CHRB review panels to evaluate horses at Los Alamitos, Del Mar

The California Horse Racing Board announced Friday that five-member review panels, similar to the one established during the last two weekends of Santa Anita Park’s recently concluded season, will be in place for the upcoming Los Alamitos Summer Thoroughbred Meet that begins Saturday and during Del Mar’s Summer Meet from July 17-Sept. 2.

“Los Alamitos and Del Mar have shown their strong commitment to helping improve horse and rider safety by agreeing to these panels,” said CHRB Chairman Chuck Winner. “We look forward to working with them during their meets.”

Established at the direction of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the five-member panel at Santa Anita scrutinized veterinarians’ lists, stewards’ lists and other available information for horses scheduled to race in order to heighten efforts to protect the safety of horses and riders. Over the two weekends the panel was in operation at Santa Anita, 38 horses were either scratched from races or denied entry to races pursuant to the panel’s recommendations.

The Los Alamitos and Del Mar panels will perform the same function. 

At Los Alamitos, as at Santa Anita, a five-member team will evaluate horses identified by the racing office as intended for entry in races yet to be drawn. It will identify those horses considered to be at elevated risk and recommend they be denied entry. Los Alamitos has agreed to accept the panel’s recommendation when finalizing entries. 

The panel will also be in place at Del Mar’s meet. Instead of evaluating horses pre-entry, however, the panel members will evaluate horses after the races have been drawn. Any horse they consider to be at elevated risk will be scratched by the stewards.