dr. greg ferraro | Horse Racing Free Tips

California Safety Initiatives Contribute To 50 Percent Decline In Equine Fatalities

California horse racing experienced a 50-percent decline in equine fatalities over the last two fiscal years, largely due to steps taken by the California Horse Racing Board and a team effort with the entire California horse racing industry. After 144 horses died in FY 2018-19 from racing or training injuries or other causes while stabled at facilities under the CHRB's jurisdiction, the number dropped to 72 in FY 2020-21, down by half.

This progress did not come about suddenly. The list of safety initiatives on the CHRB website dates back decades. Previous racing commissioners demonstrated a strong commitment to racing safety. Racetrack owners and management have provided leadership and resources. Horsemen's groups have provided encouragement and support with the cooperation of owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians, and other stakeholders in the industry.

While the numbers of equine fatalities have been trending downward since 2005, the last fiscal year marked the most significant improvement in a single year with a 40-percent decline. Continuing the actions of previous Boards, which included establishing an entry review panel for Santa Anita at the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, the current commissioners expanded the review panel program to all tracks to make certain that entered horses are fit to compete.

Dr. Greg Ferraro, chairman, recalls setting the course for the Board at the first meeting he chaired on November 22, 2019: “I stated that our primary focus would be the health and safety of horses and riders. We've come a long way in fulfilling that promise, and I assure everyone that we will remain committed to that effort with new policies and regulations.”

Over the last 19 months, Chairman Ferraro, Vice Chairman Oscar Gonzales, and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Wendy Mitchell, and Alex Solis, later joined by Commissioners Damascus Castellanos and Brenda Davis, have taken more than 40 regulatory actions intended to either directly or indirectly protect horses, thereby reducing fatalities and protecting riders. Among the more significant actions, the commissioners:

Adopted rules limiting the use of the riding crop, which at the time were the strictest rules in the nation, while enhancing penalties for violation of those rules.
Required trainers to participate in a full postmortem examination review to make them aware of the nature of the injuries and to discuss ways to prevent such injuries in the future. This has helped lead to a culture change in the California horse racing industry whereby participants are placing a higher priority on the protection of horses.
Allowed Official Veterinarians to require diagnostic imaging prior to removing horses from the restrictive Veterinarian's List and permitting them to train or compete.
Prohibited or severely restricted the use of bisphosphonates, thyroxine, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and intra-articular injections prior to workouts and racing.
Took significant steps to make veterinary treatments transparent to authorities and in certain cases new owners.

Furthermore, the CHRB recently created the new position of Chief Official Veterinarian and named Dr. Timothy Grande, longtime Official Veterinarian on the Southern California thoroughbred circuit, to meet the broad responsibilities of overseeing veterinarians, veterinary procedures, and practices throughout the state. The CHRB also appointed Dr. Jeff Blea to the role of Equine Medical Director, who will bring new ideas, perspective, and energy to this important position.

Executive Director Scott Chaney is excited with the direction the CHRB has charted: “I took this job a year-and-a-half ago because I recognized this Board's and the Administration's commitment to real, significant, long-term reform in the arena of animal welfare. It has been gratifying to be a part of this sea change in racing, and the results are undeniable. We clearly have more work to do, but with this reform-minded Board, dedicated staff, and committed stakeholders, the future is bright.”

Reform efforts continue in all areas of animal welfare with specific emphasis on standardizing and utilizing algorithms to identify high risk horses, completing race-day medication prohibition, applying a science-based approach to making track surfaces safer, and exploring other ways to reduce and eliminate human and equine injuries.

Details on all Board actions are available in press releases on the CHRB website.

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CHRB Meeting Highlights NorCal Race Dates

The June California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) meeting put to bed a problem that has been brewing for a few months in the North of California.

Due to the fallout from COVID-19, and the ongoing issues surrounding stabling and staff accommodation in the north of California, commissioners voted to switch the three-week State Fair–scheduled to run July 14 to Aug. 3 at Cal Expo–to Pleasanton to be run over a shortened window: July 14 through July 20.

Golden Gate Fields has also been allocated an additional two weeks of racing, to be run from July 21 to Aug. 3, with no residual compensation to the State Fair. Golden Gate will now remain open for training and stabling throughout the summer.

Fire plans at San Luis Rey Downs

Back in December of 2017, 46 horses died in the wildfire that engulfed the San Luis Rey Downs training facility.

