Churchill Downs safety measures

[beertapper]

:ThmbUp: looking good

http://www.churchilldowns.com/news/archives/churchill-downs-incorporated-announces-safety-measures-in-effect-kentucky-derby-135

The key safety initiatives that will be in place at Churchill Downs prior to Kentucky Derby 135 are as follows:




Independent, standardized third-party testing and monitoring of track surfaces;
“Supertesting” of all winning horses for more than 100 performance-enhancing drugs;
Age restrictions requiring Thoroughbreds to be at least 24 calendar months of age before becoming eligible to race;
The freezing and storage of equine blood and urine samples to allow for retrospective testing;
The banning of steroids;
Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races;
The prohibition of “milkshaking”, which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses;
Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter;
The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters;
lot of other things.....the integrity of the game should be better i think

[trigger]

[QUOTE=beertapper]:ThmbUp: looking good

http://www.churchilldowns.com/news/archives/churchill-downs-incorporated-announces-safety-measures-in-effect-kentucky-derby-135

The key safety initiatives that will be in place at Churchill Downs prior to Kentucky Derby 135 are as follows:



Independent, standardized third-party testing and monitoring of track surfaces;
“Supertesting” of all winning horses for more than 100 performance-enhancing drugs;
Age restrictions requiring Thoroughbreds to be at least 24 calendar months of age before becoming eligible to race;
The freezing and storage of equine blood and urine samples to allow for retrospective testing;
The banning of steroids;
Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races;
The prohibition of “milkshaking”, which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses;
Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter;
The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters;
lot of other things.....the integrity of the game should be better i think[/QUOTE

Hopefully, others will follow.

[bane]

Yes way to step it up Churchill! Hopefully this is a catalyst for the industry!

[sandpit]

Independent, standardized third-party testing and monitoring of track surfaces;
“Supertesting” of all winning horses for more than 100 performance-enhancing drugs;
Age restrictions requiring Thoroughbreds to be at least 24 calendar months of age before becoming eligible to race;
The freezing and storage of equine blood and urine samples to allow for retrospective testing;
The banning of steroids;
Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races;
The prohibition of “milkshaking”, which results in excessive levels of total carbon dioxide in Thoroughbred racehorses;
Prohibiting the transport of horses from CDI facilities for slaughter;
The banning of unsafe horseshoes, including front shoe toe grabs longer than two millimeters;



Some good ideas here, but a couple of thoughts:
The track surface thing is a real slap in the face to Churchill track superintendent Butch Lehr, who was been there for over 40 years and is as good as anybody in the business. Maybe they need a consultant for the Arlington synthetic, since that's not his forte, but the other tracks they own have pretty good surfaces.
They really aren't on the forefront in terms of steroids, shoe rules, slaughter or milkshaking; other jurisdictions have already addressed these issues.
Overall a good plan, though. Too bad there's no central industry leadership that could implement this across the nation.

[Relwob Owner]

Some good ideas here, but a couple of thoughts:
The track surface thing is a real slap in the face to Churchill track superintendent Butch Lehr, who was been there for over 40 years and is as good as anybody in the business. Maybe they need a consultant for the Arlington synthetic, since that's not his forte, but the other tracks they own have pretty good surfaces.
They really aren't on the forefront in terms of steroids, shoe rules, slaughter or milkshaking; other jurisdictions have already addressed these issues.
Overall a good plan, though. Too bad there's no central industry leadership that could implement this across the nation.



I hate to be the cynic here but does anyone else see some holes and things left out here? It seems like it still leaves room for the same shady things that occur that keep the same people from getting caught....also, pretty light on punishment and outlining what happens when people get caught. Anything is progress, I guess,but it seems to me to be pretty much the standard result when any sort of committee gets together-looks good on paper and in theory but doesnt have much of an actual effect.

[Thomas Roulston]

Limits on the number of horses allowed to compete in certain races


Which means - what exactly?

[kenwoodallpromos]

Does anyone know how, and how close, the amount of water sprayed on the track between races and prior to the 1st race is monitored? Are they going to prohibit the "sealing" or, in the case of CDI, (rolling) the track on Derby week?