LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs will restrict the number of starts per horse and prohibit poor performers from running, according to new safety measures announced by the racetrack on Thursday.
What You Need To Know
- Churchill Downs will now restrict the number of starts per horse and prohibit poor performers from running
- It's part of new safety measures deployed following the deaths of 12 horses at the track since April
- The racetrack came under scrutiny for the tragic deaths, and HISA is investigating
The initiatives followed a special meeting between track officials and horsemen at Churchill Downs and the Trackside Training Center, which arose after outcry following the deaths of 12 horses at the track since April.
Safety measures announced Thursday include:
- A pause of track-based incentives such as trainer start bonuses and purse pay-out allocations to every race finisher through last place, limiting purse pay-outs to the top five finishers
- Restricting the number of starts per horse to four starts during a rolling eight-week period
- Ineligibility standards for poor performance
The final measure means horses that are beaten by more than 12 lengths in 5 consecutive starts will be ineligible to race at Churchill Downs, until approved by the Equine Medical Director to return, Churchill Downs said.
These measures all take effect immediately.
The Thursday meeting included a presentation by California-based equine surgeon Dr. Ryan Carpenter, who provided educational information and tools to trainers and practicing veterinarians about advanced interventions that can be considered for certain equine injuries.
“The attending veterinarians and trainers at Churchill Downs are incredibly capable and knowledgeable,” said Dr. Will Farmer, equine medical director for Churchill Downs Incorporated. “We feel a duty to provide the latest information on surgical interventions from an expert who experienced the challenges in California a few years ago that we currently face today. Any decision must be made first and foremost with the long-term well-being of the horse in mind. It is imperative that all available, educated and informed options can be efficiently, confidently and thoroughly relayed to the owners.”
Still ongoing is the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's independent investigation of racing conditions at Churchill Downs. HISA held an emergency summit on the issue earlier this week.