Churchill Downs Hit Hard by Possible Tornado

The chapel in the stable area at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., shows roof damage Thursday, June 23, 2011, following a possible tornado that damaged at least nine barns Wednesday night. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.


No horses housed in this heavily damaged barn in the stable area at Churchill Downs, seen Thursday, June 23, 2011 were injured following the possible tornado that hit the Louisville, Ky. race track Wednesday night. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage


Damage to a building at Churchill Downs is seen Wednesday, June 22, 2011, in Louisville, Ky. At least five barns were damaged and horses were running loose Wednesday at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, after a powerful storm that spawned tornadoes blew through Louisville.


A Louisville police officer stands in the middle of the intersection of Third Street and Southern Parkway just south of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday, June 22, 2011 that is blocked in all four directions by downed trees and power lines. An apparent tornado passed through the area knocking out power and damaging barn roofs at the race track.


No horses nor people were injured when an apparent tornado struck the stable area at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., late Wednesday night. At least nine barns were damaged, including this one shown on Thursday, June 23, 2011. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.


Workers clean up in the stable area at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. Thursday, June 23, 2011 following a possible tornado touchdown at the race track on Wednesday night. Although at least nine barns were damaged, no injuries to people or horses were reported. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.


Part of Barn 23 used by trainer Steve Margolis was severley damaged by the possible tornado that struck Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday night. Margolis said Thursday that no horses were injured despite the roof collapse. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.

People survey the damage Thursday, June 23, 2011, near the barn used by trainer Ian Wilkes at Churchill Downs after a possible tornado hit the race track Wednesday night in Louisville, Ky. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.

This image provided by Churchill Downs shows the barn housing horses trained by Steve Margolis which was among the most heavily-damaged by a possible tornado that struck Wednesday night June 22, 2011. At least nine of the track's 48 backside barns were damaged, as was the chapel. The damage displaced about 200 horses and one barn was flooded by a water main break. The powerful winds also damaged living quarters for about 100 people and arrangements were being made to provide them temporary shelter.


A man stands in a backside horse barn area after a tornado hit and damaged five barns at the Churchill Downs race track in Louisville, Kentucky June 22, 2011. Louisville Police and Fire departments were working with Churchill Downs' employees to secure the area. There were no injuries reported to personnel or any of the 200 horses housed at the track. The apparent tornado struck Wednesday night at Churchill Downs, the thoroughbred racetrack famed as home of the Kentucky Derby. REUTERS/John Sommers II


Churchill Downs' employees and stable hands work to clean up parts of horse barns that were damaged after an apparent tornado struck the track in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23, 2011. The apparent tornado struck Wednesday night at the thoroughbred racetrack famed as home of the Kentucky Derby, damaging some barns, but no injuries were reported, an emergency dispatcher said. REUTERS/John Sommers II

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