No more races will be held at Churchill Downs until officials figure out the reasons behind the rising number of horse deaths at the track. Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) announced that the rest of the races on the Spring Meet calendar will be held at Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson.
without discovering any patterns or potential causes of the tragedies
The facility, which hosts the famed Kentucky Derby, has experienced a dozen horse fatalities since the beginning of the spring season. The venue itself examined the conditions of the track surface, but did not find any issues. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission also conducted probes without discovering any patterns or potential causes of the tragedies.
CDI will carry out a top-to-bottom review of all its surface and safety protocols. The string of deaths overshadowed the Kentucky Derby that took place last month. Animal welfare groups expressed their concerns about the significant number of fatalities, with Animal Wellness Action President Wayne Pacelle calling upon tracks to “make horse welfare their top priority.”