Horse Racing Will Continue At Los Alamitos — With Increased Scrutiny

The California Horse Racing Board has approved a plan that will allow races to continue at Los Alamitos track. The Orange County facility had been placed on probation and was at risk of losing its license after 29 horses died there this year — 19 while racing or training and 10 from illness.

The new plan includes:

• An additional veterinarian to monitor horses during training and on exiting and entering the track
• A "security steward" to oversee veterinary and barn practices
• A panel to review race entries; the panel can reject an entry for any reason related to horse or rider safety
• A fatality review whenever a horse dies, regardless of the cause of death

The board voted unanimously (6-0) today to approve the track's plan. They issued a brief statement following the vote:
The sport has come under increased scrutiny as public awareness of the frequency of horse injuries and deaths has grown. Santa Anita Park closed early last year over similar concerns, and a report in March found many of the horses had pre-existing injuries related to high-intensity training.

READ THE FULL PROPOSAL ALONG WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS:

READ MORE COVERAGE OF HORSE RACING DEATHS:

• Protesters Call for Horseracing Ban After 26th Horse Death At Santa Anita Park
• Santa Anita Park Averages 50 Horse Deaths A Year. This Year Is Nothing New
• Santa Anita Horse Fatalities Linked To Pre-Existing Injuries, Pressure To Race, Poor Knowledge Of Anatomy

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