After a nine-month investigation, a task force formed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office found no criminal wrongdoing related to a series of equine fatalities since the summer of 2018 at Santa Anita, according to a 17-page report issued on Thursday. The 12-person task force, composed of investigators and officials from the District Attorney’s office, including an animal cruelty coordinator, concluded the report with a lengthy list of recommendations to improve equine safety at the California’s racetracks, some of which were implemented as long as six months ago. “After a thorough investigation and review of the evidence, the District Attorney’s Task Force did not find evidence of criminal activity or unlawful conduct relating to the equine fatalities at Santa Anita Park,” the report stated. In its conclusion, the report stated investigations are ongoing. The task force was formed in March by District Attorney Jackie Lacey after a series of fatalities occurred in February and March that drew international attention and led to the cancellation of 13 days of racing in March while the main track was inspected and renovated. In its report, the task force reviewed 56 fatalities that occurred from July 1, 2018 through the end of November – 24 in workouts, 22 in races and 10 for other causes, such as illnesses or non-racing activity. The task force reviewed fatality reports published by the California Horse Racing Board, reviewed veterinarian, training, and racing records, and conducted interviews with track officials and a wide array of individuals involved in the care of horses. “After an exhaustive evidentiary investigation, the District Attorney Task Force determined there was insufficient evidence to prove criminal animal cruelty or other unlawful conduct under California law,” the report said. The task force’s report isolated several issues of concern found in necropsy reports conducted on 23 horses euthanized from Dec. 30, 2018 to March 31 of this year. During part of that time, Southern California experienced higher-than-normal rainfall. That aspect of the report focused on medications, track surface issues, whether any of the deceased horses raced with injuries, and whether owners and trainers faced pressure from track executives to start horses. “During the investigation, the Task Force did not uncover evidence indicating that an owner, trainer or jockey intentionally or knowingly raced an injured horse at Santa Anita Park,” the report stated. “Such a scenario could constitute animal cruelty. “In many of the fatalities, the necropsies have revealed horses had preexisting medical conditions, but presented as asymptomatic. During Task Force interviews, treating veterinarians, trainers and riders confirmed they did not identify any red flags that would have alerted them to the horses’ preexisting degenerative conditions.” The task force recognized efforts made by the racing board, racetracks and horsemen to enhance equine safety through 2019, including greater scrutiny of horses entered to race or scheduled to undergo timed workouts, and a reduction and elimination of some medications. In the final pages of the report, the task force recommended the implementation of 27 initiatives related to topics such as investigations conducted by the racing board, the identification of pre-existing conditions, track maintenance, and legislative and regulatory safety enforcement. The recommendations include some policies already implemented, including the installation of a Positron Emission Tomography scanner at Santa Anita’s backstretch equine hospital, which can provide an image of the fetlock joint and can be utilized while a horse is standing. The task forced urged the racing board to prepare expanded reports on fatalities, consider enhanced penalties for violations, and continue working with the district attorney’s office on investigations that could lead to criminal prosecution. “Some penalties do not reflect the severity of the violations and do not serve as an effective future deterrent,” the report stated in reference to sanctions for racing board violations. The task force recommended a continuing education program for trainers, regulating shock wave therapy, and enhanced transparency of veterinarian records, all of which have been discussed by the racing board in recent meetings. In addition, the task force called for a review of racing on a year-round basis and for allowing gaps in the schedule “to allow horses time to rest.” Thursday’s statement called for racing to continue its policy of reviewing the racing, training and medication records of horses entered to race by a panel of stewards and veterinarians, a program launched in June at the insistence of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Regarding track maintenance, the task force urged Santa Anita to evaluate converting the infield training track from a dirt to a synthetic surface and for the track to inform trainers of renovations for the purpose of planning exercise schedules. The task force also urged caution, or even cancellation, of racing on a sealed racetrack. Santa Anita and the racing board have implemented an expansive policy regarding such situations that will be in place in cases of extreme weather when the track’s winter-spring meeting begins on Dec. 26. In a two-paragraph statement issued Thursday, Santa Anita’s parent company, The Stronach Group, said the racetrack plans to implement some of the suggestions from the district attorney’s report. “We are all committed to the same thing – the highest level of equine safety and welfare – and we will continue to do everything possible to promote equine and rider health and safety,” the statement read, in part. “And we are gratified that the District Attorney’s report into the conduct and conditions at Santa Anita Park found no evidence of misconduct.”