Santa Anita Opens Despite Horse Deaths

This group of activists is here to speak up against the use of horses for sport as they mourn the 43 horses that have died at this track alone.

LIVE at Santa Anita Racetrack JaneUnchained News correspondent Lindsey Baker is here at Santa Anita where protestors gather to speak out to end horseracing due to the high number of horses that die during the races each year. Activists hold a memorial service complete with a bagpipe playing traditional funeral music to bring even more attention to their demonstration. Heather Anahita is the main organizer if this memorial service and the West Coast region for Horseracing Wrongs, a nonprofit focused on ending horseracing.

Thus dedicated activist holds up the signs of two horses that died this year as her animal companion rests on her lap.

“Can it possibly get any worse?” A question asked by the Horseracing Wrongs nonprofit today in reference to the multitude of horse deaths at Santa Anita Racecourse. The tally of deaths rose to 43 the day after Christmas when “Truest Reward” died during training. Now on this opening day of the racecourse, a group of protesters gathered in support of banning horseracing. They are speaking up for these horses that cannot speak for themselves, and the public is seeing them. Spectrum 1 News, ABC Channel 7, and CBS News have all aired multiple stories about the deaths at this and other racetracks. As a result of this news coverage, people are realizing that the deaths of these horses are a result of their patronage of this so-called sport. Racegoers bets are made at these horses’ expense and often that price is their lives.

Their mission to ban horseracing is loud and clear on this sign.

The workers on the track try to cover up these horses’ injuries with a tarp on the track but the truth will be known thanks to Horseracing Wrongs and their dedicated activists. As long as horses are being raced against their will and natural instinct, these activists will be here to stand for them and account for every time they fall.