Churchill Announces Sweeping Safety Initiatives Ahead of Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Churchill Downs Incorporated has announced a series of significant initiatives to improve safety protocols and procedures as the track prepares to host the 145th running of the GI Kentucky Derby May 4. Churchill also signed on to a nationwide initiative to phase out race-day medication Thursday.

The initiatives include investing $8 million “to build a state-of-the-art Equine Medical Center, Quarantine Facility and related capital improvements on the backside of Churchill Downs Race Track,” according to a press release from the company. The Equine Medical Center is slated to open in March 2020 and will be used for every-day equine therapeutic purposes as well as immediate and advanced onsite care in the event of injury. The track will also have a temporary Equine Medical Center in place for this year’s Derby and will hire an Equine Medical Director to oversee safety and care at all CDI properties.

Churchill says it will additionally work with other industry leaders to immediately form and fund a new organization dedicating to developing and sharing best practices and research in racing. An executive leader and initial membership for the national Office of Racing Integrity will be announced in the coming weeks.

Whip reform will also be addressed, as Churchill announced that, “Once Kentucky regulators update the applicable regulations, we will immediately adopt the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) model rules that govern the use of the low-impact riding crop worldwide.”

The release went on to announce that Churchill will expand camera surveillance across its backside operations, including the installment of 24-hour cameras in every barn, stall and common area.

CDI will also “advocate immediately with applicable regulatory authorities for increased withdrawal times for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cortico-steroids so that horses can be more adequately evaluated during pre-race veterinary examinations” and is committing $100,000 of additional financial support to fund scientific research projects geared toward improving the safety and welfare of racehorses, “particularly with respect [to] improving treatment options for joint and leg injuries.”

“All of us in the industry care deeply about the safety and well-being of race horses, and we know how much they mean to the people who love and care for them,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “As the host of the Kentucky Derby and a key leader in the racing industry, Churchill Downs has a heightened responsibility to implement the world’s best practices for caring for racehorses at our facilities. We also have a responsibility to educate and advocate so that others do so as well. Over the last several years, the landscape for animal welfare and safety practices has changed for the better, and we will continue to embrace this progress and move forward with advancements to improve the health and welfare of our equine as well as human athletes. Our leadership and commitment to these important issues will never waver.”

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