we are now in a position to do some outstanding studies on what makes an elite thoroughbred who he is,” said Dr. Tammariello.

Additionally to genomic data, Performance Genetics has cardiovascular measurements on over 4000 horses, including many champions and with cardiovascular morphology having a scientifically proven relationship to subsequent performance, a well-established measurement technique in the prediction of elite racehorses.

“The team assembled here is a unique group that represents a diverse history within the thoroughbred industry. Each member complements the group in the single task of aiding the client to make informed decisions in the selection process using sound reliable data blended with unparalleled scope and experience operating within the breeding and selection disciplines.

My direct contribution with cardiovascular analysis has provided thoroughly tested, reliable information with respect to performance limitations at the Graded Stakes level for over 12 years. As the limitations of performance in the thoroughbred are more complex than cardiovascular contributions alone, Performance Genetics have and will continue to add additional tools to take the selection and mating process to the next level, ” said Dr. Fox

The company has developed a proprietary database, programmed in the statistical language R, that now allows the company to use statistical techniques to analyze genetic, cardiovascular and statistical data points in a predictive model.

“One of the best questions we get asked regularly by our clients is why is one horse a champion and another, even a full brother or sister, unable to break their maiden, we believe that with the data we now have and the prediction model we have developed, we can start to answer these types of questions and give breeders and buyers a solid scientific foundation for their mating decisions and selection techniques,” said CEO Byron Rogers.

Performance Genetics will shortly announce its first product to market and is currently engaged in a second round of research and development which should see additional products released later this year.

About Performance Genetics

Performance Genetics LLC is a thoroughbred genetics company that commenced operations in 2011. Founded by well known industry participants Byron Rogers, Alan Porter, Jason Litt, Alex Solis Jr., Dr. Greg Fox and Dr. Steven Tammariello, it is primarily concerned with developing genomic and evaluative techniques to identify and breed elite thoroughbred racehorses.

For more information about PERFORMANCE GENETICS, please visit www.performancegenetics.com or contact BYRON ROGERS at (859) 285 0431 or email Byron@performancegenetics.com
_________________
Byron Rogers
Performance Genetics
www.performancegenetics.com

DDT · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:33 am Post subject:

brogers

Let us suppose that you can figure out what chromosomes are present in outstanding race horses from examination of their DNA, how do you intend to fool mother nature so that these same chromosomes are present in a repeat breeding or a similar breeding? Having the knowledge of the location and purpose of each gene is all well and good, having the knowledge to make sure those genes are part of the 50% contribution from each parent is another matter. Good luck.

DDT

brogers · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 1:18 pm Post subject:

DDT,

Firstly all horses have the same number of chromosomes, they also have the same number of genes, it is the variation within the genes that makes them different.

The answer to the question - how would one make sure that the variants you want to have in a horse are found in repeat matings?

The answer - you can't. Which is the exact reason you should be testing an unlaced horse that is a full brother or sister to a good racehorse!

Specifically when it comes to breeding you are only going to be able to give ranges of what a mating can result in. Let's say you have a score out of 100 with 0 being the worst possible outcome and 100 being the best. Given that there are dominant and recessive forms of the variants you are trying to capture, and there are a number of them, it is going to end up being a range of possible outcomes.

So if you have your mare, for one stallion the possible outcomes may vary from 40 to 90 and for another stallion it may vary from 60 to 80. It is then going to be a matter of making a judgement call based on this, along with other factors such as what the mare needs physically and all the other factors that go into a mating decision. A breeder may elect to go with stallion A, even in the knowledge that the result could be a horse that only scores a 40, but the upside being that it could be a 90.

What this will do is actually put a mating into its true risk perspective. Another breeder may opt for the second stallion in the knowledge that their risk is lower even if their potential is lower. Rather than guessing what the outcome of a mating is going to be, breeders will actually know what the range of potential is, and once the foal is born, they will be able to test the result.
_________________
Byron Rogers
Performance Genetics
www.performancegenetics.com

Shammy Davis · Chef de Race: Classic Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 4451

I wish you luck also, but I'm with DDT on this one. Only "mother nature"
knows in the end.

DDT · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 3:08 pm Post subject:

brogers

I did not ask you for a first grade level biology lesson, I know that each horse has 64 chromosomes, the question was, even if you knew the chromosomes you wanted to be passed on, how could you get mother nature to cooperate. I was trying to be nice and I guess you were trying to be cute, and of course the answer without any spin is, you can't.

DDT

griff · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:37 am Post subject:

Check out Brgers reply again.. Right after "THE ANSWER" he/she says "you can't"

griff
_________________
"We has met the enemy and he is us" [Pogo]

DDT · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:51 am Post subject:

griff

Why do you think I used his words "you can't"? He always provides the spin and attempts to downplay obvious drawbacks with his opinions and services offered. If the majority of experts are correct in believing that the total race horse is made up 25% genetic and 75% management/environment and you take advantage of this new testing and the test predicts failure, do you get rid of the foal and try again, or, do you raise it and train it and see what you have? Everyone is looking for the easy path to breeding success, however, history has shown us that there is no easy path.

DDT

brogers · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:09 am Post subject:

DDT,

I sm not sure I put any 'spin' on it at all.

I clearly said and explained how when you are dealing with genes that have dominant and recessive characteristics, you have to deal in ranges of outcomes, not absolutes when it comes to planning matings.

From what we have seen to date it shows both how hard breeding a good racehorse actually is and how lucky some horses are on the 'genetic spin'. Aristocrat and Alpha Wave tell us an awful lot about Ghostzapper.
_________________
Byron Rogers
Performance Genetics
www.performancegenetics.com

DDT · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:52 pm Post subject:

brogers

You call it advertisement and PR, I call it spin. Again, good luck, if it turns out to be half as helpful as TrueNicks you will have accomplished something.

DDT

Barcaldine · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 1:36 pm Post subject:

Another drive-through pedigree product. As if there aren't enough snake oils on the market.

brogers · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 7:13 pm Post subject:

Georgerz · Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:28 pm Post subject:

Plain envy?

Barcaldine · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject:

Commercial nicking products are created to be sold. They are designed for buyers who, lacking the knowledge to make their own conclusions which take into account a broad spectrum of information, look for simple answers. These folks would rather take the glossy advertising bait than take the time to educate themselves.

All "nicksters" use simple letter grades for their products since they seem to be the most easily understood descriptions. Their customers can then point with pride to their steed's "A" nicking, as if that is a reflection on their own intelligence.

The methodologies used in all these products is flawed in the extreme. From using sample sizes too small to generate any statistical significance, to using no discrimination among stakes winners (graded vs. listed, U.S. vs. India, quality vs quantity, etc) in determining grades, to assuming that the past will be repeated in the future, to ignoring female contributions altogether, including male/female line affinities, the nicksters are pulling the horse blanket over their clients' eyes while laughing all the way to the bank.

These salesmen are in the nicking business to make money. Fair enough. But owners/breeders who want to enjoy the full buffet of pedigree analysis won't find it in the fast drive-through products marketed by these self-appointed pedigree expers.

brogers · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:25 pm Post subject:

This is a genetic test. It has nothing to do with nicking. The horse either has some or all of what we think are important variants within his genes or he/she does not.
_________________
Byron Rogers
Performance Genetics
www.performancegenetics.com

Barcaldine · Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:31 pm Post subject:

And will no doubt serve the same two important purposes True Nicks, e-nicks, Werk Nicks and Gim Micks do: become another profit center, and reassure some gullible new owners that they're onto something great.