No common cause found for horse deaths at Churchill Downs, Saratoga

Sept. 12 (UPI) -- The new national organization charged with safety in horse racing announced Tuesday an extensive investigation has not determined an overriding issue leading to the deaths of 12 horses at Churchill Downs and fatalities at other top tracks.

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Administration still proposed new "initiatives and reforms aimed at significantly reducing equine fatalities." Among them was creation of a "Blue-Ribbon Committee" to consider moving races from dirt to synthetic surfaces.

The announcement came two days before the scheduled reopening of Churchill Downs. The Louisville, Ky., track shut down its spring race meeting ahead of schedule in the wake of the spate of fatalities leading up to the Kentucky Derby and shifted operations to nearby Ellis Park, which it also owns.

Churchill Downs officials independently have implemented significant upgrades to the track's safety and veterinary protocols and independent analysts have declared its dirt and turf tracks free of safety issues.

Pimlico, operated by the Stronach Group in Baltimore, Md., and Saratoga, the premier venue of the New York Racing Association, also were plagued by fatal breakdowns during their spring and summer meetings.

Highly regarded Havnameltdown was fatally injured during a race on Preakness Stakes Day at Pimlico and previously undefeated New York Thunder fell just before the finish, while holding a big lead in a major race on Travers Day at Saratoga. Both breakdowns occurred in front of packed grandstands and nationally televised audiences and both horses were euthanized on the track.

HISA said its investigation, which was based in large part on work by the tracks involved, state regulators and other agencies, "evaluated three primary factors: 1. the potential role of Churchill Downs' racetrack surfaces in the breakdowns; 2. veterinary records, including the necropsies of each of the 12 horses; and 3. any potential rules violations or procedural deficiencies that may have contributed to the fatalities.

"Despite extensive investigation and analysis, HISA did not identify any singular explanation for the fatalities at Churchill Downs. The absence of a singular explanation underscores the urgent need for further action and analysis to mitigate risk stemming from several factors potentially contributing to equine fatalities," the authority said.

HISA called for "a robust data analysis effort," improved veterinary screening and diagnostics and miscellaneous changes to existing rules.

Likely to be most controversial among the recommendations is "creation of a Blue-Ribbon Committee to work toward the study and ultimate introduction of more synthetic surface options in thoroughbred racing."

Earlier experiments with synthetic racing surfaces failed to gain universal acceptance, although a few major tracks, particularly those with frequent weather issues, continue to use them. While some analyses indicate artificial surfaces are safer than dirt, the findings are disputed. And conversion from one surface to another would be prohibitively expensive for smaller tracks.

HISA, a non-government body operating under the Federal Trade Commission, has been locked in a contentious court battle with one of the nation's major horsemen's groups over its constitutionality. It continues to define the limits of its authority relative to individual state racing commissions.