Senator Dodd Introduces California Racing Safety Bill

California Sen. Bill Dodd introduced legislation in the state Jan. 7 aimed at improving horse racing safety and building on last year's reforms.

Dodd's proposed legislation, Senate Bill 800, is expected to incorporate reforms recommended by the California Horse Racing Board and Los Angeles district attorney Jackie Lacey. The latter's task force last month issued a report that found no evidence of animal cruelty or criminal wrongdoing from a spate of equine fatalities over the past year at Santa Anita Park, but called for numerous equine safety improvements.

"We must do everything we can to put safety first and stop unacceptable horse deaths," Dodd said in a release. "We must ensure track conditions are right and horses are fit before they hit the starting gate so we aren't jeopardizing them and their jockeys."

In analyzing necropsies, veterinarian records, training records, and medication records, the task force determined that many of the fatally injured horses had pre-existing medical conditions but they were asymptomatic. The study found that some of the horses showed the presence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and other medications.

The task force recommended expanded CHRB investigations, increased attention at identifying pre-existing conditions, the establishment of track surface protocols, and legislative and regulatory safety enforcement.

In a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom in December, CHRB executive director Rick Baedeker informed him of the need for statutory changes that would allow for modification of confidentiality requirements. Baedeker said that change would increase transparency in drug testing and allow access to horse medical records for owners, veterinarians, trainers, and jockeys.

Dodd, a Democrat from Napa, previously contributed to Senate Bill 469, signed into law last summer by Newsom, allowing the CHRB to suspend racing at tracks where it determines dangerous conditions exist. As late as this past spring, the board previously did not have such authority. The CHRB asked The Stronach Group, which operates Santa Anita, to suspend racing over the spring meet's final days. Met with opposition by the track and horsemen, TSG refused that request.

Fatalities at Santa Anita and other tracks in Southern California are down sharply since sweeping reforms were made, by both the track and the CHRB, starting last March. The track has had one racing fatality at the current meet that began Dec. 28, and another from training two days before the meet.

Thirty horses died during the prior winter/spring meeting, most of them during the first couple of months of 2019 during a wet period in Southern California. Another seven perished from injuries from racing or training during the autumn meet, including Mongolian Groom in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

Barring a delay, the CHRB aims to release by Jan. 15 the results of its investigation into the deaths at Santa Anita.