Temporarily suspend its racing operations starting from June 7 in response to a series of unfortunate racehorse fatalities.
Churchill Downs Takes Action: The suspension will be in effect for the duration of the Spring Meet schedule, as confirmed by an official statement released by the racetrack.
Over the past month, a total of 12 horses tragically lost their lives at this iconic venue of the Kentucky Derby.
This disheartening scenario brings to mind a similar incident at Santa Anita Park, located near Los Angeles, which indefinitely ceased operations after 21 horses suffered fatal injuries within a mere 10-week span. The historically significant Southern California venue remained closed for over a year before resuming its activities in 2021.
In its official statement, Churchill Downs emphasized that after careful evaluation by both the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, no definitive cause or discernible pattern has been identified to explain the unfortunate fatalities.