Growing urgency over deaths of 12 horses at Churchill Downs this past month

KENTUCKY (NBC / KYMA, KECY-TV) - In an emergency summit meeting held today from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY., officials press the sense of urgency in the mysterious deaths of 12 race horses in May. Veterinarians and CEO of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, Lisa Lazarus raise questions trying to find possible links between the horses. Available records are only dated back to last July with limited information. Lisa says, "we'll use whatever the veterinarians think is helpful, relevant, and instructive, we'll use that obviously."

Communications Director for Animal Wellness Action, Joseph Grove spoke out, "It can't be about anything else right now but the horses, they're the ones dying on the track." National horse racing safety leaders urge, that racing must come to a halt because horses keep dying.

The horses deaths are still unexplained and leave questions unanswered. The public has the right to know why and what action is being taken to rectify the ongoing cluster of deaths. Many question the care and condition of the horses and types of drugs given, to enhance their racing capabilities.