Santa Anita Reaccredited by Safety Alliance

Santa Anita Park has earned reaccreditation from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, officials said March 11.

Santa Anita was first accredited in 2009, the year the alliance began its work. Tracks apply for reaccreditation every two years.

The reaccreditation of Santa Anita, located in Arcadia, Calif., was the culmination of a lengthy process that began with the track's completion of an extensive written application and continued as the track hosted several meetings with alliance officials. An on-site review included inspections of all facets of the racing operations as well as interviews with track executives, racetrack personnel, jockeys, owners, trainers, veterinarians, stewards, and regulators.

The inspection team was comprised of James Cain, security expert and former chief of enforcement for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission; Jim Gates, racetrack operations consultant and former general manager of Churchill Downs; Dr. Ron Jensen, former equine medical director for the California Horse Racing Board; Mike Kilpack, security and integrity consultant and past chairman of the Organization of Racetrack Investigators; and Steve Koch, executive director of the alliance.

Alliance certification standards address an extensive list of safety and integrity concerns within six broad areas: injury reporting and prevention; creating a safer racing environment; aftercare and transition of retired racehorses; uniform medication, testing and penalties; safety research; and wagering security.

"Santa Anita and California racing have long been key supporters of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance," Koch said. "We annually observe numerous industry best practices in the areas of safety and integrity at Santa Anita. And, the industry subsequently gains when we can share these solutions at racetracks across the continent. North America benefits tremendously from Santa Anita's contributions to racing safety and integrity."

Santa Anita will host this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships Nov. 4-5.