Breeders' Cup 2019 to remain at Santa Anita Park

The Breeders' Cup's 14-member board unanimously voted Thursday to keep its 2019 championship races at Santa Anita Park, it was announced following a regularly scheduled meeting in Lexington, Ky.

Races will be run Nov. 1-2 in Arcadia, Calif., following a winter/spring season in which 30 horses died as a results of injuries suffered in racing or training, sparking debate about the sport's future there and, more immediately, the high-profile, lucrative Breeders' Cup locale.

Churchill Downs, host of the 2018 Breeders' Cup, was seen as the backup plan should a move be made. But the Los Angeles Times, which first reported Thursday's news, noted that Churchill averaged 2.73 equine fatalities per 1,000 starts last year, whereas Santa Anita was at 2.04.

In response to a spate of breakdowns last season, which began Dec. 26, Santa Anita in March instituted a number of safety reforms. Now, it's necessary to receive written permission just to work horses as more veterinarians inspect for any issues. Tim Ritvo, COO for The Stronach Group, called it a "new normal" for racing in Southern California.

"Foremost among the core values of the Breeders’ Cup are the safety and integrity of the competition and we hold ourselves, our host sites and our competitors, to the highest standards of both," said Craig Fravel, president and CEO of the Breeders' Cup. "It is clear that meaningful and effective reforms and best practices have been implemented in recent months at Santa Anita through the collective efforts of The Stronach Group, the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Thoroughbred Trainers, and the California Horse Racing Board.

"We fully embrace those reforms and will devote our time and energy in the coming months to further advance those efforts. We look forward to showing the world the best in Thoroughbred racing at one of its finest venues.”

The California Horse Racing Board also recently created a panel that evaluates all horses entered to race and has the power to scratch runners for any reason. Whether that panel will operate during the Breeders' Cup is unclear.

Just this week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that also allows the CHRB to suspend racing at any time should it see a safety issue for horses and riders. Newsom also added to the board a veterinarian.

Even with elevated safety measures, there looms the prospect of on-site protests by animal rights activists who have made their voices heard this spring and summer, along with the national publicity that comes with a move to stage a major event at Santa Anita.

One other story line to follow is the ban issued Saturday to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, a three-time Breeders' Cup winner no longer allowed to stable or enter horses in races at The Stronach Group's properties. He co-owns and conditions a leading contender for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Vasilika, who won Santa Anita's Gamely Stakes (G1) in her most recent start.

"The entry process for the World Championships races is controlled by the Breeders' Cup," said Breeders' Cup spokesman Jim Gluckson in an email. "The decision to accept or deny entries from Mr. Hollendorfer or any other trainer will be evaluated at that time in light of our rules and the circumstances prevailing at that time."

Gluckson added that, as far as the new California inspection panel, the Breeders' Cup will "work cooperatively with the CHRB and coordinate the activities" with its own veterinary team."

Santa Anita will play host to the championships for a record 10th time. It last hosted in 2016, when Arrogate defeated California Chrome in the headlining Breeders' Cup Classic.

Belinda Stronach, chair of The Stronach Group, thanked the Breeders' Cup board "for their support today in reaffirming their commitment" to run at Santa Anita.

"Santa Anita and The Stronach Group remain steadfast in our commitment to put the health and safety of the horses and riders above all else, and we are pleased that the Breeders’ Cup board recognized and shares in that goal," she said. "We also thank our state’s industry stakeholders, including the Thoroughbred Owners of California, the California Thoroughbred Trainers, the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, the California Horse Racing Board, along with the hard-working men and women who work directly with the horses, and those employees who take care of our customers, for embracing the reforms that have been put in place this winter at Santa Anita as we collectively work towards making California racing the safest and best in the world.”

The Breeders' Cup is scheduled to run at Keeneland in 2020 and Del Mar in 2021. Joe Harper, CEO of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, called the decision to run at Santa Anita "an important recognition of the efforts undertaken by all of California racing."