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View Winners → Horse Racing Supporters Call for Santa Anita to Open
Arcadia Weekly Apr 30, 2020
Longtime advocate for the workers at Santa Anita, Oscar De La Torres. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
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The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the L.A. County healthdepartment are reviewing a proposal from Santa Anita to resume “spectator-less”live racing.
Live racing provides the financial support for the wellbeing of horsesand the workers who take care of them. On March 27, 2020 based on a complaint,live racing was prohibited by the L.A. County health department at Santa Anitaas a “non-essential” business.
There have been no reports of positive COVID-19 infections at SantaAnita and live racing at Los Alamitos (under the jurisdiction of the OrangeCounty Board of Supervisors) has continued unabated with no reports ofCOVID-19.
Santa Anita has reportedly implemented protocols to strengthen publichealth and safety for workers and horses.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors failed to address the issue atSanta Anita.
Oscar De La Torre, an advocate for backstretch workers, organized arally that included several horse owners outside the Board of SupervisorsTuesday. Their early-morning duties at the track prevented many workers fromattending, he said.
De La Torre told the Associated Press Tuesday, that despite the Countynot taking specific action regarding reopening Santa Anita, he was please the Countyagreed to a reopening plan and hopes Santa Anita will be part of that plan.
