A week before the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Bernhard family, relatively new to thoroughbred racing, faced heartbreak when their first horse, Geaux Rocket Ride, suffered a fatal injury during live trackwork. This tragedy deeply affected Ben Bernhard, a former SpaceX rocket scientist, who decided to leave aerospace to apply his expertise in technology and data science to improve horse welfare. As vice president of the family’s Pin Oak Stud, Ben developed innovative equine sensors that monitor horses’ movements to predict and prevent injuries, a technology already being trialed in the US and Australia.

The Bernhards are also making history with their horse Parchment Party, the first American-trained contender in the prestigious A$10 million Melbourne Cup. Despite the challenges of international travel and quarantine, Parchment Party’s participation symbolizes a new chapter for American involvement in the race. With cutting-edge science backing their efforts and a commitment to horse welfare, the Bernhards aim to blend tradition with innovation, hoping to make a lasting impact on the global racing scene.