The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has recommended to Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) that racing at Churchill Downs Racetrack be temporarily suspended to allow for additional comprehensive investigations into the cause of recent equine fatalities at the track; CDI has agreed with and accepted this recommendation.

The investigations conducted by HISA, CDI and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) to date have not revealed any obvious or specific pattern connecting the recent deaths of 12 Thoroughbreds at Churchill Downs. Given that no cohesive explanation has been identified for this unusually high number of fatalities, HISA has recommended that racing be temporarily suspended to allow time to more clearly identify the factor(s) contributing to these fatalities as well as tangible interventions to prevent them in the future.

“HISA’s highest priority is the safety and wellbeing of equine and human athletes competing under our jurisdiction,” said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. “Given that we have been so far unable to draw conclusions about the cause of the recent equine fatalities at Churchill Downs, and therefore have been unable to recommend or require interventions that we felt would adequately ensure the safety of the horses running there, we made the decision to recommend to CDI that they temporarily suspend racing at Churchill Downs while additional reviews continue. We know that CDI and the KHRC share our goal of ensuring safety above all else, and we appreciate their thoughtfulness and cooperation through these challenging moments. We will continue to seek answers and work with everyone involved to ensure that horses are running safely at Churchill Downs again in the near future.”

Track surface expert Dennis Moore completed his HISA-commissioned review of the Churchill Downs Racetrack and reported his findings to HISA earlier today. After conducting his own inspection of the surface and reviewing data collected by Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL) and Churchill Downs, he reported there were no primary areas for concern and has verified that the various track metrics analyzed are consistent with previous years.

The following metrics were examined as part of his review.

• Cushioning: The consistency of the track was measured at every 1/8^th Pole on the inside and outside racing lanes by RSTL using the Orono Biomechanical Surface Tester (OBST). The findings found the track was consistent at the various measurement points around the track and compared to previous pre-race meet inspections performed by RSTL.
• Cushion Layer:Data that was collected by RSTL’s ground penetrating radar (GPR), which measures up to depths of one and half feet deep, similarly did not identify any anomalies or causes for concern.
• Daily Measurements: Moore verified Churchill Downs’ daily measurements and RSTL’s pre-meet inspection, which included a time-domain reflectometer (TDR) moisture reading instrument to measure the moisture and manual probing for cushion depth. He reported that the track was within the expected measurement ranges around the track and as compared to previous years.
• Surface Grade: Moore and RSTL performed surface grade measurements together to verify the percent crossfall of surface was similar to the pre-meet inspection performed by RSTL.
• Composition: The dirt’s surface samples collected at multiple locations around the track were sent to RSTL’s laboratory in Lexington, KY and returned consistent with previous years.

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About the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

When the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act was signed into federal law, it charged the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) with drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in Thoroughbred racing in the U.S. Overseen by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), HISA is implementing, for the first time, a national, uniform set of rules applicable to every Thoroughbred racing participant and racetrack facility. HISA is comprised of two programs: the Racetrack Safety Program, which went into effect on July 1, 2022, and the Anti-Doping and Medication Control (ADMC) Program, which went into effect on May 22, 2023.

The Racetrack Safety Program includes operational safety rules and national racetrack accreditation standards that seek to enhance equine welfare and minimize equine and jockey injury. The Program expands veterinary oversight, imposes surface maintenance and testing requirements, enhances jockey safety, regulates riding crop use and implements voided claim rules, among other important measures.

The ADMC Program includes a centralized testing and results management process and applies uniform penalties for violations efficiently and consistently across the United States. These rules and enforcement mechanisms are administered by an independent agency, the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), established by Drug Free Sport International (DFS). HIWU oversees testing, educates stakeholders on the Program, accredits laboratories, investigates potential ADMC violations and prosecutes any such violations.

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Mandy Minger