Churchill Downs to resume races after announcing new safety measures for horses and riders
Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, said Monday that the racetrack will resume live horse racing on Sept. 14 after the implementation of new safety measures.
The announcement followed a temporary suspension of racing in June after 12 horse deaths took place in the span of one month at famed racetrack. Race operations at Churchill Downs ceased on June 7 and were moved to Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky.
The resumption of racing came after an internal safety review led to the racetrack implementing several new measures to "ensure the safety and well-being of equine and human athletes," Churchill Downs said.
The measures include infrastructural upgrades, including new surface maintenance equipment and greater surface testing; increased veterinary oversight for additional monitoring and care for horses; and the establishment of a new safety management committee "consisting of horsemen designees, racetrack employees and veterinarians to candidly discuss concerns and observations," the racetrack said.
"We are excited to resume live racing again at Churchill Downs," Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated, said on Monday. "Our commitment to safety remains paramount as we enter this September meet and our participants, fans and the public can be assured that we will continue to investigate, evaluate and improve upon every policy and protocol."
The company noted last month that even though investigations had determined "no single factor has been identified as a potential cause and no discernable pattern has been detected to link the fatalities," the racetrack still needed to be closed.
"What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable," Carstanjen said in June, after Churchill Downs suffered what it called a spate of "highly unusual" and "completely unacceptable" equine deaths in May. Four horses died in the opening of Kentucky Derby week. Two of the horses died from unknown causes when they both suddenly collapsed after completing races.
Five others were euthanized after training and racing incidents at the track in the days leading up to the Derby.
All 12 horses were put down after suffering serious injuries on the racetrack.
— Cara Tabachnick and Emily Mae Czachor contributed reporting.