CHRB Calls Meeting Regarding Los Alamitos Fatalities

Following a spike in horse fatalities at Los Alamitos Race Course, the California Horse Racing Board has abruptly called a meeting July 10 to discuss "whether to suspend and/or impose conditions" on the track's license to conduct the horse race meet for the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association.

According to CHRB statistics on its website, 19 horses have died from racing or training at the Orange County track in 2020, including eight since May 26. 

Los Alamitos primarily runs a nighttime mixture of Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, though at times during the year runs afternoon meets of strictly Thoroughbreds, such as a recent one from June 26 to July 5.

The item on the agenda for Friday's meeting specifies the mixed meet, most races of which are for Quarter Horses. The short afternoon race meet of Thoroughbreds concluded without any racing fatalities, according to CHRB records.

Both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds train daily at Los Alamitos, and some leading Southern California Thoroughbred trainers keep divisions of horses to train there before sending them to either Santa Anita Park or Del Mar.

CHRB meetings often prove contentious, sometimes among industry stakeholders but often involving anti-racing attendees, who have long aired their grievances about the sport. Since a rash of breakdowns at Santa Anita in early 2019, many have urged commissioners to deny racing licenses or shut down racing in the state.

"This is a hearing to determine the facts, with nothing predetermined as far as the license," CHRB spokesman Mike Marten wrote in an email.

Last year, the CHRB was authorized to halt racing at a particular track if its commissioners deemed it necessary. Since that time, the CHRB has implemented a number of regulations to improve equine safety, which along with house rules established by racetracks and the efforts of horsemen and practicing veterinarians have been attributed to decreases in equine fatalities in the state.

Last year, the CHRB also organized a panel that evaluated horses before their scheduled races, seeking to identify at-risk horses who warranted increased scrutiny. But this was only in place for the major Thoroughbred tracks, the Los Angeles Times reported July 9.

Los Alamitos ran more Thoroughbreds than usual during its mixed meet this spring when Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields were shuttered by their local health departments because of COVID-19. Los Alamitos was never closed by its health department.

The CHRB meeting at 9:30 a.m. PT is by teleconference, and live audio will be available on the CHRB website.