Newsom Supports Crackdown On Horse Racing In California

ARCADIA, CA - California Gov. Gavin Newsom Thursday announced he would support SB 469 to authorize the California Horse Racing Board to suspend horse racing licenses to protect the health and safety of horses.

Newsom's decision was in direct response to the increasing number of horse racing deaths at area tracks, including the death of 26 horses at Santa Anita Park.

"The recent horse fatalities in California are unacceptable," Newsom said in a statement. "We must hold the horse racing industry to account. If we can regulate horse race meets, e should have the authority to suspend licenses when either animal or human welfare is at risk."

In addition to supporting SB 469 by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa, the governor also announced that his administration had taken substantive regulatory actions through the horse racing board in response to the recent horse deaths in the state.

The Board has:

• Initiated special investigations into all fatalities at Santa Anita this year. Investigations are being conducted by a team of sworn CHRB investigators, an official veterinarian and a safety steward.
• Suspended authorization of 11 previously lawful corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory medications from being present in racehorses on race day at all tracks in California. This will prevent the masking-effect such medications can have in hiding a horse's existing injuries from examining veterinarians on race day.
• Increased official veterinarian, safety steward and investigator staffing at Santa Anita.
• Proposed five regulatory packages to:
• Eliminate the use of the riding crop in racing, except in cases of emergency.
• Require trainers maintain records of all veterinary medications, treatments, and procedures performed on a horse in their care (for purposes of CHRB inspections).
• Make the board's existing Postmortem Examination Review a mandatory requirement for all trainers who have a horse die in their care. Currently a voluntary program.
• Prohibit the use of bisphosphonates, which is a class of drug that prevents loss of bone density.
• Restrict the amount of anti-inflammatory medications that may be present in a horse's body when working out at a CHRB-licensed facility.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo shared a statement on the euthanasia of Kochees, the 26th horse to die at Santa Anita race track since December:

"Santa Anita and all California tracks must suspend racing until the ongoing investigation by the district attorney is complete, and the new rules have been strengthened. Decreasing the number of broken bones is not enough. PETA and Social Compassion in Legislation are currently working with The Stronach Group and the California Horse Racing Board to enact new regulations and laws to stop all deaths. Nothing short of a zero-fatality rate is acceptable."

A new regulation going into effect July 1 will significantly expand out-of-competition testing and provide a means for the Board to prosecute offenders who abuse prescribed medications.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.