Santa Anita officials tout safest year on record as winter/spring competition concludes

Santa Anita Park officials said Monday that the new winter-spring season, along with last year’s fall meet, combined to give the track a horse racing safety record of 99.97 %, ranking it as the safest trail of similar size and activity in North America.

The six-month winter-spring competition ended on Sunday. During this period and the six-week fall competition that began September 29, 2023, a total of 6,678 horses competed in races on the main track and turf course at Santa Anita, with two deaths , according to the track and records of the California Horse Racing Board. .

According to CHRB statistics, 12 other horses died on the track during this period due to training injuries, both musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal. According to Santa Anita, the park conducts training operations throughout the year, with more than 375,000 training sessions per year.

“It is impossible to overstate the diligence with which the entire racing community put the safety of the horse above all else,” Nate Newby, senior vice president and general manager of Santa Anita Park, said in a statement. “From owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians and the hard-working men and women who care for the horses every day, everyone has done their part to make safety our North Star.

“Winter is always a challenge with the weather, and we have a tremendous track team at Santa Anita Park, led by veteran Dennis Moore, whose tireless efforts and countless long days have been vitally important,” Newby said. “We are grateful to the CHRB for its steadfast leadership in prioritizing the welfare of the horse, and especially to our horseplayers, who continue to support Santa Anita Park, allowing all of us to continue these efforts cutting edge in the industry.”

Santa Anita officials have touted safety improvements that have lowered the annual death toll since 2019, when at least 42 horses died on the track, sparking widespread debate about safety concerns at Santa Anita and about horse racing in general.