For three decades, the thunder of hooves and the roar of the crowd were the soundtrack to Dr. Bob Story’s life. As a racetrack veterinarian at Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico, Dr. Story dedicated his career to the health and performance of elite equine athletes. His commitment and expertise have been honored with numerous accolades, including trophies, statues, and paintings that adorn his home, each representing a horse he has successfully treated.
“Both my dad and my step-dad were racehorse trainers so I’d been around racehorses all my life,” Story shares. “It intrigued me, but I knew I didn’t want to be a trainer. So I decided veterinary medicine might be the way to go to be involved with the racing plus have a different profession other than training.” This lifelong exposure to the racing world, coupled with a desire for a distinct role, steered him toward veterinary medicine.
After obtaining a degree in education from OSU and teaching at various levels, including OSU’s horse production class, Story pursued his DVM, graduating in 1983. His early experiences working for a veterinarian at the Ruidoso racetrack during high school and college cemented his passion. “He was an excellent veterinarian but not very well organized,” Story recalls. “I used my organizational skills to help him get to where he was supposed to be and the clients noticed that. So when I came out of veterinary school, I had a ready-made clientele. I just went out there and started practicing.”
As one of ten to fourteen veterinarians at the track, Dr. Story played a crucial role in the success of numerous racing partnerships, contributing to 14 All American Futurity winners. The All American Futurity stands as the world’s richest quarter horse race, a testament to the high caliber of competition and care at Ruidoso Downs.
The work of a racetrack veterinarian is a demanding yet fascinating field, akin to sports medicine for human athletes. “There were always different challenges every day. It’s a very demanding veterinary area but it was very interesting. Plus the other thing is trying to make the animal peak at a certain point to where he can perform to his best genetic abilities. You’re dealing with professional athletes. Just like sports medicine in humans, you have to make sure physically and mentally that these horses are at the best of their capabilities. What makes them happy? What makes them perform?” This holistic approach, considering both the physical and psychological well-being of the horses, was central to Dr. Story’s practice.
Dr. Story developed unique strategies throughout his career. He observed that de-worming horses approximately ten days to two weeks before a major race seemed to enhance their performance, a phenomenon he termed the horse “blooming.” Furthermore, recognizing that horses at peak performance often exhibit petechial hemorrhages in their lungs, he administered respiratory antibiotics to finalists shortly after qualifying races. This preventive measure aimed to avert pulmonary infections that could arise from these hemorrhages, even if they weren’t immediately apparent.
The administration of Lasix was another key aspect of his practice, used to mitigate the occurrence of petechial hemorrhages. “A typical day usually started between four and five in the morning. The trainers get out there very early. I had to be out there at least three hours prior to the speed work in order to administer Lasix to prevent petechial hemorrhages. Because once the horse starts hemorrhaging from the lungs, it’s very hard to get turned around. So we tried to prevent that,” he explains. His meticulous preparation involved reviewing the status of each horse the night before—identifying those on antibiotics, those scheduled for upcoming races, or those with recent illnesses—to ensure timely and effective care upon arrival at the stables. “And so organization was a very important thing in order to be able to get to my clients in a timely manner.”
Dr. Story’s workload was substantial, often treating around 120 horses on a typical day, with peak days reaching an astounding 342 horses, a marathon effort that began at 1 a.m. and concluded at 11 p.m.
For aspiring racetrack veterinarians, Dr. Story emphasizes unwavering commitment to both the industry and the profession. “You have to be really committed to the industry and to the profession. It is very long hours. Hone your people skills. With every racehorse comes a trainer, the groom, and possibly the owner and jockey. You have to really listen to the people and figure out what they’re seeing on the racetrack, what the jockey’s feeling, what the groom is noticing about small differences in everything. You put all that together and then you help the horse in the areas that you think they need to be helped.” He stresses the importance of thorough analysis, acknowledging the numerous factors at play, including the jockey, the owner’s deep affection for their horse, and the inherent risks of athletic competition. “I think a person in any profession has to have a passion for that profession. And that deep-seated passion is really important to be successful in the racetrack veterinarian because you have to dedicate a lot of your life and a lot of your time to being out there.”
Dr. Story fondly recalls his favorite patient, a mare named Deceptively. “She was probably the bravest, most focused horse I ever worked on. She just loved to run and she put out 100 percent effort every time… She won my heart at that time and that was probably one of the times that I just felt humbled by a horse.” Deceptively, despite suffering a cracked shin during a race, went on to win with a track record, showcasing her incredible resilience and Dr. Story’s exceptional care.
Clients like Jose De La Torre, a racehorse owner from California, attest to Dr. Story’s skill and integrity. “He’s one of the best veterinarians I know at Ruidoso,” De La Torre states. “He is a good man, an honest man. He treated everybody the same. If you had an emergency with your horse in the middle of the night, he would be the one to come—not his assistant. My favorite memory of Dr. Story is when he didn’t let my horse die. I had taken One Sweet Jess for the first time to a trial. The horse had a hard time adjusting to the altitude. He was severely dehydrated and had kidney problems. He helped us save the horse.”
Retired trainer Bruce Bell echoes these sentiments, remembering Dr. Story as unfailingly honest and compassionate. “Above all else, he was honest. He would always tell you what’s happening, what the results are and where you need to be,” Bell recalls. “We had a horse that ran a consolation for the All American, Virgil Vengeful. […] I remember how much Dr. Story worked to revive that horse. He was endless in his efforts to do the best for the horse and for you, the client. That honesty, that compassion and the passion for his work made him as good a vet as I ever ran across.”
Upon his retirement in 2012, Dr. Bob Story was the longest-serving veterinarian at Ruidoso Downs. His colleagues honored him with a plaque that reads, “See you at the races, Story Equine,” the name of his practice. Though no longer on the track, Dr. Story’s legacy of exceptional veterinary care, unwavering honesty, and deep compassion continues to resonate within the racing community.
“I hope to be remembered for being a veterinarian who was caring, who cared about every horse that they worked on,” Story reflects. “And for my organizational skills because I worked very hard on that. And I’d also hope to be remembered for the veterinarian that was always available any time of the day that didn’t give up on any horse.”
