Racing Safety

Welcome to the California Horse Racing Board’s Racing Safety Program.

UC Davis Racing Injury Prevention Program

• UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

  (Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory (VORL) Racing Injury Prevention Program Website)
  UC Davis video links

• Racing Safety Program Overview Module

• Humeral Fractures and Stress Fractures in the Racehorse

• Scapular Fractures and Stress Fractures in the Racehorse

• Racehorse Welfare and Safety
  Safeguards Specific to Del Mar 2017)

Protecting Horses & Jockeys

• We want your involvement in helping us develop methods that will ultimately result in longer, more productive careers for your horses, safer conditions for the riders and a positive public image for horse racing. 
• Injuries, breakdowns and associated medical treatment contribute significantly to the cost of doing business.  Millions of dollars are lost every year through forced retirements and fatalities. 

• The CHRB’s Racing Injury Prevention research program is a collaborative effort with the University of California at Davis.  We are developing learning modules that explain how to identify and heal pre-existing injuries that often lead to catastrophic breakdowns.
• Track Safety Standards are currently being developed to aid in the production of safe racing surfaces.
• Research is being conducted to determine the cause and prevention of horse racing accidents, the effects of drug substances on race horses and the means for detection of foreign substances.

• CHRB shall establish safety standards to improve the safety of horses, riders and workers at the racetrack.  Business and Professions Code section 19481 (a).
• Equine necropsies are performed to determine the cause of death on every horse which dies within our jurisdiction.  CHRB Rule 1846.5 (a).
• The Stewards shall investigate and prepare a report with respect to all on-track accidents.  The report shall include the likely causes of each accident.  Business and Professions Code section 19481.3 (e).

Veterinary