Safety and Integrity

Keeneland’s Commitment to Safety and Integrity

Keeneland was founded with the mission to put the best interests of the horse first, and throughout its history, the safety of horse and rider has been priority No. 1.

Guided by this mission, Keeneland continues to invest in state-of-the-art technology and expertise to provide safe and consistent racing surfaces; support health and welfare research; fund Thoroughbred aftercare and be a leader in promoting transparency and study.

Keeneland is at the forefront of safety and integrity reforms and initiatives that better the racing industry at both the state and national levels.

The track was among the first race tracks in North America to earn accreditation by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety & Integrity Alliance in 2009. Since then, Keeneland has been fully re-accredited every two years.

Keeneland also supports the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) of 2020, which is landmark federal legislation that will bring a level of consistency and accountability to racing by developing and implementing uniform anti-doping, medication control and operational measures.

At the state level, Keeneland teamed with Kentucky’s other Thoroughbred tracks – Churchill Downs, Turfway Park, Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs – to support medication reforms adopted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in an unprecedented show of unity and shared commitment to work together for the betterment of racing.

Under the leadership of Vice President of Equine Safety Dr. Stuart Brown, Keeneland deploys innovative strategies that further strengthen its safety protocols. These efforts represent a collaborative effort among Dr. Brown, Racing Safety Officer Dr. George Mundy, Keeneland’s horsemen and their attending veterinarians, and the state regulatory veterinarians who monitor every horse in training at Keeneland and The Thoroughbred Center (TTC).

Dr. Brown also coordinates closely with Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest, who oversees the dirt, turf and all-weather tracks at both Keeneland and TTC. Pendergest works with Assistant Track Superintendent-Operations Alfredo Laureano to employ the most advanced race track technology and research to maintain the safest racing surfaces possible.

Keeneland consults with Dr. Mick Peterson, director of the University of Kentucky’s Ag Equine Program and cofounder of the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, to apply the latest science and technology to maintain the safest racing surfaces possible.

Enhancing race track safety

Keeneland officials undertook more than a year of research and testing of materials, water drainage systems and race track design before building its main dirt track in 2014. The 1 1/16-mile oval is a blend of approximately 19,000 tons of sand, silt and clay native to Kentucky.

Keeneland Works to Improve the Sport

The safety of horses and riders has always been priority No. 1 at Keeneland, which continues to lead the Thoroughbred industry in advancing initiatives to improve the sport.

Keeneland has: • Invested significantly in the latest technology to provide the most consistent racing surfaces possible; • Supported initiatives that advance health and welfare research to benefit horse and rider; • Funded Thoroughbred aftercare programs; • Been among the first tracks to participate in databases that record equine and jockey injuries to promote transparency and study; and • Worked with Kentucky’s other Thoroughbred tracks to support medication reforms adopted by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. For more, visit www.Keeneland.com/racing/commitment-safety-and-integrity.

UK HealthCare is Official Health Care Provider for Race Meets

During the 2021 Fall Meet, UK HealthCare became Keeneland’s “Official First Aid Provider” of first aid and emergency medical services to racing participants, fans and staff during race meets.

UK HealthCare is staffing and equipping Keeneland’s state-of-the-art First Aid center, and its trauma personnel are supporting emergency response vehicles stationed on track during the race day. EMS care for jockeys, participants and patrons at Keeneland is an extension of the Level 1 trauma service available at UK HealthCare’s emergency room.

A specially designed “chase vehicle,” developed and co-branded by Keeneland and UK HealthCare, follows horses and riders around the track during every race. The chase vehicle carries paramedics and an expert horse handler to optimize both the efficiency and effectiveness of the coordinated response in the event of need.

This latest collaborative effort between Keeneland and UK is an outgrowth of their shared focus on community education, philanthropy and engagement. In 2019, UK HealthCare became sponsor of the Keeneland Kids Club, the track’s run/walk program and the First Lady (G1), a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” stakes on opening Saturday of the Fall Meet.

The drainage system under the track is key to maintaining a consistent racing surface. Beneath the track is a layer of porous asphalt that covers the complex vertical drainage system installed during a massive track renovation in 2006. The asphalt is covered by Mirafi 140N geotextile fabric, which maintains the integrity of the 26,000 tons of limestone screenings (Class I sand) on top of it that form the base of the race track.

Under the inside rail and along the outer rail through the straights and chutes, 27,500 interlocking EcoRain drainage cells filled with pea gravel are stacked horizontally and covered by a flexible porous paving material made from recycled tires. This system, the first of its kind in North America, collects and discharges water into the existing drainage system and away from the track.

Keeneland’s 7-furlong turf course is a mix of rye, bluegrass and tall fescue. The turf track features an innovative Mawsafe Turf Rail designed to spring and bend similar to the ropes around a boxing ring, absorbing the impact of a horse and rider and allowing the rider to safely guide his or her mount back onto the turf course. “Kick out” uprights on the rail allow for a pivotal, slip-free connection to the base plate. The design enables the upright to swing away should a fallen rider hit it. Upon impact, several uprights can slip free without losing the integrity of the railing.

Keeneland’s 5-furlong all-weather training track is open year-round. The main track is closed through the winter months, reopening in mid-March before the Spring Meet.

Enhanced Safety Protocols Protect Horse and Rider

Keeneland Vice President of Equine Safety Dr. Stuart Brown and Racing Safety Officer Dr. George Mundy have initiated innovative strategies to further the track’s commitment to the safety of horse and rider.

Protocols include mandatory veterinary inspections prior to workouts and race entry along with enhanced medical reporting and transparency requirements for trainers and attending veterinarians with regard to the fitness of horses to work and race.

Horses are examined at their barns and on the track every day. These evaluations focus on the well-being of each horse and become the foundation for decisions made on the horse’s behalf regarding competing, seeking further diagnostics, scheduling time off, or considering other suitable options.

“The single most important opportunity we have to positively impact the welfare of the equine racing athlete can be found in the creation of these unique examinations centered on the well-being of every horse who touches our racing surface,” Dr. Brown said. “By defining the parameters contained within the Equine Safety Agreements we have with our horsemen, we create the qualitative approach to advocate for the safety of each horse that resides at Keeneland and TTC. The outcomes of these conversations among the advocates who care for these horses allow us to assess their suitability to compete safely on our racing surfaces.”

Dr. Brown and Dr. Mundy worked with Keeneland’s Broadcast Services team to create a network of video cameras that capture footage of horses training and racing over Keeneland’s dirt and turf surfaces and all-weather training track. The system is the first at a U.S. race track that monitors and evaluates horses for safety purposes.

Stationary cameras that pan, tilt, and zoom provide multiple views of horses on each track. Dr. Mundy can control camera positions and record video from his perch on the fourth-floor grandstand overlooking the main track. He communicates with Dr. Brown, who is trackside and in the stable area throughout the race day. The two share observations about horses training, warming up before races, and galloping out after races. If needed, they can provide video to state veterinarians, stewards, and trainers anywhere on track for viewing.

“Twenty-five years of information gathering has taught us that a horse at risk of injury falls somewhere in the Bone Stress Continuum,” Dr. Mundy said. “Horses are honest, and changes in their routine exercise gaits are often early indicators of ongoing or impending injury. Keeneland’s video surveillance program is yet another tool for horsemen and veterinarians to enhance the safety of our racing and training populations each and every day.”

Dr. Stuart Brown (above) and Dr. George Mundy have initiated strategies to further Keeneland’s commitment to the safety of horse and rider.