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Churchill Downs, the largest and most famous horse racetrack in the world and site of the Kentucky Derby, is instituting a new “safety initiative” after a rash of thoroughbred deaths on the track, effective immediately.
The new protocols were announced on Thursday after a meeting between track officials and horsemen from Churchill Downs and Trackside Training Center Louisville … all aimed at preventing catastrophic injury on the dirt track.
Horses will now be limited to four starts during a rolling eight-week period … limiting how often the animals are pushed to the max.
There will also be ramifications for animals that aren’t competitive … “Horses that are beaten by more than 12 lengths in five consecutive starts will be ineligible to race at Churchill Downs” until they’re given a clean bill of health by approved vets.
CD will also pause “track-based incentives such as trainer start bonuses” for all who finish races … instead only paying out the top five finishers.
The new rules come after a rash of on-track incidents at Churchill Downs, leading to the euthanization of 12 horses … and a lot of outrage among animal lovers.
“Any decision must be made first and foremost with the long-term well-being of the horse in mind,” Churchill Downs Equine Medical Director Dr. Will Farmer said on Thursday.
“It is imperative that all available, educated and informed options can be efficiently, confidently and thoroughly relayed to the owners.”
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to investigate the wave of deaths and the condition of the track.
“HISA continues to monitor this situation closely and will evaluate any additional next steps as appropriate.”
Secretariat, Seabiscuit, Seattle Slew and American Pharoah are just a few of the historic horses who have raced the 1 1/4 mile track at Churchill Downs.