Golden Gate Fields now deadliest horse racing facility in California, activists say

administration to try. Find a way to get back to business, There was action at Golden Gate Fields today, but not on the horse racing track. Animal rights activists held a memorial protest to demand an end to the sport after 1/9 horse died during a race there last weekend. The activists say that Golden Gate Fields is now the deadliest track in California. KTVU is Jesse Gary has more now on today's demonstration and the state's response. The horse racing industry is inherently cruel and dangerous for horses with songs and signs. About two dozen protesters gathered outside Golden Gate Fields race track. Their collective call draws attention to the names of horses that have died recently. Okay killed February 23rd and to push officials to end the sport of horse racing that this place this'll place is using animals, a center tainment exploiting their bodies. And torturing them to perform as entertainers for humans. The horse racing industry has been under the microscope the past few years following dozens of deaths that tracks around the state. Nine so far this year at Golden Gate Fields, many more in Southern California. I wake up every morning and try to figure out ways to, you know, protect horses. Scott Cheney's the executive director of the California Horse Racing Board, He says. Injuries and deaths are inherent risks, Regardless if the horses are grazing in the wild or racing around a track. But a spate of deaths in 2019 and 2020 sparked the board to enact in nearly two dozen regulatory changes to better protect the animals. The result has produced a 13% decline and deaths two years ago and a 25% reduction last year. What we are really addressing and. Are the preventable fatalities and preventable injuries. And I think we've come a long way no matter how far the state has moved to protect these animals, it's not far enough. These demonstrators say the race now is not to the finish line, but to finish the sport of horse racing. I just think it's a sign of a sick society when we're allowing Centeon beings to be to be exploited. Demonstrators say the Golden Gate Fields site could be better repurposed as housing for the homeless in the area. We reached out To the racetrack to get a comment or response, but never heard back from them in San Jose, Jesse Gary KTVU Fox two news coming up in

Channel: KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco

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Keywords: News, Video, KTVU, Bay Area news, top news, Bay Area, seen-on-tv, jesse-gary, horse, race, berkeley, california, animals, pets, sports, activism

Id: yEtCYR8w2Dw

Length: 2min 23sec (143 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 08 2021