A California lawmaker is seeking more safeguards for racehorses after dozens died in recent years at a well known track northeast of Los Angeles.
Democratic Senator Bill Dodd of Napa said the bill he introduced in the state Legislature this week will likely include reforms suggested by the California Horse Racing Board and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey. Among those recommendations is improvement to veterinary medical reviews before races. Dodd chairs the Senate Governmental Organization Committee, which sets policy for the horse racing industry.
"We must do everything we can to put safety first and stop unacceptable horse deaths," Sen. Dodd said. "We must ensure track conditions are right and horses are fit before they hit the starting gate so we aren’t jeopardizing them and their jockeys."
Thirty-seven horses died last year at Santa Anita Park and two so far this year. The legislation follows a law Dodd wrote last year that allows the board to suspend racing at tracks where dangerous conditions exist.