{"id":18576,"date":"2019-03-07T14:31:42","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T22:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/why-have-21-horses-died-at-a-california-racetrack-since-december\/"},"modified":"2019-03-07T14:31:42","modified_gmt":"2019-03-07T22:31:42","slug":"why-have-21-horses-died-at-a-california-racetrack-since-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/why-have-21-horses-died-at-a-california-racetrack-since-december\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Have 21 Horses Died At A California Racetrack Since December?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Merrit Kennedy<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n Santa Anita Park, shown here in 2012, has halted races and training to try to determine what is causing the horse deaths.<\/p>\n

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Frederic J. Brown \/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Frederic J. Brown \/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

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Since the start of the racing season in late December, a shocking 21 horses have died at the famed Santa Anita Park racetrack in southern California. <\/p>\n

It’s horrified the racing world and experts say there’s no clear answer as to why this is happening.<\/p>\n

Santa Anita’s owners, The Stronach Group, announced on Tuesday that it was halting racing and training at the park in order to test the main track \u2013 a picturesque spot tucked next to the San Gabriel Mountains where the champion racehorse Seabiscuit won big. <\/p>\n

“The safety, health and welfare of the horses and jockeys is our top priority,” Tim Ritvo, chief operating officer of the Stronach Group, said in a statement<\/a>. “While we are confident further testing will confirm the soundness of the track, the decision to close is the right thing to do at this time.”<\/p>\n

That same day, a filly named Lets Light The Way was injured and euthanized while training on the main track, as the equestrian publication Blood Horse reported<\/a>. <\/p>\n