Breeders’ Cup races to remain at Santa Anita

LOS ANGELES » The Breeders’ Cup gave Santa Anita some positive news and an affirmation of its reform measures on Thursday by voting unanimously to keep the event at the Arcadia track.

The Los Angeles Times confirmed the decision through Craig Fravel, president and chief executive of the organization. The Breeders Cup made a formal announcement later.

The decision came amid safety concerns about the Santa Anita courses after 30 horses died either racing or training during a meet that started Dec. 26 and ended June 23. Racing during that span was limited because 24 race dates were canceled due to a combination of circumstances, including the deaths and a horse population that was shrinking for various additional reasons.

There was also concern that talk of horse and jockey safety, rather than topflight racing, would drive the narrative during Breeders’ Cup week were it kept in Southern California. This will be Santa Anita’s record 10th time hosting the event, scheduled for Nov. 1-2.

Had the event been moved, the most likely landing spot was Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby. However, Churchill Downs has a higher horse mortality rate than Santa Anita. The Louisville track averaged 2.73 deaths per 1,000 starts last year. Santa Anita was a 2.04. The national average was 1.68.

Nine of the 14 members of the Breeders’ Cup board are from Kentucky. One of the members, Mike Rogers, president of the racing division of the Stronach Group, recuses himself from voting on measures in which a Stronach track is involved.

The Stronach Group recently instituted several reforms seeking to improve safety measures at Santa Anita, hoping to regain public trust.

Also at issue is whether Bay Area trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will be allowed to enter horses in the Breeders’ Cup. He was banished from all Stronach tracks last weekend after a fourth horse under his care died at Santa Anita. Two of his horses also died at Golden Gate Fields late last year.