ARCADIA, Calif. — Santa Anita will continue racing through the end of the current meet on June 23, despite objections from animal rights activists who urged the California Horse Racing Board to shutter the historic track.
Chairman Chuck Winner said at the racing board’s monthly meeting Thursday that he sees no reason to reallocate any of Santa Anita’s dates to another track.
Since the Arcadia track reopened March 29, one horse died during a turf race. Overall, 23 horses have died in training or racing incidents since Dec. 26.
Eleven of 20 people who addressed the board during a public comment period identified themselves as animal rights activists, with several quoting statistics about horse deaths from the same website. Some called for a ballot measure next year that would ask California voters to decide on the future of horse racing in the state.