Business & Tech

More Horse Deaths at Santa Anita Than Other California Tracks

After HBO cancelled Luck because of three horse deaths, the Los Angeles Times found that the track has a relatively high horse fatality rate in general.

The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that --setting of HBO's series Luck,--had more than double the rate of horse deaths compared with the state's other three major thoroughbred tracks in the last fiscal year.

Among other things, the newspaper reported:

The fatality rate at Santa Anita, in Arcadia, rose significantly after a return to a dirt running surface in 2010 after three years of using a synthetic track, the data show.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The Times reported that, in three years of running on a synthetic track, there were 26 racing deaths, or 1.5 fatalities per 1,000 starts. In the last fiscal year, after the change back to dirt, there were 12 fatalities, or 3.7 per 1,000 starts, according to data from the state horse racing board.

Further, the Times reported:

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Yet as racing fans everywhere know, it is not uncommon for horses to break bones during races and later receive a lethal injection. At tracks across California, 186 horses died after racing and training accidents during the last fiscal year, according to statistics from the state horse racing board. An additional 79 horses died at tracks from other causes, including intestinal and respiratory diseases.

Read more of the Times' report here.

You can read Patch's previous coverage of Luck and Santa Anita at the links below.

 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Arcadia