Recent horse deaths prompt calls for industry change

Fifty-six horses have died at the now infamous Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California between July 2018 and December 2019. Unfortunately, horse deaths are not unique to California tracks, though the Santa Anita fatalities became a media focal point, making national headlines throughout 2019. Horses exploited for racing are dying at alarming rates across the country. In 2018, nearly 10 horses died at a racetrack every week in the United States -- a rate at least two and a half times greater than other countries with racing. One culprit? The unchecked use of drugs that encourage horses to race faster, even if they feel ill, by inhibiting pain.

Deaths that occur during races unsurprisingly receive the most attention. The collapse of 4-year-old Mongolian Groom, who was taken off the track in an ambulance after sustaining fractures to his left leg during November's Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita Park, was covered internationally. He was euthanized later that day. But horses forced to race endure severe injuries and even die behind the scenes routinely. And the suffering begins at an early age -- training starts before the horse's skeletal system has finished growing. It's not much better for older horses. When horses are no longer able to "compete" at a high level, they aren't necessarily retired to loving homes. No longer profitable for owners, these horses are frequently sold to slaughterhouses in foreign countries.

California legislators are starting to take notice. Over the summer, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 469, empowering the California Horse Racing Board to immediately suspend tracks "when necessary to protect the health and safety of the horses or riders." It was a modest first step to addressing the rampant issues within the industry.

In November, U.S. Se. Dianne Feinstein called for racing to be suspended at Santa Anita, citing the horses' deaths. She pledged to work with Gov. Newsom to protect horses used for racing and increase transparency at tracks, stating, "If the horse racing industry is unwilling to treat these magnificent creatures humanely, it has no business operating in the United States." The Los Angeles County district attorney's office also formed a task force to investigate the deaths at Santa Anita. But disappointingly, in late 2019, the task force concluded that there was no evidence of animal cruelty or other crimes.

In an attempt to respond to state legislative leaders' demand for reform, the California Horse Racing Board proposed statutory changes concerning welfare standards and transparency in the fall of 2019. Suggested changes include making positive drug tests public within 24 hours, increasing access to veterinary records, tying revenue generated by licenses and penalties to initiatives promoting welfare and safety, as well as more stringent restrictions on the use of riding crops by jockeys.

At the federal level, the Horseracing Integrity Act, H.R. 1754/S. 1820, was introduced in the spring of 2019. The bill creates federal rules for administering drugs and medication as well as standardizes penalties for violators. Presently, these issues are regulated by a patchwork of differing state laws. The bill also prohibits medicating horses on race days and directs the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to develop an independent anti-doping authority that oversees the issue.

Though the bill is supported by numerous stakeholders, ranging from national animal protection groups to racetracks and breeder associations, it is opposed by the Churchill Downs Inc., the company that hosts the Kentucky Derby -- by far the most high-profile racing event in the United States. The company claims the law would be expensive and also questions whether the support of animal protection groups, stating in a memo obtained by The New York Times that it was like "letting the fox in the henhouse."

Regardless of the fate of any legislative initiatives, it's clear that the industry will have to change -- and soon. As people become increasingly aware of the cruelty of using horses in racing, demand for change is growing. Swift action should be taken by both federal and state legislators to increase penalties for trainers and owners who endanger deliberately horses as well as mandate transparency regarding injuries and deaths. 