By California Horse Power Coalition
When fans watch Thoroughbred racing at Del Mar, they see the excitement of world-class competition. What they don’t always see is the extensive network of professionals, technology, and protocols working behind the scenes to ensure the safety and welfare of both equine and human athletes.
As Del Mar enters its 2026 racing season, the racetrack continues to rank among the safest Thoroughbred racing venues in North America for the eighth consecutive year, according to injury rates reported through The Jockey Club’s Equine Injury Database (EID). Since 2018, more than 99 percent of races at Del Mar have been conducted without a significant equine injury, a testament to years of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Building a Safer Track from the Ground Up
Every safe race begins with a safe racing surface.
Caleb Dempsey, Chief Technology Officer for the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory (RSTL), explains that his organization’s mission is centered around one guiding principle: “A safe track is a consistent track.”
RSTL regularly evaluates Del Mar’s racing surface using specialized equipment designed to simulate the impact of a Thoroughbred’s front leg at full gallop. The team also uses ground-penetrating radar to examine the track’s layers, measures moisture content, analyzes surface composition, evaluates track slope, and records penetration depth throughout the racing surface.
Rather than relying on a single measurement, these data points work together to provide a complete picture of track conditions and ensure consistency from one end of the track to the other.
With historical data dating back to 2016 and comparisons to other racetracks throughout California and across the country, Del Mar can continually refine its maintenance practices to meet, and often exceed, industry standards.
Every Horse Receives Multiple Veterinary Examinations
Horse safety begins long before the starting gate opens.
According to Dr. Brent Cassidy, veterinarian for Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, every horse entered to race undergoes a comprehensive series of veterinary evaluations involving both the horse’s private veterinarian and Del Mar’s regulatory veterinary team.
The process starts before a horse is officially entered into a race, when the private veterinarian certifies that the horse is fit to compete. Regulatory veterinarians may also perform additional inspections before race day.
On race day itself, every horse receives multiple examinations that evaluate overall health, soundness, movement, and behavior. Horses are identified by microchip, examined while standing and walking, and carefully monitored throughout the day.
Approximately 20 minutes before entering the paddock, horses move to the holding barn for pre-race blood testing. Veterinarians then continue observing them in the paddock, during saddling, throughout the post parade, while warming up, and again as they load into the starting gate.
If a horse shows any indication that it may not be fit to compete, even moments before the race, it can be scratched immediately.
By the time a horse reaches the starting gate, as many as five separate veterinary examinations may have taken place.
“Our mission is to have as completely safe a racing environment for these horses as we possibly can,” said Dr. Cassidy.
Protecting the Human Athletes
Safety extends beyond the horses to the jockeys who pilot them.
Kim Jacobson, Vice President of Risk Management at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, says rider safety is monitored from the moment jockeys leave the jockeys’ room until after every race is complete.
Medical teams are strategically positioned throughout the facility, including the paddock, starting gate, racetrack, and infield. Ambulances follow dirt races, while advanced life support-equipped medical carts are positioned to quickly respond during turf races.
If an incident occurs, paramedics are often at the rider’s side within seconds, providing advanced life support and stabilization before transporting injured jockeys if necessary.
Del Mar also partners with Scripps La Jolla, a Level I Trauma Center, ensuring jockeys have immediate access to specialized care when needed.
Preparation plays a major role in that response. Before each racing season begins, Del Mar conducts extensive planning with emergency medical personnel, including classroom instruction, race film review, written protocols, maps, and on-track emergency drills. Following every incident, teams review their response to identify opportunities for improvement.
“We’re constantly evolving in our response to the riders,” Jacobson said.
Jockeys are also required to wear HISA- and California Horse Racing Board-approved helmets and safety vests whenever mounted, providing an additional layer of protection.
A Model for the Industry
Del Mar’s commitment to safety reaches well beyond its own racing season.
The safety reforms implemented at Del Mar, including enhanced veterinary oversight, strict medication regulations, comprehensive track surface testing, and robust emergency response protocols, helped establish many of the best practices now reflected in the national standards enforced by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA).
California Thoroughbred racing has seen serious equine injuries reduced by more than 50 percent over the past four years, demonstrating the impact of a collaborative, science-based approach to safety.
Del Mar also continues to invest in one of the nation’s premier Thoroughbred aftercare programs, ensuring horses receive support and opportunities for successful second careers after racing.
A Commitment That Never Stops
While Del Mar is proud to be recognized among North America’s safest racetracks, officials agree that safety is never a finished project. Every race, every veterinary examination, every track surface test, and every emergency drill reflects an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
Through collaboration between veterinarians, trainers, jockeys, track maintenance professionals, emergency responders, regulators, and horsemen, Del Mar continues to demonstrate that world-class Thoroughbred racing and industry-leading safety standards go hand in hand.
As their 2026 season begins, that commitment remains stronger than ever, helping protect the horses and people who make the sport possible while setting an example for the racing industry nationwide.