Santa Anita reopens with new safety, medication policies

ARCADIA, Calif. – Santa Anita will resume racing Friday for the first time since March 3 after a tumultuous month in which the main track underwent inspection and renovation and several policy changes were enacted following 22 equine fatalities since late December that drew nationwide attention.

The implementation of some of the changes was being discussed by track officials as late as Tuesday prior to a formal review by the California Horse Racing Board at its monthly meeting Thursday.

Santa Anita has scheduled an eight-race program on Friday, the beginning of a three-day racing weekend that will be closely watched by racing insiders and the general public concerned for the safety of horses. Saturday’s program is tentatively scheduled to have 10 races, including five stakes. There are three stakes scheduled for Sunday.

Racing was suspended March 7 to allow track consultant Dennis Moore time to inspect the main track, which sustained higher-than-normal rainfall during the winter. The suspension of racing cost the track one of its biggest days, the Santa Anita Handicap card on March 9, though the Big Cap has been rescheduled for April 6 on the same day as the Santa Anita Derby.

The track announced March 10 that racing would resume March 22, but postponed the restart date for one week after a series of discussions between track officials and the Thoroughbred Owners of California led to several policy changes for races at Santa Anita, including an immediate reduction in the permissible dosage of the anti-bleeder medication Lasix.

The medication will be eliminated for use with 2-year-old horses starting next year, though horses 3 and up can be treated with the medication at dosages half of previous levels.

The changes, which also will take effect at Golden Gate Fields but not at other tracks in the state, include a ban on legal therapeutic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, an increase in out-of-competition testing, and transparency of veterinary records when horses switch stables.

The rules were scheduled to be discussed by the racing board Thursday.

Jockeys will be limited in use of a whip during races to a downward or back-handed motion, according to two people familiar with discussions that took place earlier this week. Santa Anita officials met with a few riders and executives of the Jockey’s Guild on Tuesday to discuss the rule change.

Initially, the proposed house rule for Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields stated jockeys could use “the crop as a corrective safety measure,” according to a statement released March 16. The two tracks are owned by The Stronach Group.

Eventually, the whip rule could be enacted statewide. The racing board was scheduled to introduce a rule change Thursday that would disallow use of whips in races as a method to urge mounts. The proposed rule is months from implementation at all tracks in the state, pending approval by the racing board as well as a legal review by state government.

Santa Anita also will more tightly control which horses are allowed to work and be entered in races. Trainers are required to submit requests to work horses 48 hours in advance so officials can review race records and runners can undergo veterinary checks, if deemed necessary.

Horses entered to race will have their race records extensively studied by veterinarians and racing officials, and some could be subject to an enhanced veterinary examination in addition to raceday checks already in place.

There is a long-standing policy in the state for veterinarians to inspect all runners on race days.