Churchill Downs to suspend racing after 12 horses die this season, investigation underway.

The track has reported an “unusual” amount of injuries this race season and the track has been shut down until further notice. The Churchill Downs Company suspended all operations until July 3 but will continue to host its spring and summer events at another location: Ellis Park, another track under the Churchill Downs Corporation. This decision has caught the attention of some animal rights groups such as PETA.

Animal Rights Implications

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, which was brought in on May 6, has not found a pattern in the deaths, raising public concern over what actually happened. Some of the trainers who have trained horses for the Kentucky Derby and other races in the Triple Crown expressed anger and unhappiness over recent changes at Churchill Downs. The changes trainers found issues with would have protected the horses, such as specific rules for trainers not to run unsound horses. Evidence proves that there is a problem with the track and Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby has taken place for a number of years. It is believed that the decision to continue running horses was for the betting populous and the economic drive from horse racing.

Ongoing changes due to the investigation

The decision to close Churchill Downs temporarily and move all operations elsewhere has been described as historic and virtually unheard of. All horses will remain at Churchill Downs but be shuttled to Ellis Park for race days.

“It should be a top priority for Churchill Downs and all other tracks to make horse welfare their top priority,” president of Animal Wellness Action Wayne Pacelle said.

According to Churchill Downs, there has been no identification of a cause to link any of these 12 fatalities since March 30th