Churchill Downs Racetrack to relocate racing operations

Horseracing will be relocated to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming after 12 equine deaths.

US.- Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced that the company will suspend racing operations at Churchill Downs Racetrack beginning June 7 through the remainder of the Spring Meet, scheduled to run to July 3. Live racing will be relocated to Ellis Park Racing & Gaming in Henderson, Kentucky, beginning on Saturday, June 10.

The decision follows a number of horse injuries over the previous month, including 12 fatalities. Following investigations conducted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), no factor has been identified as a potential cause and no pattern has been detected to link the fatalities. However, although the reports have indicated no surface issues, CDI decided to relocate the races in order to conduct a review of all safety and surface protocols.

Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI, 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.

“In addition to our commitment to providing the safest racing environment for our participants, we have an immense responsibility as the economic engine of the Thoroughbred industry in Kentucky which provides jobs and income for thousands of families every day. By relocating the remainder of the meet to Ellis Park, we are able to maintain this industry ecosystem with only minor disruption. We are grateful to the Kentucky horsemen for their support, resiliency and continued partnership as we collectively work to find answers during this time.”

Ellis Park traditionally hosts a summer race meet in Kentucky, which is scheduled from July 7 to August 27, 2023.