Since Dec. 26, 2018, 29 horses have died at Santa Anita Park in Southern California. Although the facility's owners suspended racing and announced new safety initiatives, the track was reopened for racing before the cause of the horses' deaths had been determined and while those deaths were still under investigation by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Three days after the track reopened, the 23rd horse suffered a catastrophic injury during a race on March 31 and was euthanized. Yet Santa Anita Park remains open for racing.
To help prevent this from happening in the future, two California lawmakers, Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblyman Adam Gray, have introduced a new bill, SB 469.
This bill would allow the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), which oversees the safety of the state's horse-racing industry, to, at any time, suspend a track's license when necessary to protect the health and safety of horses or riders. The suspension will remain in effect until the CHRB determines that the matters jeopardizing the health and safety of horses or riders have been adequately addressed.
The CHRB is currently required to post a 10-day notice before convening, which may be too long a time when horses' lives are at stake.
Please sign and share this petition urging California legislators to pass SB 469 and help spare the lives of racehorses.
