Latest fatality reignites Santa Anita welfare debate as Breeders' Cup approaches

With the Breeders' Cup meeting barely a month away, equine welfare issues appeared to resurface at Santa Anita on Saturday when a horse broke both front legs in a race.

The track has been under scrutiny since 30 horses died at its winter/spring meeting, which led to a debate over the safety and viability of horse racing in California.

On just the second day of Santa Anita's latest 23-day fixture, the three-year-old Emtech suffered a fatal injury in a six-furlong race, firing jockey Mario Gutierrez into the dirt.

The horse became the first thoroughbred racing fatality in California since June 9, though there had been six training deaths in the intervening months. Gutierrez was uninjured.

Frankie Dettori won the Breeders' Cup Classic on Raven's Pass at Santa Anita in 2008Credit: Edward Whitaker

"As is protocol at Santa Anita, we will open an immediate review into what factors could have contributed to Emtech's injury," said Dr Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for track owners The Stronach Group.

"Santa Anita will work closely with the California Horse Racing Board and will continue to brief our stakeholders and all of our constituents, including the public, as more facts come in. Emtech will undergo a necropsy at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, as is mandatory for all on-track accidents.

"The accident and the necropsy report will be reviewed by a team to learn what, if anything, could have been done to prevent the accident."

In a statement, the track owners said: "The Stronach Group and Santa Anita safety measures put horse and rider safety above all else.

"There is an expected level of safety and accountability that is required to participate at a Stronach Group racetrack.

"If anything less is found which could have contributed to this incident, it will be addressed immediately. Santa Anita and The Stronach Group remain committed to leading transformative change in this traditional sport."

In the wake of the previous run of fatalities, Santa Anita made a number of veterinary and medication reforms. The state also set up a panel of medical and safety experts to evaluate the soundness and risk in horse racing at Santa Anita, Del Mar and Los Alamitos.

Santa Anita will host the Breeders' Cup for the tenth time this year, with the two-day meeting scheduled for November 1-2.

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