Even as two horses died after suffering racing injuries at the Los Alamitos Race Course after they submitted a mitigation plan to the California Horse Racing Board, the state racing authority has voted to accept their mitigation plan which allows them to continue racing.
According to a statement from LARC Owner and CEO Dr. Ed Allred, “the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association had submitted to the Board an Equine and Rider Safety and Enhancement Plan.”
He said the plan provided for the enhancement of practices in six specific areas, including training, pre-race procedures, entry review panels, post incident assessments, equine illness and recovery and rules and conditions.
Allred said that the plan is a further effort by Los Alamitos to provide for the enhanced improvement of the health and safety of every horse and rider participating in racing and training at Los Alamitos.
In the statement, Allred said the changes contemplated by the Plan would be implemented immediately.
According to the CHRB website, the group met July 20 to consider the Los Alamitos Race Course plan and reports indicate the board accepted the plan and will allow the track to continue off probation.
Initial reports indicate the new safety plan calls for an additional veterinarian will be added to the staff during the morning hours to observe horses as they enter and exit the track.
In addition, the track will appoint a “safety steward” to patrol the stable area to observe the overall training ecosystem around the track, barns and stalls, a move that will also reportedly be extended to other tracks.