AWA calls for a suspension of racing at Churchill Downs
Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy have requested Churchill Downs to halt its live-racing schedule until they can ensure that young and fit horses are not needlessly dying on the track. The call for a temporary racing suspension comes after 12 horse deaths occurred in a month’s time since the racing resumed just weeks ago. This rate of loss is higher than the number of deaths at Santa Anita Park in 2019, when 42 horses died on the track.
Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center, said:
“The current rate of loss of young, healthy, physically fit horses is not even close to acceptable, and Churchill Downs acknowledges that. If the track keeps doing the same thing, it can expect the same result. The show cannot just go on, and the leadership of the track should hit the pause button for the well-being of the horses and of the industry itself.”
The shutdown of live racing activities at Churchill Downs would not affect the simulcasting of other races from tracks that have not experienced a surge in horse fatalities.
Regulation is not keeping up
The new national governing body for the sport has started implementing a national race-day antidoping regulatory plan this month. This plan will provide much-needed consistency to a regulatory control system that was previously scattered and built around the work of 38 different state horse racing commissions. The Authority also has the power to make changes that will improve horse safety at Thoroughbred tracks.
Joseph Grove, director of communications for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, said:
“As a Louisville resident, I value that Churchill Downs does immense things for our community. I’m pleased that track executives are taking some meaningful steps to triage the tragedies, but the only way to ensure no more horse deaths there until the investigations are complete is to suspend racing until causes are better understood.”
Congress has mandated the protection of horses in American racing through the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. The safety of horses at the tracks should be the top priority for everyone involved in the business.
“If they keep running horses, Churchill Downs and the Authority are flying blind. There are no easy answers or simple fixes, but the key stakeholders must look for causes in early-age racing, track surfaces, breeding of horses for speed rather than soundness, illegal doping, and insufficient screening of unfit horses slated for competition.”
Horse racing deaths at Santa Anita Park in 2019
Meanwhile, the deaths of between 30 and 42 horses at Santa Anita Park in 2019 remain unexplained. The horse deaths were unexpected and caused widespread concern among animal welfare advocates, horse racing enthusiasts, and the general public alike.
The exact cause of the horse deaths is still being investigated, but experts believe that a number of factors may have contributed to the problem. Some of the possible causes include the track’s surface, which may have been too hard or uneven, as well as the weather conditions, which may have been too hot or cold for the horses. Another potential factor that has been suggested is the use of medications and drugs in horse racing, which can have negative effects on the horses’ health and well-being.
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Lost in Limbo death at Churchill Downs via Animal Wellness Action with usage type - News Release Media
