Starting Gate

Races at Evangeline Downs and Horseshoe Indianapolis both went off without all horses being loaded into the starting gate on Wednesday. The fourth race at Evangeline Apr. 17, a mile route for $4,000 claimers, was declared a "no contest" by the stewards because multiple horses were involved. The $54,453 in mutuels for the race had to either be refunded or paid out as part of "all" combinations for that leg in multi-race exotics. Several hours earlier, the sixth race at Indy, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for Indiana-bred maiden special weights,...

In Tuesday's TDN, we ran part I of Diana Pikulski's interview with Robert (Bob) Duncan (click here to read). This two-part piece is the first in a series called Equine Ethics, which examines ways in which racing can exist in the most ethical way possible. RD: My next ah-ha moment occurred with horse trainer Pat Parelli. After my visit with Monty, I started exploring the internet for more horse related info. The name that kept popping up was Pat Parelli of Parelli Natural Horsemanship. I was then lucky enough to...

Editor's note: This column is the first in our new series about the strides horse racing is making to advance the ethical treatment of racehorses. On many levels, those in horse racing and breeding are working to ensure the sport is humane and ethical. New studies and standards about track surfaces, stress, medications, diagnostics and more, shed light on how to ensure the safety and comfort of racehorses. Enforcement of anti-doping regulations has reached a new level with better use of surveillance, hotlines and other anti-crime tactics. And in the...

Churchill Downs has entered into an agreement with Australian-based Steriline Racing to design and construct a new custom-made, 20-stall starting gate that will be used for the 146th running of the GI Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 2, the track announced Monday. The new starting gate will be utilized exclusively for the Kentucky Derby and will replace Churchill Downs' standard starting gate, which will continue to be used for all other races. A six-stall "auxiliary starting gate" addition, which was attached to Churchill's main 14-horse starting gate, was first used in...