Third horse in three days dies at Santa Anita Park, while animal rights activists continue to push for a nationwide ban on racing. The race horses were named Tikkun Olam, Uncontainable, and Harliss. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was given authority, in legislation backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to suspend racing. Officials at Santa Anita Park released a statement reaffirming their commitment to horse safety. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, January 23, 2020.
Santa Anita Park. Jockeys’ Guild wipes whip plans. California Horse Racing Board accepting comments on ‘corrective safety measures.’ Jockeys’ Guild postponing an apparent stunt in which jockeys planned to ride without whips. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is currently accepting comments for a proposed statewide change that would limit the use of whips, or riding crops, to “corrective safety measures.” The guild is opposed to the change. Thoroughbred Owners of California asked the jockeys to cancel the plan, according to Terry Meyocks, guild president and CEO.
Arcadia. Is horse racing addicted to drugs? Medication use is widespread, and critics say it contributes to deaths like those at Santa Anita Park. Half of the three dozen horses that died at Santa Anita Park in the 12 months before the current meet were on at least one anti-inflammatory medication, a major focal point in the investigation into equine deaths at the racetrack. Critics argue overuse of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs, masks the injuries of horses and increases the chances of a fatal breakdown. The California Horse Racing Board’s research indicates 90% of breaks stem from preexisting injuries. Animal rights organizations say these medications likely contributed to the deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita Park since the season began December 26, 2018.
Santa Anita Park: horses must get OK of veterinarian team to race. This is a joint effort between the California Horse Racing Board and Santa Anita Park to enhance safety measures and reviews to further protect horses. Twenty-nine horses have died at Santa Anita Park since December 26.
California Horse Racing Board (CHRB): ban more drugs, release tests. The CHRB wants California Governor Gavin Newsom to pursue changes to state law that would allow the agency to immediately release results of a positive horse drug test and permit more stakeholders, including jockeys and track veterinarians, to access a horse's medical history. Currently, drug test results are confidential. The changes are part of an effort to curb equine deaths and improve safety at California race tracks. Nearly 40 horses have died at Santa Anita Park in the last year.
Santa Anita Park. In another major reform growing out of the deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita Park, California state regulatory agency to order thorough exams in future race horse deaths.
2 articles. 1. Racing returns at Santa Anita. The historic Santa Anita racetrack reopened Friday for racing amid concerns for horse safety and the future of the track and the industry. There were no deaths in eight races Friday, which had been closed for racing since March 5.
2. Back in the saddle: racing resumes without incident after 26-day closure.
Santa Anita Park: no crimes in horse deaths report says. California Horse Racing Board's yearlong investigation into deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita Park has determined there were no violations of animal welfare laws and no evidence of illegal medications, but exams possibly were compromised by anti-inflammatory medications. All but two of the horses that died between December 30, 2018 and March 31, 2019 appeared to have preexisting injuries caused by high-intensity racing and training. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. said the report makes it clear that transparency is needed in the sport. She has called for the passage of the Horseracing Integrity Act, a bill that would establish a national anti-doping authority for the country.
Santa Anita Park race track rejects request from state regulator California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to cancel its last six days of racing this season, in the wake of two more horse deaths over weekend.
Santa Anita Park: another horse dies; summary on its way. Death is fifth in month; The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) report on past meet is due in December. GQ Covergirl, a 6-year-old mare trained by Doug O'Neill injured her front legs Friday on Santa Anita's training track and was euthanized.
Santa Anita Park: DA to examine death of 22 horses at track.
Additionally, Rep. Judy Chu calls for hearings into the treatment of horses at the nation’s racing venues
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is investigating whether the 22 horse deaths at Santa Anita racetrack in the past three months were the result of criminal wrongdoing, authorities said Friday.
The probe began this week following the death of the 22nd horse Thursday.
Horse racing deaths report delayed. California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), the state regulatory board, aims for January 15 release of investigation of Santa Anita Park incidents. The report was supposed to become public before the end of the year. Several new policies and safety regulations were introduced the past year as a result of a public outcry over the horse deaths at Santa Anita. The state is doing more drug testing, more pre-race exams, improving medical record keeping, pushing for new technology. Santa Anita Park installed a PET Scan machine to help identify pre-existing conditions in the fetlock area of a horse. To date, 37 horses have died at Santa Anita Park since December 2018. Despite the deaths, the equine medical director Rick Arthur stressed that the number of fatalities in California is actually decreasing, saying there have been 58 deaths at race tracks across the state in 2019, compared to 67 deaths in 2018.
Santa Anita Park: weather could impact track. Santa Anita Park agrees to California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) demand to cancel horse racing in case of inclement weather during the winter-spring meet that begins December 26. Jockey Joel Rosario is mentioned in this article.Gregory Ferraro, new chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, a former race track veterinarian who was appointed to the board by Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this year, pledged the state board would be pursuing stricter regulations than it has in the past.
New legislation by Chris Chocola would define ecoterrorism and would mandate federal prison time. This bill targets the San Gabriel Valley SUV dealership vandals.
District Attorney Jackie Lacey finds no crime or wrongdoing in horse deaths. Prosecutor says there is no evidence owners, jockeys or trainers knowingly raced injured animals at Santa Anita Park over the past year. Since July 2018, 56 horses have died at Arcadia race track. Of those, 34 died while running on Santa Anita's main dirt track. Santa Anita Park averages about 2.04 deaths per 1000 racing starts, according to the Jockey Club. The national average in 2018 was 1.68 deaths per 1000 starts. The District Attorney's report includes 27 recommended changes to improve safety and reduce fatalities. See also same story at Arcadia Weekly, p. 2, December 26, 2019.
Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy of Arcadia was among state lawmakers who did not support Assembly Bill 60 which would have allowed undocumented immigrants to get a drivers license. Governor Davis vetoed the bill.
Appeals court in Kentucky rejects Bob Baffert's bid to halt ban. Signage outside Baffert's barn at Santa Anita Park was removed as part of a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rule that mandates any trainer who is suspended for 60+ days be banned from all CHRB-licensed facilities.
Senator Dianne Feinstein joins call to end racing meet at Santa Anita Park. She demands suspension after two more horses die, racing total to 29 deaths.