Del Mar Critics Speak Out at CHRB Meeting

A substantial group of animal rights advocates, with local television cameras not far behind, made their voices heard at the California Horse Racing Board's full monthly meeting Aug. 25 at Del Mar.

The point of contention was the recent deaths at Del Mar during training and racing. Several members of the greater San Diego and animal rights communities criticized the racetrack, the CHRB, and the sport of horse racing in the governing body's allocated time for public comment.

"There are opportunities to do a better job of monitoring the stresses on these animals. ... Del Mar is an important part of the San Diego community," said Lori Saldaña, a former member of the California State Assembly who represented San Diego from 2004-10. "But just as other tourism and hospitality services have seen a change in perception about SeaWorld and Orcas, and about zoos and how they display animals, the perception of people and animals is changing.

"It's shifting—and I think the viability of this sport under your responsibility needs to be considered. How much is perception shifting in the care of these large animals?"

Some of the speakers said that 19 horses have died at Del Mar since the meeting began July 15. CHRB spokesman Mike Marten cited equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur, who has documented 16 deaths during the meet. But minutes from the Del Mar stewards indicate 16 deaths through Aug. 14 and at least one horse, All the Marbles, broke down since, when he was training on the turf Aug. 21 and had to be euthanized.

"You clearly think of the horses as athletes," said local resident Martha Sullivan, who has been participating in recent protests outside of Del Mar. "I would put to you that in any other sport, if you have 19 athletes die in the same venue ... there would be something really dramatic (happening)."

Others called for the immediate shutdown of Del Mar and brought up the recent efforts to change how SeaWorld cares for its animals.

"Del Mar's horse races teach children that horses are commodities, an object just for entertainment to make money. ... Horse racing is not a sport," said Elizabeth Jacobelly. "Horse racing is abuse of horses for entertainment, money, and greed."

"Del Mar has a black eye and it's getting blacker," added Ronnie Steinall. "How many horses have to die before you shut down the track and conduct a legitimate investigation so no one else gets hurt? ... We are not going to go away. We have a loud message to spread all over the world regarding tragedies in the horse racing industry.

"We let the world know about the atrocities at SeaWorld. It lost $84 million in the first quarter of 2016 alone and without a radical change in its business model, it will shut down."

CHRB chairman Chuck Winner and executive director Rick Baedeker both preempted the speakers with statements of their own before the public comment portion began, and assured the crowd that investigations are conducted on every racehorse's death in the state.

"I can attest to the fact that, opposed to what people say about racing being just a business for people to make money and just a way for people to gamble," Baedeker said, "I can state unequivocally—and most of us know this—most businesses are much better investments than horse racing and most serious gamblers prefer casinos.

"The truth is, most of the people involved in racing were drawn to it by the beauty of the horse, and by in large, the people who care for the horses pamper them. Anyone who sees a racehorse run, you realize that they love it—they love to run. That doesn't diminish the sorrow and frustration felt by the same individuals when a horse is lost, but it is an important component of the whole story of the racetrack."

Del Mar issued a statement following the public comment portion of the meeting.

"The total number of fatalities during Del Mar's summer meet is 16," the statement read. "Ten during morning workouts and six during afternoon racing.

"In an effort to provide horses additional time to acclimate themselves to new surfaces and surroundings, beginning in (2017) Del Mar will open its season one week later."

Later in the meeting, a number of items were approved by the board.

Upcoming applications for Thoroughbred meets at Los Alamitos Race Course, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, and Fresno were all approved, as was a dates agreement between Southern California interests in the state, which awaited CHRB approval following a Dates Committee meeting Aug. 22. The agreement is for three years, with an option for the CHRB to reevaluate the dates on a year-to-year basis.

LAMARRA: Southern CA Tracks, TOC Have Dates Agreement

The dates dispute in Northern California, between Golden Gate Fields and the fair circuit, remains unresolved.