Founding Researchers
Prof. Michael "Mick" Peterson, Ph.D.
Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D. is the Director of the Racetrack Safety Program and Professor of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Kentucky. He is also the Executive Director and a co-founder of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory. Dr. Peterson’s research links traditional understanding of engineering mechanics and materials to the biomechanics of animals. Dr. Peterson’s passion is for increasing our understanding and the consistency of equine sport surfaces, especially Thoroughbred racing surfaces. Originating with ultrasonic imaging work on bone remodeling more than 25 years ago his equine research has gradually grown to encompass a wide range of testing, data collection and basic research on granular materials. He has published more than 100 refereed journal articles, 4 book chapters or guides, 6 patents, and more than 150 conference proceedings.
Prof. C. Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc (DVM), PhD, FRCVS, DSc, Dr. med vet (hc), Diplomate ACVS
C. Wayne McIlwraith is a founding researcher of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory and a board member. Dr. McIlwraith’s research has been devoted to equine joint disease. He is a pioneer in the use of arthroscopy in the investigation of equine joint injuries and has investigated the use of medications and biological therapies in treating bone disease in healing, the use of biomarkers to diagnose cartilage and bone damage, as well as developing the use of gene therapy and novel methods of articular cartilage repair. Dr. McIlwraith is internationally renowned for the significance of his contributions to the field of equine orthopedics. Included among the many awards he has received are the Tierklinik Hochmoor Prize, the Winners Circle Award for Outstanding Achievements in American Quarter Horse Racing, and the John Hickman Award for Equine Orthopaedics. A diplomate in the American and European colleges of Veterinary Surgeons, Dr. McIlwraith is a member of the International Society of Arthroscopy and Knee Surgery, Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society, and Veterinary Orthopedic Society. He has authored or co-authored 10 textbooks and numerous scientific publications. He is on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Veterinary Surgery and the Equine Veterinary Journal.
RSTL Staff
Branden Brookfield, M.S.
Branden Brookfield is the On-site Testing Manager at RSTL. Branden obtained his masters in Sports Administration from Eastern Kentucky University in the fall of 2021 and joined the lab in the spring of 2023 after holding multiple jobs within racing. Most recently as the Technology Specialist with racing surfaces at Keeneland Racecourse where he was in charge of taking daily track measurements as well as operating track maintenance equipment. He is currently helping with on-site testing at RSTL.
Cindy Brookfield
Cindy Brookfield is a part-time employee of RSTL. She has been involved in the equine industry throughout her life, beginning by showing horses on the AQHA circuit as a junior and amateur. Working for years in many aspects of the racehorse industry – including racetrack administration, racing departments, horse sales, farm office management and global equine export – has given her the opportunity to view the entire industry landscape. She is enthusiastic about the work RSTL is doing to improve racing for all equine athletes. Cindy began working at RSTL in October 2024 and her primary responsibilities include aiding in laboratory composition and performance testing, drafting reports, and tracking progress of current projects.
LaRodra’ Cox
LaRodra’ Cox is a Laboratory Testing Technician at RSTL. In May of 2023, LaRodra’ graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Science and Management from the University of Kentucky. He joined the field of equine surface testing immediately following graduation in May, where he began working full-time at RSTL. LaRodra’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to, performing composition and performance testing on racetrack and arena samples, processing the data from testing, and creating reports.
Patrick Erbland, Ph.D.
Patrick Erbland, Ph.D. rejoined RSTL in June of 2022, as the Chief Scientist. He previously worked as a testing engineer from 2016-2019. Dr. Erbland brings a wide range of knowledge and experience having worked in natural resource management, biology, ecology and agri/aquaculture. His experience includes hydroacoustic testing and he will apply novel analysis methods to related data to some of the work with ground penetrating radar. His laboratory expertise also provides important background experience for laboratory testing at RSTL. Currently he is responsible for a portion of the on-site testing and is the technical lead on testing and analysis of particle size distribution.
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson is a Testing Engineer at RSTL. Andrew joined the lab in summer of 2018 and received his undergraduate degree in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering from the University of Kentucky in the spring of 2019. Since starting at the lab, he has worked primarily in testing which has also included in-situ testing on race tracks and equestrian surfaces across the country. He is currently helping to validate new in-lab testing methods and has worked on design of surface testing equipment. His research interests are in biomechanics, design and materials.
