While advanced technologies like StrideSAFE and PET scans have played a role in reducing the rate of fatal injuries from 2 per 1,000 starts in 2009 to 1.07 per 1,000 starts in 2025, there are more basic building blocks of horse health that are also being addressed.
Water is a foundational need for all living creatures. In horses, dehydration can lead to colic, a common cause of death, and dehydrated horses can suffer maladies such as heatstroke or limb injuries from uneven strides in exercise.
Among those addressing getting racehorses better water—which in turn can lead to them consuming more water—is a longtime member of the New York racing community. RJ Bianculli, the managing partner of HYDR8, a company that uses reverse osmosis filtration in the water dispensers it supplies to businesses in the New York/New Jersey area, grew up across the street from Belmont Park. His family now has a horse farm in Oyster Bay, and Bianculli and his father race horses together.
A conversation with European horsemen at a recent Breeders’ Cup in California led Bianculli to marry his business and racing worlds.
Elev8 uses HYDR8’s reverse osmosis technology to remove chemicals, heavy metals, sediment, and other negative ingredients from a water source. In the process, the water is entirely stripped, so in another stage, good minerals, such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, are added back in.
In an observational pilot program in early 2026, five New York–based racehorses were given Elev8 water as their sole drinking source. Independent veterinary bloodwork panels taken on day one and day 35 showed consistent, measurable improvements across six key health biomarkers, including glucose normalization in 100 percent of the cohort, and an average 40 percent reduction in muscle stress markers. Additionally, the cohort produced solid results on the track. The horses made a total of five starts during the program, with two wins, one second, and two thirds. Bianculli says demand for the product has only grown since.
“We’re never here claiming this is going to turn a $15,000 claiming horse into a $5 million earner,” he says. “That’s not what we’re here to do. What we’re here to do is make a measurable difference in the health and wellness of these animals. If we can help heal ulcers, prevent ulcers, prevent colic; if we could improve performance, improve recovery; if we can lower vet bills and keep these horses healthier and happier? That’s the goal here.”
