Fundraising goal reached bringing new MRI to Santa Anita Park

The Southern California Equine Foundation announced Tuesday that the fundraising campaign for installation of an equine Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility at Santa Anita Park has been successful.

"We are in the process now of arranging for the full operation of the new MRI by early in the upcoming Santa Anita season," said Karen Klawitter, CEO of the SCEF. "We are very pleased to have received the support of so many individuals and organizations in the sport."

With the news announced by the California Thoroughbred Trainers, pledges came from the Dolly Green Research Foundation and Oak Tree Charitable Foundation. Donations have been received from Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Los Alamitos Race Course, CTT, California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation, breeder and owner John Harris, veterinarians Vince Baker, Melinda Blue, and Ryan Carpenter, and many more individual owners, trainers, and supporters.

Santa Anita track owner The Stronach Group provided $500,000 in funding for the new PET scan facility also being added to Santa Anita, as well as infrastructure to enable the installation of the new MRI.

The MRI's proven technology has been in use elsewhere previously, whereby the horse is standing while scanned, and will be an essential diagnostic element to protect the safety and welfare of race horses going forward.