The liability noose surrounding Louisville’s racecourse appears to be constricting with the recent series of deaths. Attention is being drawn to the euthanasia taking place on the 147-acre Kentucky Derby grounds. At the start of this year, when the fatality news first emerged, the situation began to anger the equestrian community. However, for months now the need to evaluate safety procedures immediately follows the consoling message.
Did things improve before the racetracks resumed their competitions? The stats would only be in disagreement. The situation for the track owners only got worse with the news of two more fatalities.
Equestrian community saddened over the deaths of horses in Kentucky
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It was a devastating moment for spectators at Churchill Downs on May 28. In a tragic event, Lost in Limbo injured his left front leg before he was put to rest. Later on that day, Kimberley Dream sustained a similar leg injury. Both wounds required urgent veterinary care due to their severity. Both times, the horses were put down. Churchill Downs noticed the rising wrath and said the numbers are unusual and that they express “absolute dismay and sorrow,” reported Sheepless In America.
Anyone who witnessed the fatal fall was devastated since Lost in Limbo failed to stand up after several attempts. He remained on the track, powerless while his left leg continued to swing back and forth. The hosts’ failure to even acknowledge his fall while they continued to declare the race was even more heartbreaking. Later, staff members hid the scene with a dark curtain.
In a similar incident on the track, running his 61st race, Kimberly Dream sustained untreatable injuries on his left front leg. The injury was described to be an “inoperable ligament rupture.” Since March 30, twelve horses lost their lives on the Kentucky ground. Out of the 12 horses, 10 passed away during or after the race in a month. The racecourse was under investigation after the incidents in less than a week.
Viewers rage due to rise in death tolls at Churchill Downs
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For many who learned of the horses’ demise, the spring horse racing season ended up being a sorrowful event. The fact that equine medical authorities had continuously declared that the condition was incurable led to an active investigation. To further reduce the level of fatality rates, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) and Horse Racing Integrity Authority (HISA) looked into the causes. Following the Memorial Day weekend witnessing the 12th horse get euthanized, the Churchill Downs owners reviewed their safety precautions and regulations.
Churchill Downs Inc. CEO, Bill Carstanjen emphasized, “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.”After multiple equine fatalities this year, Churchill Downs was instructed by HISA to halt racing in early June, even though the exact causes have not yet been identified. After the news spread, the racecourse officials shut down racing until the end of the spring season.
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