Horse racing suspended at Churchill Downs: Here's what to know about move to Ellis Park

Brooks Holton, Stephanie Kuzydym and Chad Lindskog, Louisville Courier Journal
·4 min read
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Churchill Downs announced Friday it will suspend operations and move the remainder of the Spring Meet to Ellis Park in Henderson, Kentucky.

The move follows the deaths of 12 horses since April 27, when Kentucky Derby 149 contender Wild On Ice was euthanized following a training injury. Nine of the deaths were related to horses breaking down on track while two others collapsed and died after racing. A third was euthanized following an incident in the paddock.

When does racing end at Churchill Downs?

Racing was held at Churchill Downs on June 2, prior to the announcement, and the famed track will have live racing June 3-4 before moving the Spring Meet to Ellis Park starting June 10.

Following the Spring Meet, racing is set to start again Sept. 13, according to the calendar on ChurchillDowns.com.

Fallout from horse deaths: Churchill Downs Spring Meet moving to Ellis Park after 12 horse deaths

Who made the decision to end racing at Churchill Downs?

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority made the recommendation that Churchill Downs suspect racing, which the track "has agreed with and accepted this recommendation."

Why did they move the Spring Meet?

Churchill Downs said the decision to move the remainder of the Spring Meet is being done to "conduct a top-to-bottom review of all safety and surface protocols and integrity measures."

“The team at Churchill Downs takes great pride in 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,” Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc., said in a statement announcing the move.

Is there a problem with the track at Churchill Downs?

Wednesday, an independent evaluation of Churchill Downs' track surface was started by Dennis Moore, a well-known track superintendent from California.

HISA continued its first major review of safety in the industry by investigating the legendary race track. Moore's evaluation Wednesday of the track in Louisville was also not open to the media, so little is known about what he actually did while at the facility.

Mick Peterson, director of the Racetrack Safety Program for Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, told The Courier Journal on Friday that the agency conducted a second analysis of the track Tuesday and found it was "consistent" with testing done prior to Kentucky Derby 149.

What's been done: HISA begins evaluation into Churchill Downs' track surface

Didn't they just announce new safety measures?

An 2014 aerial view of Churchill Downs.
An 2014 aerial view of Churchill Downs.

Yes. Thursday, both Churchill Downs and HISA announced new measures aimed at improving the safety of the horses.

HISA measures:

  • Additional layer of post-entry screening by HISA's director of equine safety and welfare to evaluate the horse's ability to race, effective with Saturday's entries.

  • Collection of blood and hair samples for all fatalities involving covered horses by the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit.

  • Additional review of all necropsies performed on covered horses by Dr. Alina Vale, a HISA-appointed equine forensic specialist.

Churchill Downs measures:

  • Effective immediately, horses will be restricted to four starts during a rolling eight-week period.

  • Horses will have ineligibility standards for poor performance: if a horse is beaten by more than 12 lengths in five consecutive starts, it will be ineligible to race at Churchill Downs until approved to resume by the Equine Medical Director.

  • Pause of track-based incentives including trainer start bonuses and pay-out allocations to every race finisher. Only the top five finishes will receive payouts. Churchill Downs is talking with horsemen about what will happen to the funds previously given to lower-placed finishers.

More fallout: Churchill Downs, HISA announce new safety measures

What to know about Ellis Park

Ellis Park, built in 1922 and affectionally known as “the Pea Patch,” has a storied history as the home of summer Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky on a 1 1/8-mile track. It opened as Dade Park until it was renamed in 1954 to honor the venue’s longtime owner, James C. Ellis.

Ellis Park traditionally plays host to a summer race meet that’s scheduled from July 7 to Aug. 27. It has a capacity of 6,000 and features a gaming facility venue with approximately 300 historical racing machines.

Plus, its location is unique geographically. Although it’s situated in Henderson, Kentucky, it’s on the Indiana side of the Ohio River just south of Evansville.

Churchill Downs acquired the venue for $79 million in September after the track finished its centennial meet. But this isn’t the first time they’ve been partners. Churchill previously owned the track from 1998 until 2006.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Churchill Downs Spring Meet horse races at Ellis Park: What to know