Calder gets NTRA safety nod

Calder Race Course in Miami has become the ninth track to be fully accredited under the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Safety and Integrity Alliance program, the track and the NTRA announced jointly on Friday.

Along with Churchill Downs in Louisville and Arlington Park outside of Chicago, Calder is the third track owned by Churchill Downs Inc. to receive accreditation under the program. Participation in the program, which was launched last year to address public criticism of racing's practices, is voluntary. In order to receive accreditation, tracks must comply with requirements developed by the alliance.

Belmont Park, Saratoga Racecourse, Keeneland, Delaware Park, Hollywood Park, and Monmouth Park have also received full accreditation under the program.

The only track to go through the alliance's review without receiving full accreditation has been Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore Pimlico received only provisional accreditation because of deficiencies in the documentation of some of its procedures and the lack of several state regulations. Alliance officials have said Pimlico will be reviewed for full accreditation in the spring of 2010, before the track's next live race meet.