In the aftermath of the fire, the Stronach Group (TSG), which owns the training center, built new barns kitted out with automatic sprinkler systems and a fire bell.

In order to issue a fire clearance, CHRB mandated TSG to retrofit the existing historic barns with similar sprinkler systems and fire alarms by July 31 of this year.

According to TSG, the COVID-19 pandemic threw a spanner in these works, the contractors responsible for the work either shut down or else short staffed, along with a shortage in necessary supplies.

According to Santa Anita Park general manager, Nate Newby, there are nine or 10 historic barns left to finish, plus additional buildings.

As such, TSG asked for an extension to the deadline, giving them until Jan. 31, 2022, to finish fitting out the historic barns, and until April 30, 2022, to complete the entire project.

Some of the commissioners voiced reservations about granting the extension without conditions attached.

“I'm a little concerned by this, as it's gone on so long,” said CHRB chair Dr. Greg Ferraro.

In the end, the board denied the extension on recommendation of revisiting the issue next month.

In the meantime, TSG must submit to the CHRB a detailed weekly work plan by the end of the month. Ferraro also mentioned that any extension would be incumbent upon TSG providing a progress report, possibly in September.

Fantasy Sports Wagering

One of the items opened a window into the future of wagering in the state. It concerns an intent by the California Association of Racing Fairs (CARF) to start offering fantasy sports wagering at licensed betting locations. At least 19 such facilities are slated to start offering the product, Golden State Fantasy Sports, this summer, barring any legal challenge in the interim.

Golden State Fantasy Sports is described as a “compliment” to the pari-mutuel industry, “and can be integrated into operators' existing infrastructure and tote system.”

Board members and CHRB staff expressed a variety of concerns surrounding these plans, however, many of which revolved around the issue of legality and regulatory oversight.

“It's unclear who would regulate this particular activity, if anyone,” said CHRB executive director, Scott Chaney.

As such, one of the issues raised revolved around the fact that CHRB-licensed pari-mutuel clerks would be the ones processing the bets. Another is that fantasy sports betting might “cannibalize” some of the wagering revenue intended for racing.

Ferraro also questioned how this development might potentially impact any pending legislation concerning legalized sports betting at licensed racetracks.

Chaney said that it's “unclear” how this might affect any such future legislation, and added that the next likely state-wide movement on sports betting would be through referendum.

All this aside, commissioners were largely in favor of the plans, adopting what is best described as a wait-and-see stance.

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Jon Kelly Dies; Longtime Horse Owner, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Board Member

Jon S. Kelly, a native Californian who conquered many business worlds and found a passionate love in horse racing, died Saturday morning at his farm known as Tres Palomas in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., from the effects of a cancer he'd fought for several years. He had turned 84 on Friday.

Kelly had been in hospice care and had family members on hand, including his wife Sarah, when he passed.

Kelly was born in Berkeley, was schooled in the east and at UC Berkeley and showed an affinity for business early on in his professional career. He went into the broadcasting business, established the Kelly Broadcasting Company and wound up owning and operating TV stations in Sacramento and Seattle. Additionally, he founded and ran the Summit Broadcasting Radio Company.

He was also a banker who founded the River City Bank in Sacramento. Further, he was a highly successful real estate executive with multiple projects in Northern California.

Besides his family, his great love in life was Thoroughbred racing and he'd been a horse owner since the early 1960s. Over the years he'd raced hundreds of horses around the world in England, Ireland, Australia and the United States. His best horse was Borrego, now a stallion in South America and the winner of the 2005 edition of Del Mar's $1-million Pacific Classic.

Kelly had been a member of the board of directors of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club since 2008. He was also a member of The Jockey Club. His trainers included Bob Baffert and Richard Mandella in the U.S., Gai Waterhouse in Australia and Jessie Harrington in Ireland. In 2018, he headed a syndicate that purchased a yearling colt at the famed Magic Millions Sale in Australia for a near-record $2 million.

He was on multiple business boards of directors and guided and funded many other charity-oriented groups. He was an official with Big Brothers of America and the Boy Scouts of America.

“He was quite a guy,” said Dr. Greg Ferraro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and a longtime Kelly friend. “He could make anyone laugh. He always lifted your spirits.”

Ferraro told of business associates Kelly had worked with 30 and 40 years ago writing him letters recently sending thanks for his council and guidance and how it had shaped their careers and lives. He spoke personally of Kelly sending him to a Louisville hospital for a life-saving operation, then make a huge donation to the hospital in Ferraro's name.

