Sen. Dodd Responds to New Santa Anita Safety Conditions

NAPA – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, issued the following statement today after the California Horse Racing Board placed new safety conditions on Santa Anita Park in an effort to curb racing-horse deaths:

“I appreciate the horse racing board acting to implement additional safety measures,” said Sen. Dodd. “It’s not the end of the discussion, but it does represent concrete steps in the right direction. I’ll be working with the board and governor to continue ensuring horse safety is paramount.”

At today’s racing board meeting, members approved the track’s meet license with these conditions:

1. No racing or training can be done on tracks that have been manipulated due to rain. The exact protocols for making the determination will be finalized at the next meeting in December.

2. No races can be written for horses entered for a claiming price under $10,000.

3. Any horse receiving a corticosteroid injection in the fetlock is ineligible to perform a timed workout for 10 days and is ineligible to race for 30 days.

Sen. Dodd chairs the Senate Governmental Organization Committee, which sets policy for the horse racing industry, among other things.

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Senator Bill Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Solano, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties. More information on Senator Bill Dodd can be found at www.senate.ca.gov/dodd.