LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down at Churchill Downs Wednesday evening. Thursday's races, training and simulcast wagering has been canceled due to damage suffered in the barn area from the storms.
Despite the damage, the track will hold night racing on Friday. Track officials made the decision to resume live racing tomorrow after surveying damage to a number of barns and other structures in the Churchill Downs stable area this morning. The track will remain open for live racing for the remainder of its scheduled live racing dates for the 2011 Spring Meet, which is set to conclude on Monday, July 4.
Officials from the National Weather Service ("NWS") visited the Churchill Downs stable area Thursday morning and did determine that a tornado touched down in the barnyard.
Joe Sullivan with the NWS says a "high end EF1 tornado" with winds of 110 miles per hour caused the damage. The damage at Floyd and Central was an extension of that same tornado. That area was hit by EF2 winds of up to 120 mph from the same tornado.
Track president Kevin Flanery said Thursday that some horses have been moved to private farms, Keeneland racetrack in Lexington and to different barns at the facility. Flanery said multiple barns sustained damage after 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday when the storms blew through the area, knocking down poles, trees and power to thousands in Louisville.
According to track officials, nine barns and several other buildings in the stable area were damaged by tornado-producing storms that moved through the Louisville area Wednesday evening. Arrangements were being made to house some horses at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
Track officials are working with the American Red Cross to find housing for 100 stable workers who live on the backside since their living accommodations were damaged or destroyed.
No injuries were reported to horses or track workers that were on the grounds at the time of the storm. There has been no damage reported to the grandstand area of the racetrack or the historic Twin Spires.
A few barns partially collapsed and horses were running loose Wednesday night at the track. The chapel was also damaged.
A mayor's spokesman says a couple of people may have been trapped in their cars in high water on the east side of the city. Some damage was also reported in the Shively area on the southwest side.
The National Weather Service said radar was tracking a confirmed tornado near the track and the University of Louisville campus about 8:10 p.m. No damage was reported on the campus.
There's no racing at the track on Wednesdays, but Flanery says there was simulcast wagering on races at other tracks.
Flanery hopes the track can resume racing Friday, but a decision has not yet been made.
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