Ritvo: Santa Anita Not Planning to Move Race Dates

Horses galloped and worked at Santa Anita Park the morning of April 3 as the racing office took entries for the April 6 card that will include the Santa Anita Derby (G1). It wasn't all business as usual, however, as Santa Anita management continued to institute its new safety protocols amid intense media scrutiny.

Away from the track, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, added to that scrutiny with an April 2 letter calling on the California Horse Racing Board to suspend racing at Santa Anita, "where 23 horses have died since December 26, until an investigation is completed."

Feinstein addressed her letter to Chuck Winner, chairman of the CHRB.

"The death of a single horse is a tragedy," Feinstein wrote, "but as a lifelong lover of horses, I'm appalled that almost two dozen horses have died in just four months." She noted the "positive initial steps" recently approved by the CHRB and asked Winner what other steps the board is considering and whether these steps would "be reasonable measures to prevent horse injuries and death." 

She also asked for Winner's views on The Horse Racing Integrity Act of 2019, HR 1754, currently pending in Congress. 

Meanwhile, the CHRB has scheduled a special meeting for April 12 at Santa Anita. The agenda includes the following item: "Discussion and action by the Board regarding possible reallocation of race dates granted to the Los Angeles Turf Club (LATC) at Santa Anita Park Race Track pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 19530."

Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of The Stronach Group, said April 3 that Santa Anita did not request that item on the agenda and that Santa Anita is not considering moving its dates to another location.

Rumors and speculation have swirled around the track following the 23rd fatality, Arms Runner, in the March 31 San Simeon Stakes (G3T) down Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Joe Drape of The New York Times tweeted April 2 that Santa Anita was asking the CHRB to allow its remaining dates to be run at Golden Gate Fields. Both tracks are owned by The Stronach Group.

Ritvo said Drape's comment was "totally false" and that Santa Anita would be racing Thursday through Sunday "just as planned." 

He added, "We continue to work on our protocols and procedures. We feel we are implementing some of the strongest rules in North America and even as far as internationally. 

"There has been no discussion with anybody about moving dates," Ritvo continued. "We know the track is in great condition. We know all the things that we're putting in place."

Belinda Stronach, chair and president of TSG, outlined the new procedures in an open letter March 14. Those procedures included restriction of race-day medication to be in line with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities as well as restricted use of the whip. The CHRB, in its March 28 meeting, passed several motions relating to those rules, including one to change Rule 1688 regarding whip use. Under California law, that rule change must undergo a 45-day public comment period.

Stronach at the March 28 CHRB meeting noted that "we care for horses, and we're going to do the right thing on behalf of the horses and for the jockeys."

Ritvo echoed those sentiments April 3, saying, "There are thousands of people that love the horses, take care of the horses—even better than themselves a lot of times. It's seven days a week. It's passion-driven. It's not about the money. It's about the love of the animal."