There will be an emergency summit meeting at Churchill Downs on Tuesday under the auspices of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) in the wake of 12 horse deaths at the home of the Kentucky Derby this spring.
Veterinary teams from Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and HISA will gather to review all veterinary information available and conduct additional analysis, seeking to determine what caused the tragedies at the Louisville, Ky., track that have gotten worldwide attention.
“HISA’s highest priority is the safety and well-being of the horses and riders competing under its jurisdiction,” according to a HISA statement. “We remain deeply concerned by the unusually high number of equine fatalities at Churchill Downs over the last several weeks.”
Meanwhile, HISA is asking for an independent analysis of the facility’s racing and training surfaces from experienced track superintendent Dennis Moore. At the same time, HISA is seeking more veterinary opinions and on-site obeservations from its director of equine safety and welfare, Dr. Jennifer Durenberger.
Churchill Downs issued a statement about the situation, saying,”Our team members mourn the loss of these animals as we continue to work together to discover cause and determine appropriate investments to minimize, to the degree possible, any avoidable risk in this sport and on our property. We do not accept this as suitable or tolerable and share the frustrations of the public, and in some cases, the questions to which we do not yet have answers.