A $1 million endowment has been established by a Southern California charitable foundation to support research related to the orthopedic ailments of racehorses at the Center for Equine Health in the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. The endowment was given by the Dolly Green Research Foundation to provide perpetual support for the J.D. Wheat Orthopedic Research Laboratory at UC Davis. The laboratory, one of the center's principal research units, is a nationally recognized leader in the study of equine athletic injuries. It was named in honor of John D. Wheat, a professor emeritus of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. During his more than four decades of active university service, Wheat became an internationally known equine surgeon and made many enduring contributions to the teaching and practice of equine medicine and surgery. He received numerous awards and honors, including the Fulbright Senior Lecturer Award and the American Association of Equine Practitioners Teaching Award. In addition, he is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Practice, which recognizes physicians, dentists and veterinarians for outstanding contributions in their respective professions. He also received an award for outstanding contributions to California racing from the Northern California Turf Writers Association. The endowment will enable the laboratory to continue research into prevention and treatment of racing-related orthopedic injuries, and it will establish the annual Dolly Green Lecture Series to update practicing equine veterinarians on the latest scientific discoveries in the field. The endowment also will provide support for the education and training of new equine veterinarians through the Dolly Green Resident Grant Program. "This generous endowment assures that the J.D. Wheat Laboratory will have the financial support required for improving the welfare of racing horses," said Bennie Osburn, dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. "We're confident that research funded by this generous gift will contribute significantly to the prevention and treatment of orthopedic injuries related to horse racing in California and the nation." The Dolly Green Research Foundation was established by long-time Southern California horse-racing enthusiast Dolly Green, who died in 1990. The foundation has been active in the racing community, mainly through its support of hospital facilities and racing-related research.