No evidence of animal cruelty at Santa Anita says district attorney

An investigation by a task force assigned by Los Angeles County district attorney Jackie Lacey yielded no evidence of animal cruelty or criminal wrongdoing from a spate of equine fatalities over the past year at Santa Anita Park, but a 17-page report called for numerous equine safety improvements.

The task force concentrated its review on autopsies, veterinarian records, training and medication records, and from information determined from interviews with track experts, Santa Anita executives and employees, horsemen, and other officials, a news release from Lacey stated.

In analysing results at Santa Anita over the past decade, compiled on a July-through-June basis, the investigation found 49 horse deaths in the most recent fiscal year, neither the highest nor the lowest of the period.

A high of 71 occurred in 2011-12 and a low of 37 in 2010-11, a period during which Santa Anita switched from a synthetic to a dirt main track before the winter. These fatalities, unlike customary measurements that track training or racing injuries, counted ten deaths either from illness or occurring in the barn area.

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The task force determined 21 deaths took place during January and February, a period when Southern California experienced abundant rainfall. Santa Anita did not race for much of March while the racing surfaces were evaluated and The Stronach Group, which owns and operates the track, instituted widespread reforms.

The study noted catastrophic injuries this past year took place on all of Santa Anita's track surfaces: a training track, a turf course, a downhill turf course, and its main track. The highest percentage occurred on the main track, which is used most.

"Horseracing has inherent risks but is a legally sanctioned sport in California," Lacey said in a statement. "Greater precautions are needed to enhance safety and protect horses and their riders."

The task group found that in many of the fatalities, necropsies revealed horses had pre-existing medical conditions, but they were asymptomatic. During interviews, veterinarians, trainers, and riders confirmed they did not identify any concerns that would have cautioned them to pre-existing degenerative conditions.

Santa Anita: has been under the spotlight over welfare concernsCredit: Edward Whitaker

Last week, Santa Anita placed into service a standing positron emission tomography scanner that veterinarians hope will assist in diagnosing pre-existing conditions. A standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging device is expected to be in on-track use by January.

The Stronach Group, which also owns and operates Golden Gate Fields in California, issued a statement backing Lacey's findings.

"We're all committed to the same thing – the highest level of equine safety and welfare – and we will continue to do everything possible to promote equine and rider health and safety," the statement said. "And we are gratified that the district attorney's report into the conduct and conditions at Santa Anita Park found no evidence of misconduct.

"The Stronach Group looks forward to working further with the California Horse Racing Board, industry partners, and other stakeholders to implement recommendations from the task force's report, many of which Santa Anita Park has already started implementing."

The task force said it found no evidence supporting a supposition that Santa Anita racing management unduly pressured trainers to race their horses to increase field size or during periods of inclement weather.

Lacey said she lacks the legal jurisdiction to regulate the horseracing industry but plans to sponsor legislation to create transparency of veterinary records for horses training and racing in California – a proposal already being discussed by the CHRB. CHRB spokesman Mike Marten said on Thursday that officials had begun reviewing the report before issuing comment.

Study found there was not undue pressure by officials to get horses to raceCredit: Edward Whitaker

In her report, Lacey urged the California horseracing industry and regulators to coordinate and formalise strategic safety plans, recommending best practices aimed at reducing horse fatalities.

Among these was urging the CHRB to prepare an annual racing fatality report that includes all equine fatalities at California racetracks, identifying contributing factors, and mandating that all racing and training fatalities undergo thorough investigations with sworn interviews with individuals associated with the care of the fatally injured horse.

Other recommendations of the report, some of which are already in place in California or in the process of being added, include:

• Continuing education programs for trainers and owners
• Expanding penalties for CHRB violations to reflect the severity of some violations and serve as an effective deterrent
• Identifying risks associated with year-round racing schedules, implementing institutional breaks to allow horses to rest
• Providing an appeals process for trainers when a five-member review panel scratches a horse
• Requiring video cameras be installed to monitor entry into horse stalls
• Exploring the feasibility of instituting a centralised equine pharmacy on racetrack premises
• Evaluating the benefits of converting the training track to a synthetic surface
• Urging the CHRB to utilise its authorisation to suspend racing without a ten-day public notice period in situations where the safety of horses or riders is at risk

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