Three quarter horses were euthanized on Sunday following severe musculoskeletal injuries sustained during the Los Alamitos 2 Million Futurity time trial at Los Alamitos Racetrack in Cypress, California. The three horses—B Latified, Backside Ace, and Champion’s Run—raised the total number of equine fatalities at Los Alamitos this year to 19, prompting the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) to take action.
In a letter signed by Executive Director Scott Cheney and Equine Medical Director Dr. Jeff Blair, the CHRB warned of an emergency hearing and potential suspension of the racetrack’s license unless the track implements significant safety improvements and quickly reduces injury rates.
The letter outlined several safety measures, such as assigning a second regulatory veterinarian for pre-race inspections, having a civilian veterinarian present in the stable area during races, deploying a second horse ambulance on race days, imposing stricter rules on intra-articular injections near race time, and holding weekly progress meetings to monitor improvements.
On November 25, Los Alamitos officials responded by agreeing to all the CHRB’s demands. They stated that starting the evening of November 23, they began collaborating with medical and racing teams to enforce stricter safety protocols aimed at lowering horse injuries. They emphasized that animal safety has always been a top priority, which is now even more critical.
For more details, refer to the Daily Racing Form.
This original article was published by Paulick Report on November 26, 2025, in their Horse Care section.
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Fan Take: This development is crucial for horse racing fans as it highlights the ongoing challenges of ensuring animal safety in the sport. The swift response and mandated reforms at Los Alamitos could set a new standard for racetrack safety that helps protect horses and sustain the sport’s future.