Mackenzie Rockefeller
Mackenzie Rockefeller is the Director of Operations of RSTL. Mackenzie graduated in 2021 from the University of KY with a Bachelor of Science in Equine Science and Management and completed a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management through the University of KY in December 2023. She has been competitively show-jumping horses since she was a child in the Hunter/Jumper discipline. Mackenzie began working for RSTL as an intern in spring 2021 and has been full-time at RSTL since graduation. Since starting at the lab, she has focused on the development and testing of the Maintenance Quality System database, aiding in lab composition testing/reporting, improving business procedures, drafting quotes for services, aiding in board communications, hiring/training new employees, and organizing educational/outreach events. In 2023 she spent six weeks in Australia working for the University of Melbourne and Racing Victoria as a consultant from RSTL conducting surveys on training centers including track dimensions, maintenance practices, and general management of their tracks.
Lexy Willis
Lexy Willis is an Equine Sport Surface Researcher at RSTL. Lexy graduated in December, 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Equine Science and Management and a minor in Biology from the University of Kentucky. She started as an intern at RSTL in summer 2023 through Summer 2024 and began as a full-time employee in December, 2024 after graduation. Lexy’s lifelong dedication to working with animals has spanned diverse roles, from contributing to animal rescues to participating in summer horse camps; these experiences have shaped her commitment to advancing animal health and care. Her academic background in natural sciences has deepened her understanding of biological processes and enriched her approach to scientific inquiry. Currently her focus at RSTL is drafting standard protocols for lab testing, data collection, and data organization. Fueled by a passion for equine health and the broader natural sciences, she aims to play an active role in driving progress within the equine industry and beyond. Her goal is to make a lasting impact on animal care through research and innovation.
Contract Employees
María Alejandra Blanco, Ph.D.
María Alejandra Blanco, PhD is based in Argentina and does testing and oversight of the racetracks in Latin America for RSTL. Dr. Blanco also defended her PhD dissertation in November 2024 in the Faculty of Agronomy of University of Buenos Aires. Her work as an equestrian surfaces constructor and consultant is performed through for company Grass and Horses. She has been building and doing consultancy in sport fields for the last 25 years. As a horse rider, she became an advisor to breeders and horse farms about pastures and footing. That closeness to horses triggered her interests in equestrian surfaces to become a full-time career. She also has been teaching and researching in Forage Science and Turfgrass Science in several universities. Currently, she is teaching at Faculty of Agronomy at Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina (UCA).
Kaleb Dempsey
Rainier Sensing LLC
Prior to 2024, Kaleb Dempsey was the Chief Technical Officer of RSTL. In 2024, he moved back to Washington State and is contracted to perform all of the west coast testing of racing surfaces. He also oversees the testing of wax and fiber used in synthetic racetracks at a partner laboratory in the Seattle area. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington Bothell and began working full-time at RSTL upon graduation. His work increased the efficiency of lab testing and data quality through the automation of data processing, improved test methods, and development of new data collection and measurement devices such as an electronic Longchamp penetrometer. Kaleb has also spun-off a separate LLC from RSTL to produce automated testing equipment and internet-of-things (IOT) devices for racetracks.
Curtis Meadows
Dbtelligence LLC
Curtis Meadows is a contract employee of RSTL. Curtis is a Senior Software Engineer who is primarily contracted to perform work on database development and managing domains and servers for RSTL’s databases. Curtis manages bioappeng.com, the prototype to the new Maintenance Quality System (MQS) Database (racingsurfaces.net; development funded by The Jockey Club). Curtis also manages data transfer from RSTL to HISA using AWS S3 Cloud Object Storage.
Mary Jane Peterson
Mary Jane Peterson oversees the financial processes at RSTL and provides strategic oversight of the business and legal processes. She is an Electrical Engineer with an MBA from Harvard Business School and a former McKinsey and Co. Consultant. She oversaw the consolidation of the prior LLC and the expansion of RSTL to meet the requirements of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act.
Graduate Researcher
Daniel Schmidt
Daniel Schmidt is the Research Farrier at RSTL. He received his B.S. in Animal Science at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2016. Daniel held various positions on Thoroughbred farms throughout Lexington before attending Kentucky Horse Shoeing School’s three-month training program. While working towards his PhD in Agricultural Engineering and Biomechanics Daniel will bring valuable practical and physiological insight to RSTL. Daniel currently splits his time between his PhD program, RSTL, his business ventures and caring for his personal riding horses. Daniel currently runs his own farrier practice, BTE Farriery, and a Thoroughbred sales venture, BTE Stables.
