Following a number of horse deaths at Churchill Downs in May, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced it is adding a safety steward to oversee safety procedures.
The new position will focus on safety protocols and ensure compliance between racetracks, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission standards, according to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet.
The safety steward will monitor daily activities in the barn areas and on the racetrack, including monitoring for compliance with medical regulations and reporting horses to track veterinarians if needed, evaluating horse entries for drops in performance, assisting with trainer examinations and much more.
Recommendations will also be made by the safety steward to racetrack management and regulators for the welfare of horses and riders.
Since the beginning of Churchill Downs’ Spring Meet, 12 horses have died at the track, prompting investigation and additional preventative action. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has released necropsy reports for four of those horses, with inconclusive results as to what caused the deaths.
The racetrack announced early in June it would move the remainder of its Spring Meet to Ellis Park in an abundance of caution and based off a recommendation from Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.
In addition, several safety initiatives were also introduced by Churchill Downs following a meeting with track officials and horsemen.
Source: WAVE
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