Horse racing’s federally created oversight panel found no single cause of death among 12 horses at Churchill Downs this spring, but recommends further action and analysis to mitigate risk at the home of the Kentucky Derby, according to a report released Tuesday.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority report also suggested improved veterinary screening and the creation of a blue-ribbon committee to study synthetic surface options throughout the sport.
The report comes two days before the start of Churchill Downs’ fall September meet and follows the June 7 suspension of racing to conduct an internal safety review. The spring meet was shifted to Ellis Park in western Kentucky.
That move came in the aftermath of seven horse deaths in the days leading up to the 149th Derby on May 6, including two on the undercard, and five more in the weeks afterward. Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority immediately convened an emergency summit and recommended pausing the meet after consulting industry experts, veterinarians and trainers.
Though Tuesday’s report determined there was no single factor in any of the areas, Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority CEO Lisa Lazarus said on a subsequent Zoom call the investigation revealed a multitude of factors.
Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s investigation revealed an assortment of injuries among the deceased horses but found that four fractures occurred while racing on the dirt track and two others on the turf. There were two cases each of exercise-related sudden death and soft-tissue injuries while racing on dirt.
Veterinarian Susan Stover’s analysis of high-speed exercise acknowledged increased injury risk from repetitive overuse injuries and high-intensity exercise without proper rest.
The historic track announced in July that industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces but it implemented its own improvements, including new track surface maintenance equipment and additional monitoring and equine care. A release added that additional resources would go to track veterinarians for specialized horse care to assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening.
Source: AP
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