Four horses have died at Churchill Downs within a week, sparking renewed concerns for horse racing safety and animal welfare. One of the deceased horses was Wild On Ice, a potential Kentucky Derby contender, who had to be put down due to an injury during a training session. Parent Pride died following a horse race, and two more horses died on the inaugural 502’s Day during separate turf races. While Wild On Ice and Take Charge Briana had injuries, Parent Pride and Chasing Artie’s cause of death has not yet been determined. Churchill Downs assured riders and trainers that the track meets safety standards and that every measure was being taken to provide a safe environment for horses. However, this latest incident highlights the urgent need for better safety measures and reporting requirements in the US racehorse industry.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) CEO, Lisa Lazarus, is in contact with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and Churchill Downs, and the organisation intends to conduct its own analysis of the two fatalities. Four horses have died at Churchill Downs in the past six days, including a derby horse, and two sustained critical musculoskeletal injuries while two horses died of undetermined causes. Churchill Downs assured riders and trainers that the track meets safety standards, and it is taking every measure to provide a safe environment for the horses. While it is unusual for so many events to happen so quickly, some trainers believe that the deaths are indicative of a more significant problem within the sport. In 2018, Churchill Downs had the second-highest fatality rate among the 25 tracks that report horse fatalities.
Some trainers and animal welfare advocates believe that horse racing is now obsolete and has become dangerous for horses. The Jockey Club and the Center for a Humane Economy push for federal protection of horses in competition, leading to the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in 2020, which banned race-day doping of horses. However, the rules have been delayed by the Federal Trade Commission, leading to increasing concerns that horse welfare is not a priority for the industry. Advocates argue that failure to prioritize horse welfare risks a crisis of confidence within the industry.
The latest deaths have added to animal welfare concerns, which have arisen regularly in the past. The betting handle (total amount bet) in the US has been stagnant for three decades and has fallen precipitously when adjusted for inflation. In 2022, the number of Thoroughbred foals born was half what it was in 2005, and dozens of tracks have shuttered. Attendance is sparse at the tracks that are still open. The decline of horse racing in the US raises concerns that the sport is heading towards oblivion, particularly as the public has grown intolerant of animal suffering in sports.
The deaths of Parent Pride, Chasing Artie, Wild On Ice, and Take Charge Briana in such a short time have left many questioning the safety of horse racing, especially given Churchill Downs’ track record of fatalities. Some trainers and animal welfare advocates may question the safety and necessity of horse racing, while others remain committed to preserving the sport’s traditions and safeguarding the welfare of equine athletes. Regardless of conflicting opinions, all sides agree that horse welfare is paramount and that urgent measures must be taken to protect them. The time has come to scrutinize and prioritize horse welfare in the racing industry to ensure that tragedies like this do not occur again.
