At a press conference April 9 at Churchill Downs, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that the Louisville racetrack has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a comprehensive review of racing operations at the facility. Churchill Downs is the first track to be so designated by the Alliance.

The accreditation of Churchill Downs was the culmination of a lengthy certification process that began with Churchill’s completion of a 48-page written application. Churchill Downs then hosted several meetings with Alliance officials and met with the Alliance’s independent monitor Tommy G. Thompson, a former governor of Wisconsin and U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. The on-site review was led by Jennifer Durenberger, DVM; racing official Richard J. Lewis; and Mike Ziegler, executive director of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance. Thompson also attended and observed the on-site review.

“Churchill Downs has taken a leadership role in this unified, unprecedented effort by our industry to establish and implement a universal Code of Standards,” said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. “Accreditation represents a public acknowledgement that Churchill Downs is adhering to a standard of excellence that we believe the general public, regulators, horsemen, and others will embrace.”

“Churchill Downs is committed to human and equine safety, every day, in every race,” said Churchill Downs, Inc. President and CEO Robert L. Evans. “We are focused on providing the safest possible experience for everyone involved in competition at Churchill Downs. We are pleased that our efforts have received the full support of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance and led to our accreditation in advance of the 2009 Churchill Downs Spring Meet and Kentucky Derby 135