Santa Anita Race Track Closes Indefinitely After 21st Horse Death

ARCADIA, CA — A 4-year-old filly was euthanized on Tuesday after getting injured during training at Santa Anita Park , marking the 21st equine death at the track since Dec. 26. The incident prompted an unprecedented closure for racing and training at Santa Anita Race Track.

"Weather is the cause of all of this," Deborah McAnally, owner of Lets Light The Way, told Bloodhorse.com of her filly's death. "I loved (her). I bought her at the sale, liked the way she walked. I felt bad as anybody and wanted to cry when we had to put her down."

Another horse, Vyjack, stumbled during training, according to trainer Phil D'Amato.

"He took a couple of funny steps right before being fully stopped," he told Bloodhorse.com. The rider jumped off, and Vyjack was vanned back to the barn. "He'll be evaluated in the days to come but is very comfortable."

As storm clouds rolled into the San Gabriel Valley, bringing with it lightning strikes and rain storms, it was the death of Lets Light The Way that was the final straw. The Santa Anita Race Park owners made an unprecedented move to close its track "indefinitely."

The safety of the track will be evaluated, according to the California Thoroughbred Trainers president Jim Cassidy. With no racing this coming weekend, the track will undergo what officials called "additional extensive testing" during the closure. The Stronach Group, the track's owner, announced late Tuesday evening it would conduct what it called "a comprehensive evaluation of all existing safety measures and current protocols," during the closure.

"The safety, health, and welfare of the horses and jockeys is our top priority," said Tim Ritvo, The Stronach Group's chief operating officer. "While we are confident further testing will confirm the soundness of the track, the decision to close is the right thing to do at this time."

Hours after the death of Lets Light the Way, Santa Anita announced it had retained its former track superintendent, Dennis Moore, to inspect the racing surface.

Ritvo told the Daily Racing Form the suspension will give Moore — who retired from Santa Anita in December and is now track superintendent for Del Mar and Los Alamitos — sufficient time to thoroughly inspect the racing surface.

The park will reschedule all stakes races scheduled for this weekend, including Saturday's Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, the Grade II San Felipe Stakes and the Grade II San Carlos Stakes.

Earlier Tuesday, the chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, Chuck Winner, asked that the Santa Anita fatalities and plans for addressing them be discussed at the oversight board's next meeting.

"The board has been in contact with Santa Anita on an ongoing basis as they have tried to deal with this situation," according to a statement from CHRB. The board is now examining other options to prevent additional fatalities. Chairman Winner requested that the matter appears on the agenda for the board's March 21 meeting."

Some animal-advocacy groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have called for a halt to racing at the track and for investigations into the trainers and veterinary records of the horses that have died.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk called the closure of Santa Anita Park "the right thing to do," however the length of the closure caused some concern.

"The track should remain closed until the California Horse Racing Board dumps the drugs entirely, or injured horses whose soreness is masked by legally allowed medication will continue to sustain shattered bones," Newkirk said.

"PETA renews its call for a criminal investigation into the trainers and veterinarians who may have put injured horses on the track, leading to their deaths."

Read also:

• 20th Race Horse Dies, Santa Anita Park Closes Thursday Races
• 3 Race Horses Euthanized After Santa Anita Race Track Disasters
• Santa Anita Race Track Rained Out