Santa Anita Park euthanizes 36th horse since December as Breeders' Cup nears
Speculation over the safety of the track continues with the latest horse death
Another horse has been euthanized at the Santa Anita Park, putting the number at 36 deaths since last December and 72 since the 2018 season. After suffering a foreleg injury during Sunday's third race, 2-year-old filly Bye Bye Beautiful was euthanized at the track.
Veterinarian Dr. Dana Stead treated the horse and found it had suffered a forelimb lateral condylar fracture with medial sesamoid involvement, according to CBS Los Angeles.
Bye Bye Beautiful's death came just days after a different horse, a six year old mare named GQ Covergirl, was euthanized at Santa Anita Park. With the nearly year-long string of horse deaths continuing, PETA is trying to "hold those responsible accountable."
PETA's Vice President Kathy Guillermo is asking for the district attorneys office to release findings of its investigation into deaths at the track to be released to the public, according to CBS Los Angeles:
She said in a statement:
"Santa Anita has taken extraordinary measures to protect horses, but it can't criminally investigate trainers and veterinarians for the deaths of Bye Bye Beautiful and the other horses. Law enforcement must do this… Further delay puts all the Breeders' Cup horses at even greater risk."
The Breeders' Cup will held at Santa Anita Park on Nov. and Nov. 2. Traditionally, the Breeders' Cup is one of the most attended horse racing events of the year, besides the Triple Crown races.
Guillermo is far from the first to criticize the track. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, other politicians and animal rights advocates have asked that racing at the track stop until an investigation on the track's deaths is finished. Santa Anita Park has continued to host races, however. In February, after 19 horses had been euthanized since December of 2018, racing at Santa Anita was temporarily suspended to investigate the tracks.
In March, when the total number of horses euthanized reached 21, racing was again temporarily suspended for tests to be conducted on the matter.
After the suspension, officials from the track put a series of changes into play to increase safety for the horses. These changes included restrictions on some medications, making trainers get permission before working out a horse and investing in diagnostic equipment to help find pre-existing conditions in horses.
With another death coming only two days after racing started up again in March, it showed these changes were not enough to put away all investigation. Los Angeles Attorney Jackie Lacey announced a task force was created in April to further investigate these deaths.
















