HENDERSON, Ky. — Fire destroyed a barn at Ellis Park race track in Kentucky early Sunday, with officials saying the horses inside were rescued.
Sunday’s racing program was canceled after the fire in the receiving barn, where horses are supervised and examined before running in a race. The barn can also house horses shipping in from other tracks.
Ellis Park general manager Jeff Inman said seven horses in the barn were helped out by security and grooms from nearby barns. He said one horse sustained a minor injury from the fire. No injuries to any people were reported.
Inman said a security patrol noticed signs of fire in the 48-stall barn around 4 a.m. and called for help.
Inman said fire officials believe the cause was electrical in nature.
The fire occurred hours after a 2-year-old filly dumped her jockey and bolted from the track before a race Saturday. Bold and Bossy ran over a levee heading to U.S. 41 and ran briefly on Interstate 69 and another roadway before being caught. She wasn’t seriously injured.
The summer meet at the track located south of Evansville, Indiana, ends Sept. 4.