Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, has experienced an unprecedented number of racehorse fatalities since the current meet opened on Dec. 26, 2018. Most of deaths have been related to musculoskeletal injuries, or “breakdowns.” After the 21^st horse death of the meet occurred on March 5, 2019, Santa Anita announced the track would suspend racing and training indefinitely while engineers performed additional testing on the track surface to ensure horse and rider safety. The main track reopened for limited training on March 11. Three days later during a training session, a 3-year-old filly named Princess Lili B became the 22nd casualty after sustaining fractures in both front legs. Following the latest death, Santa Anita’s owners, The Stronach Group, released the following public statement on March 14:

An Open Letter about the Future of Thoroughbred Racing in California

What has happened at Santa Anita over the last few weeks is beyond heartbreaking. It is unacceptable to the public and, as people who deeply love horses, to everyone at The Stronach Group and Santa Anita.

The sport of horse racing is the last great sporting legacy platform to be modernized. If we expect our sport to grow for future generations, we must raise our standards