Death on the track: why are so many horses dying at Santa Anita?

The famous racetrack has been closed after 21 horses died in the last few months. And questions have been raised about the racing industry across the USSanta Anita, sitting in the shadow of southern California’s San Gabriel mountains, has always been a special place for American racing fans. Horses like Seabiscuit, Affirmed and John Henry have won famous victories on its track while, during Hollywood’s golden age, actors such as Errol Flynn, Marlene Dietrich and Bing Crosby would cheer on from the stands. But late on Tuesday night, the racetrack announced it was closing immediately as it seeks to discover why so many horses have been killed there this winter.Since 26 December, when the current winter-spring meet began, 21 horses have died during racing or training at Santa Anita – a figure markedly higher than in comparable periods over the last three years. The dirt track is blamed by many, and is undergoing extensive testing. Meanwhile, some Santa Anita trainers have claimed that they have been pressured to run horses even when they are uncomfortable doing so. A New York Times article from Thursday says that in California, horses are worked out by their trainers more frequently than in other states. Continue reading…
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