Following the unanimous passing of Senate Bill 469 by California legislature Monday, the California Horse Racing Board can now suspend racing without a 10-day public notice period. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Thirty horses died during racing or training at the recently concluded six-month Santa Anita meeting. Jerry Hollendorfer was banished from the Arcadia racetrack after a fourth of the Hall of Famer's horses broke down and was euthanized Saturday.
The California Horse Racing Board had requested that Santa
Anita suspend the final seven days of the meeting earlier this month, but officials of the track denied the request.
“We must take action now to protect horses and jockeys, ensuring safety is always paramount in California horse racing,” the bill's co-sponsor Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) told Los Angeles Times. “Because clearly, there is a problem here, and we can't sit back and do nothing. I appreciate my colleagues in the Legislature for coming together to pass this important safety measure, and I look forward to Gov. Newsom signing it into law.”
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