HISA reviews at Churchill Downs continue
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Multiple reviews at Churchill Downs racetrack by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority are expected to continue into Thursday, the next scheduled day of live racing at the Louisville, Ky., track, according to HISA officials.
The reviews, which are looking into whether there are common factors underlying a recent spate of equine fatalities at the track, are proceeding along multiple fronts in the midst of calls from some critics of racing for Churchill Downs to close for live racing while the investigations continue. According to two officials close to the situation, the possibility of the track suspending racing remains remote, though that could change if the reviews turn up actionable factors, such as deficiencies in the racing surface.
On Tuesday, HISA began conducting a veterinary review of the 12 horses that have died since the track opened for training on March 30, led by Dr. Jennifer Durenberger, HISA’s director of equine safety and welfare. That review, which entails the scrutiny of veterinary and medical records and interviews with trainers and jockeys, is expected to continue into Thursday, according to a HISA statement provided by a spokesperson for the group.
“It is important that the experts take the time they need to independently evaluate all the information available and make their recommendations,” the statement said.
Churchill has four consecutive days of live racing scheduled from Thursday through Sunday.
On Tuesday, Lisa Lazarus, HISA’s chief executive, said that HISA officials have been having ongoing discussions with Churchill officials about the possibility of suspending racing, but she said that the decision would be left to the track.
While a majority of the fatalities have been due to musculoskeletal injuries, two of the horses suffered sudden deaths shortly after racing, and another died of an injury sustained in a paddock accident.
HISA’s expert in surface-testing and maintenance, Dr. Mick Petersen, has already conducted a review of Churchill’s racing surfaces, but that assessment did not turn up any evidence that the surfaces are noticeably different than in previous years. Still, HISA has brought in a different expert, track superintendent Dennis Moore, and that review began Wednesday.
A conference call conducted by HISA on Tuesday about the deaths and HISA’s response drew an enormous amount of participation from mainstream media outlets, and several major television networks have crews stationed at the track covering the situation.
In the statement, HISA said that it did not expect to provide additional updates on the reviews until Thursday.
“HISA is conducting this investigation with a sense of urgency to determine the best path forward,” the statement said.
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