horse deaths

On the heels of both the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Churchill Downs updating horsemen and the public Thursday on actions taken regarding the 12 equine deaths since Apr. 27 at the Louisville oval, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) issued an update of their own Friday afternoon outlining investigative actions already taken and planned to be taken in the future. The statement, which originated from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, appears in its entirety below: "The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) takes the safety of...

Ken Rudulph, who ignited a Twitter firestorm with comments about horse racing on Monday, May 15, has apparently been dismissed from his role at the company, according to a FanDuel TV spokesperson. "Mr. Rudulph is no longer with FanDuel TV," the spokesman said, indicating that that would be the only statement made. Rudulph was suspended from his duties two days after the he posted the Tweet, which read: "Horse racing needs to stop pretending and just be what it is. It's a great combo of WWE/reality TV/sports with a healthy...

In a letter released to the media Friday afternoon, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon), along with 15 bipartisan supporters, are urging the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) to launch an investigation into the equine deaths at Churchill Downs earlier this month. Addressed to HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus, Blumenauer's letter requests a response within 60 days and makes note of figures from the Equine Injury Database showing that between 2009 and 2021 some 7,274 Thoroughbred fatalities have occurred on American racetracks. The Congressman urges HISA to make the findings of...

In our insular world, the story Saturday evening was that Mage (Good Magic) won the 149th GI Kentucky Derby. There were some feel-good storylines, particularly the one about well-liked 45-year-old jockey Javier Castellano winning his first Derby. Handle set a record. Attendance was up from last year. Plenty of A-list celebrities were in attendance. As always, the playing of "My Old Kentucky Home" could bring a tear to your eye. To many in racing those were the stories, but only because there are not enough of us who are worried...

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) issued a release Thursday addressing a spate of recent deaths at Los Alamitos. The track is currently holding its traditional mixed-breed meet of predominantly Quarter Horses and lower-level races with Thoroughbreds. The CHRB release read as follows: "The California Horse Racing Board has been in contact with personnel and executives at Los Alamitos Race Course concerning the four recent catastrophic injuries of horses at that facility: "The 6-year-old mare Ballet Royalty finished fifth (last) in the first race at Los Alamitos on March 12....

The office of California Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) announced Tuesday the introduction of AB 2177, the Equine Welfare and Safety in Horse Racing Act. Citing last year's rash of horse deaths at Santa Anita Park as the impetus, the proposed legislation is co-sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). "If the state is to continue to sanction horse racing and its wagering as a legal sport, addressing horse fatalities to the greatest extent possible needs to take precedence," said Kalra....

SANDY HATFIELD, STALLION MANAGER, THREE CHIMNEYS What was the experience that made you fall in love with horse racing? I'm originally from Oklahoma. My family raised Quarter Horses, so I was familiar with the track in many ways. I was going to college at Oklahoma State University when the equine department at Murray State University was just getting started. They offered me a scholastic scholarship to join their program, so I moved to Kentucky as a junior in college. Between my junior and senior years of college, I had a...

A small group of protestors and the news media were back in force at Santa Anita Sunday after Tikkun Olam (Temple City) collided with another horse on the training track and was euthanized. It was the third equine fatality in as many days at the track. Tikkun Olam's fatal injury followed breakdowns by Harliss (Midshipman) Friday and Uncontainable (Acclamation) Saturday, respectively--both of which were on the turf--and prompted the strongest denunciation yet from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "Three dead horses in three days requires immediate action," PETA...