Santa Anita Horse Racing Returns Thursday

ARCADIA, CA — Though no races will take place on the hillside turf course where a horse suffered a fatal injury over the weekend, racing was set to resume Thursday at Santa Anita Park. The embattled racetrack has suffered 23 equine deaths since late December.

The hillside turf course requires horses to briefly cross over the main dirt track, a Santa Anita Park spokesperson described.

On Sunday, 5-year-old Arms Runner stumbled on that crossover during the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes, and suffered an ultimately fatal injury to his right leg. The horse behind Arms Runner, La Sardane, tripped on the fallen horse but quickly got back on her feet and was declared uninjured.

The track will suspend races on the hillside turf course to "look at data" in the aftermath of Arms Runner's death, Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of Santa Anita parent company The Stronach Group, told the Daily Racing Form. The hillside races are an "integral part of Santa Anita’s program" according to DRF.

Two races scheduled on the hillside course Thursday have been moved.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, sent a letter to the California Horse Racing Board on Tuesday. Feinstein urged that racing at Santa Anita "until the cause or causes of these deaths" can be thoroughly investigated.

Though the public has reacted with concern, outrage and questions on racing safety, two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert told reporters Tuesday morning during a National Thoroughbred Racing Association conference call that he "remains confident about the level of safety at Santa Anita."

"If I thought there was a danger out there, I wouldn't even (send) my horses out there so I'm feeling good about what's going on here," Baffert said. Baffert's horses have not had any issues at the track since the racing season began Dec. 26, he said, though he didn't "want to jinx" himself.

Baffert was expected to race two of his top 3-year-old colts, Game Winner and Roadster, in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby.

Read also:

• Santa Anita Racing Resumes, Riding Crop Restrictions
• 23rd Horse Dies At Embattled Santa Anita Park
• Congresswoman Seeks Investigation Into Santa Anita Horse Deaths

City News Service contributed to this report.