The Jockey Club, which oversees the rules of thoroughbred racing, said the committee will meet May 14 in Lexington, Kentucky, and release initial goals the following day. The committee will review breeding practices, medication, and the rules of racing and track surfaces.
The group, which includes owners, breeders and veterinarians, will use as a starting point the recommendations from two earlier summits on the welfare and safety of racehorses, held in October 2006 and March of this year.
``All seven of these individuals have dedicated a major part of their lives to thoroughbred breeding and racing,'' Jockey Club President Ogden Mills Phipps said in a statement. ``We will reach out to involve others in the industry and we will do everything in our power to encourage changes that will benefit the breed in any way.''
Eight Belles, the lone filly in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, broke her two front ankles and had to be euthanized shortly after finishing second to Big Brown in the 134th running of the Triple Crown race.
In two of the last three years, an injury has occurred during a Triple Crown race that resulted in the death of an equine superstar. Barbaro went down in the 2006 Preakness Stakes. He was euthanized almost a year later after complications stemming from a leg injury similar to the one that resulted in the death of Eight Belles.
The filly's death has sparked concern about the safety of racehorses and drawn protests from animal rights groups. (source Bloomberg News)