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KY Looks At Creating Panel To Review Horse Deaths

Wikipedia

In a sport where 1,000-pound thoroughbreds stampede down the racetrack, there are inherent risks. Those hazards occasionally turn into tragedy. As a result, Kentucky horse-racing regulators are looking at creating an equine mortality review committee in the latest attempt to reduce horse deaths. The panel would dig into details about each horse leading up to its life-ending injury. The reviews might help turn up ways to make training and racing safer. And perhaps avoid stomach-turning breakdowns, like the death of the filly Eight Belles after the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Mary Scollay, equine medical director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, says it's not meant to be an inquisition. She says it's a good idea to collect information to see if anything can be done better next time to prevent injuries.