June 2 (Reuters) - Churchill Downs on Friday said it would suspend racing as it conducts a "top-to-bottom" safety review following the death of 12 horses at the famed Kentucky track in the past month.
Investigations by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission have yet to identify a reason for the spike in equine fatalities, which overshadowed last month's Kentucky Derby.
read moreHISA's track surface expert submitted his review of the racing surface at Churchill Downs earlier on Friday and found there were "no primary areas for concern" and that it was consistent with previous years.
"If the track surface was the singular cause of the rash of horse deaths at Churchill Downs, changing the racing venue might make sense," said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action.
"We renew our request that Churchill Downs suspend its racing schedule until there is a proper forensic analysis of the horse deaths and a comprehensive plan to remediate future deaths.
Persons:
Wayne Pacelle, Churchill, Rory Carroll, Ken Ferris
Organizations:
Safety Authority, Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, Kentucky Derby, Animal Wellness, Thomson
Locations:
Churchill, Kentucky, Ellis, Henderson , Kentucky, Churchill Downs, Los Angeles