At a special Board of Directors meeting held Sunday, October 27, the leadership of California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) voted to assist in immediate fund-raising for the Southern California Equine Foundation (SCEF) purchase of an equine MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) facility to be added to the Equine Imaging Center at Santa Anita Park. The proven technology has been in use elsewhere previously, whereby the horse is standing while scanned.
The urgency of the fund-raising effort is based on a November 15 deadline to contract for the equipment which would then be installed at Santa Anita prior to the start of the upcoming Winter/Spring Thoroughbred race meeting commencing on December 26. SCEF, via the Dolly Green Foundation, has already pledged $450,000 to the project. Raising a matching amount would not only secure the standing MRI for use with horses at Santa Anita and training elsewhere in Southern California, but also reduce the ongoing per-scan charges for veterinarians, owners, and trainers, once the facility is installed.
The addition of the standing MRI would complete the state-of-the-art Santa Anita Imaging Center, which already includes nuclear scintigraphy technology and will soon add a newly-developed equine PET scan (Positron Emission Tomography) installation, made possible by a $500,000 contribution from The Stronach Group (TSG), owner of Santa Anita Park, and $200,000 via the Dolly Green Foundation. Between the two projects, the Dolly Green Foundation will have committed $650,000. TSG will also provide all installation infrastructure required for the addition of the standing MRI. The Imaging Center is a companion facility to the renowned Equine Hospital at Santa Anita Park, founded 40 years ago as the first-ever at a race track.
Donations of any amount to SCEF, organized under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, are tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law.
The completion of the Imaging Center is of critical importance for the future of racing in California, and elsewhere, given the increasing public scrutiny of the welfare of race horses. All techniques possible must be employed for purposes of diagnosis and injury prevention, and California racing has led the way for decades in equine welfare. The sport employs tens of thousands throughout California, directly and indirectly, who depend on its continuation and improvement for their own livelihoods. The thousands of horses in training for racing in California and elsewhere deserve the best diagnostic and treatment techniques possible to ensure their soundness and appropriate care.
To donate, contact Southern California Equine Foundation [scef-inc.com], California Thoroughbred Trainers at Santa Anita Park, or contribute via GoFundMe. Donations of any amount are very much appreciated.
New to the Paulick Report? Click here to sign up for our daily email newsletter to keep up on this and other stories happening in the Thoroughbred industry.
Copyright © 2019 Paulick Report.
