AMERICA’S most famous racecourse Churchill Downs – home of the Kentucky Derby – has been forced to suspend racing after an ‘unusually high’ number of horse deaths.
Some 12 horses have sadly lost their lives at the Louisville track since April 27.
Churchill Downs has been forced to close its doors after an ‘unusually high’ number of horse deaths
Bill Carstanjen, CEO of the course, said the development, which comes just a month after Mage won the Derby, was ‘deeply upsetting’.
In a statement, he said: “The team at Churchill Downs takes great pride in our commitment to safety and strives to set the highest standard in racing, consistently going above and beyond the regulations and policies that are required.
What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable.
“Despite our best efforts to identify a cause for the recent horse injuries, and though no issues have been linked to our racing surfaces or environment at Churchill Downs, we need to take more time to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the details and circumstances so that we can further strengthen our surface, safety and integrity protocols.”
An emergency summit was held on Tuesday to discuss the number of deaths.
All 12 fatalities will be investigated and there will be a probe into the condition of the famous dirt track.
In a statement on Friday, the track said ‘no single factor’ had been found linking the terrible losses of life.
It added: “Diagnostics testing of the racetrack by experts have not raised concerns, and the experts have concluded that the surface is consistent with prior measurements from Churchill Downs in past years.”
Churchill Downs’ Spring Meeting – which runs through July 3 – will be moved to nearby Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky.
Racing at Churchill Downs will continue as normal this weekend.
Seven horses died during Kentucky Derby week.
Top trainer Saffie Joseph was indefinitely banned from the track after two of his horses died in ‘highly unusual’ circumstances.
