22nd Horse Dies, Santa Anita Bans Whips, Drugs In Bold Reform

ARCADIA, CA — The horse racing industry was rocked once again on Thursday as a race horse, injured while training at the beleaguered Santa Anita Race Track, broke down and shattered both front legs. The 3-year-old race horse Princess Lili B was euthanized at approximately 8 a.m. making this the 22nd horse to die while stabled at Santa Anita Park since Dec. 26.

In the wake of the epic number of deaths, Santa Anita Park officials reported that they would ban the use of drugs and whips at the park on racing days. Calling the sport of horse racing the "last great sporting legacy to be modernized," the Park's statement read that "we must raise our standards."

In their open letter regarding the future of Thoroughbred racing in California, officials announced a zero tolerance of race day medication and the usage of riding crops.

The track reopened for training on March 11. At that time, race track consultant Dennis Moore, heading the efforts to refine the track surface, claimed that the main track was "good."

With minimal rain in Arcadia this week, and after a thorough review of the track, officials are now looking toward other reasons for the injuries that have led to the death of so many equine racers.

Though the banning of whips and drugs does not mean the park officials believe their jockeys have been "purposefully mistreating their mounts, the optics require change," they wrote.

Kathy Guillermo, senior vice president with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, offered a response toward Santa Anita and the Stronach Group's new plan of action, saying:

"PETA thanks Santa Anita for standing up to all the trainers, veterinarians, and owners who have used any means—from the whip to the hypodermic syringe—to force injured or unfit horses to run. This is a watershed moment for racing, and PETA urges every track to recognize that the future is now and to follow suit. This groundbreaking plan, which PETA has pushed for, will not bring back the 22 horses who have died recently, but it will prevent the deaths of many more and will set a new standard for racing that means less suffering for Thoroughbreds at this track. Racing must go the way of the animal circus, but this will eliminate some of the misery on its way out. PETA will be protesting at the office of the district attorney today, and we will urge her to order a criminal investigation into the trainers whose horses died in the last three months."

Santa Anita has now taken industry-leading safety measures to prevent injuries and ensure that equine athletes are provided a safe and healthy environment in which to compete.

"We are taking a step forward and saying, quite emphatically, that the current system is broken. While the cause of the injuries on the racetrack might be varied, they have one thing in common: the industry has yet to do everything that can be done to prevent them. That changes today," Belinda Stronach, president of the Stronach Group wrote. "First and foremost, we must do right by the horse. When we do right by the horse, everything – everything – will follow."

Between December and February of the previous year, 10 horses died at Santa Anita, compared with eight in 2016-17 and 14 in 2015-16.

The track averaged about 50 deaths per year from 2008-18, according to data from the California Horse Racing Board.

With nearly 12-inches of rain that has fallen over the Southland this winter has been mentioned as a possible factor in explaining the surge in deaths, but now, the Stronach Group looks to stem life-ending injuries by implementing the following protocols.

• Banning the use of Lasix.
• Increasing the ban on legal therapeutic NSAIDS, joint injections, shockwave therapy, and anabolic steroids.
• Complete transparency of all veterinary records.
• Significantly increasing out-of-competition testing.
• Increasing the time required for horses to be on-site prior to a race.
• A substantial investment by The Stronach Group in diagnostic equipment to aid in the early detection of pre-existing conditions.
• Horses in training are only allowed therapeutic medication with a qualified veterinary diagnosis.

According to Bloodhorse.com, a new federal bill is being presented to create a national oversight into the medication use in horse racing.

The so called "Horseracing Integrity Act" introduced by representatives of New York and Kentucky, will "create a uniform national standard for drug testing in racehorses that would be overseen by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency," Bloodhorse.com reports.

Known as H.R. 1754, it is backed by the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, a group of 18 members from racetracks and racing organizations around the nation.

"This is a horse-first bill. This bill will help ensure a safer environment for horses and riders at all tracks," said Shawn Smeallie, executive director of CHRI. "Representatives Paul Tonko and Andy Barr, along with their respective staff members, have worked tirelessly on this legislation. Thanks to their efforts, this initiative has gained the support of key stakeholders across the industry and continues to gain momentum. We look forward to working with other racing industry organizations to ensure productive legislative activity this year."

For more about this initiative, read on at Bloodhorse.com.

City News Service contributed to this report.