Churchill Downs Damaged by Storm

By Staff Report June 23, 2011

Torrential rain and severe winds damaged at least nine barns at Churchill Downs Racetrack in Louisville, KY, last night displacing about 150 horses and 100 backstretch workers housed on the premises, according to Associated Press. As a result, the track will be closed for live racing at least through today, though training will take place as usual a the nearby Trackside Louisville training facility, which was not damaged.

The severe weather – which produced tornadoes the Metro Louisville area – struck about 8:10 p.m., resulting in dozens of horses running loose, according to CNN. Churchill Downs reports that no equines were injured.

Horses from the damaged racetrack structures were evacuated to the nearby Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. Track officials will consider whether further evacuations are necessary as they continue to assess the damage throughout the day. Churchill Downs is also coordinating with the American Red Cross and local emergency management officials to provide temporary shelter for the stable workers whose accommodations were damaged by the strong winds.

“It was an amazing team effort under very difficult circumstances, including the continued threat of severe weather in the Louisville region,” Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery said, crediting the Louisville Fire Department, Louisville Metro Police Department, Louisville Gas & Electric Company and Churchill Downs personnel on site “for truly helping us weather the storm.”

Power poles were downed and some 2,600 customers in the area were without power around the at about midnight.

Flanery said track management team has not yet decided whether it will be possible to go forward with the scheduled end of week races, including the Downs After Dark program set for Friday, June 24. The track has nine scheduled racing days left in the spring meet, which ends July 4.

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