Executive Director of the California Horse Racing Board discusses recent deaths at Santa Anita Park

Santa Anita Race Track is reeling from yet another death of a horse since December 2018. This is the 22nd equine death and it's only turning up the heat on an already difficult situation.

Following this death, Santa Anita made an announcement that it was implementing new rules which include many things that some in the industry have pushed back on in recent years. Fox 11 reached out to the Executive Director of the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) for reaction and Rick Baedeker told us from Sacramento it was a nightmare that just doesn't seem to end.

In the interview, Baedeker talks about the need for bold steps and applauds Santa Anita for taking some he believes fits into that category. However, when asked about the future of horse racing in California he said: "it could be at risk."

Baedeker said that voters approved horse racing in 1933 and voters could decide to change that. He also concedes what's happening could be a "black fish" moment referring to the situation at Sea World where treatment of killer whales came under fire.