Despite protests by animal rights activists after 23 horses died within a dozen weeks at Santa Anita racetrack, the California Horse Racing Board declined to shut down the operation last week.
Races at the Arcadia track will continue until the end of the current meet on June 23. A total of 23 horses have died since Christmas, a statistic that caused the commission to close the track for about a month to test the track itself for flaws. One has died since it reopened on March 29.
About 11 activists called for the track to be closed permanently, and some threatened to promote a ballot measure to ban horse racing in the Golden State.
After listening to some of the demands that the track be closed, Cliff Goodrich, executive director of the group that assists backstretch workers told the commission, “Their solution for change is to shut down the industry. I’m sorry, that’s too drastic a step and is ridiculous on its merit. I wish the animal rights lovers would work with us instead of against us.”
