Louisville, KY – A staggering number of racehorse deaths has prompted Churchill Downs to move the upcoming spring meet to a new location. As reported by WLKY News, the venue change reflects the seriousness of the situation; 12 horses died in a 30-day period at the track.
Races scheduled to take place next week have been canceled and will not be rescheduled, and as of June 10, the races will move to Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky.
In a release, Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen commented on the horse deaths:
“What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable. We need to take more time to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the details and circumstances so that we can further strengthen our surface, safety and integrity protocols.”
Prior to the May 6 running of the Kentucky Derby, seven horses died from racing or training injuries at Churchill Downs. A complete list of the racehorses who died in the time leading up to the Kentucky Derby and through today:
- April 27, Wild on Ice, “injured, euthanized”
- April 29, Code of Kings, “flipped multiple times (in paddock), broke neck”
- April 29, Parents Pride, “collapsed and died”
- May 2, Take Charge Briana, “fell; euthanized”
- May 2, Chasing Artie, “collapsed and died”
- May 6, Chloe’s Dream, “went wrong; fractured knee”
- May 6, Freezing Point, “went wrong; multiple fractures”
- May 13, Bosque Redondo, “injured, vanned off, euthanized”
- May 14, Rio Moon, “Leg fracture; euthanized on track”
- May 20, Swanson Lake, “injured, vanned off, euthanized”
- May 26, Lost in Limbo, “injured, vanned off, euthanized”
- May 27, Kimberly Dream, “Ligament rupture to the front leg, euthanized”
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Shelters should not be called “shelters” and no animal s/b taken there. Rescues are more apt to find homes or fosters for them. Also pls don’t turn pets over to Animal Control, either.
Personal, horrific experience.😡💔🐕🐈⬛🐾
ONLY NO-KILL shelters should be called shelters.
And even then, they feel more like jails, and there is usually no accountability for employees behavior toward the animals.
But I’m wondering if there’s been a mix up, with two comments about animal impounds (they changed the moniker to “shelter” in 1979 to improve their ‘image’) following an article about horse races.
But because of rampant dog breeding by greedy slobs, even no-kill shelters have to be cold-hearted and turn away animals who need help because the no-kills are always full.
As Sue mentioned, there is a mixup with articles here, but Lindas’ comments are so valid regarding animal “shelters.”
The so-called “sport of kings” is in reality a money mill exploiting horses for massive profit in which the rich and entitled attend to see and be seen. It is a cruel, abusive, killer “sport” that should be shut down.
SHUT DOWN evil HORSERACING — ABUSE & CRUELTY have been going on for decades — finally, we are bringing the truth to the forefront for the world to KNOW — SHUT DOWN depravedly brutal HORSERACING
This is an evil vile sport should be banned . Not humane for horses . This needs to stop killing horses for a stinking sport Evil.
It’s not just the racetrack – it’s the ENTIRE CORRUPT BUSINESS that horseracing has become. This filthy “sport” needs to be entirely shut down. Too many bad actors and dangerous practices have ruined this beyond redemption. No other sport responsible for so much death and horrific injury of its athletes would ever be permiitted to continue, but because the athlete in this case is an animal, no one cares. ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!
So True. Entitled ‘activity’ as it certainly isn’t a sport?
How does changing the zone, or area, change the tragic events. How bloody ignorant are you moronic aristocratic turds??
💯 💯 💯 !!!
Humans especially wealthy ones, have MORE MONEY THAN ANY SENSE!!! EVERYTIME!!!
The individuals that make these superior decisions need to be trampled by a stampede of horses!!! Horses have suffered severely at man’s hands for many centuries and humans haven’t evolved MUCH AT ALL during our evolutionary history.
Money talks while the Bullshit still walks.
BAN RACING!! It KILLS HORSES!!!
Having worked at race tracks and training barn, the things I saw mad me angry. These beautiful horses are nothing mire rhan a commodity. They atart them iff far to young for training, and pushed ti go faster, is it any wonder we are seeing so many die from needless injuries. Personally I would like to see it banned outright
STOP THE KILLING OF YOUNG HORSES!!!!!! It’s time to stop this barbaric treatment of horses!!!! Yes horses love to run but it should be free and not from a cage around a manmade track!!!!! For what???? MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!! Their are so many other things to bet on than live pain feeling horses!!!!! Mares are made to have foal after foal and some die giving birth to a pregnancy that was forced on them!!!!!
Some have foals that are taken away from them to become a nurse Mare for a foal that MIGHT be a grest race horse someday!!!!!! The foals of those horses are considered expendable!!!!!! It’s disgusting treatment of both Mare and foal!!!!!!!!!!! Horses DIE everyday on tracks all over the country thru no choice of their own to be on that track!!!!!!!!!!! Horse racing should go the way of Greyhound racing and be shut down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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This sickening cruelty must END NOW!!
All animal racing needs to end!! Hearbreaking!! After the torture, they end up in the horse slaughtering for food consumption! Humans make the money and have their fun, animals pay the price with their lives! Please End it now!