“He didn't make it in his name, which he should have,” said Ferraro, “but that was John. He did so many good things for so many people and he never bragged or looked for credit. He just was a good person who did good things. He was special.”

He is survived by his wife and six children, as well as many grandchildren.

Those wishing to make a donation in his name are encouraged to do so at two of his favorite projects – the Center for Equine Health at the UC Davis School for Veterinary Medicine or the Gregson Foundation, which services backstretch workers and their families.

At his request, there will be no services.

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Los Al Quarter Horse Racing License On Probation For Ten Days Due To Concerns About Equine Deaths

Los Alamitos escaped a shutdown but did see its racing license placed on probation for 10 days during an emergency meeting of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) on July 10. The CHRB notified commissioners and the public of an emergency meeting roughly 24 hours earlier in response to what executive director Scott Chaney described as a spike in equine fatalities.

Los Alamitos just concluded its daytime Thoroughbred meet this week but is scheduled to continue night cards for Quarter Horses until late December.

Discussion amongst commissioners and representatives of Los Alamitos seemed to suggest that an interpretation of whether or not fatality numbers are above average probably varies depending upon the timeframe examined. Chaney pointed out that between Jan. 1 and July 5 of this year there had been 14 racing deaths and five training deaths, compared with five racing deaths and four training deaths during the same period in 2019 — demonstrating nearly a three-fold increase in racing deaths.

When the statistics are examined by the fiscal year however, which in California runs July 1 to June 30, the track seemed more consistent. The calendar year of 2019 had been a good one for Los Alamitos, according to track veterinarian Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald, but a cluster in the calendar year 2020 brought the fiscal year's figures even with 2018-19.

Chaney also drew attention to what he considered a high number of non-racing/training deaths, which totaled 21 for this year. These “other” causes of death can include colic, respiratory illness, neurologic illness, and musculoskeletal injuries that happen in the barn area.

Drew Couto, Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association General Counsel, said that fiscal year over fiscal year, combined racing/training deaths have been going down for some time.

“We've seen a prolonged history at Los Alamitos, since 2008 of decreasing racing and training fatalities,” said Couto.

Couto was also asked by commissioners what the track had in mind to improve its numbers. Couto pointed to the fatality review program performed by officials but said Los Alamitos officials had not come up with a plan of action for how to reduce non-racing/training deaths, given the short notice of the meeting.

For most commissioners, that answer seemed to be inadequate. They turned to Fitzgerald and CHRB equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur for more details on what could be causing the issue.

For his part, Arthur did not support Chaney's statement that action should be taken against the track's license status; in the course of studying racing and training fatalities, Arthur said it's not uncommon to see numbers “ebb and flow”; in some cases, the reasons for that are clear, while in others they aren't. CHRB officials surveyed by Arthur expressed confidence in the safety of the racing surface and in Fitzgerald's work, although she is the lone veterinarian responsible for performing pre-race examinations for the 50 to 60 horses entered each day.

Fitzgerald said she actually believes being the only one to see the runners based at Los Alamitos before each race is a good thing. Having a larger team might mean she would see a horse before one race, and not again for a few more starts, so she would be less likely to notice small changes that can be so crucial to catching underlying injury.

She also said she gets good support from the racing office, which flags horses for additional scrutiny based on changes in class, time off a lay-off and other factors.

Arthur said he didn't believe there was a clear pattern of any one risk factor in any of the fatalities, except that veterinarians and trainers at Los Alamitos seemed to be more likely to rely on greater numbers of intra-articular corticosteroid injections, particularly of cortisone. Arthur is hopeful that a “long overdue” rule to require continuing education for trainers could alleviate some of the “questionable training and horse management” decisions he has seen, though he pointed out those issues are not limited to Los Alamitos.

Commissioners agreed they wanted to see a report from track officials outlining areas of equine health and welfare concerns and planned actions for resolution. They discussed whether to stop racing at the track while such a report could be prepared or whether to simply put the track's license on probation. According to CHRB chairman Dr. Greg Ferraro, this would mean at the end of the ten-day period the commissioners could suspend racing if they aren't satisfied with the report.

Ultimately, most commissioners stated they were hesitant to halt racing without further information about the problem. The final vote was 5-1 for a 10-day probationary period and report (the lone 'no' vote coming from commissioner Wendy Mitchell. The CHRB will hold another emergency meeting July 20 to hear the track's report.

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