A lawsuit filed by former Santa Anita publicity director Mike Willman alleges that officials at the track conspired to blame trainers for the horse fatality crisis in 2019. Willman claims he was instructed to mislead investigators and the public about the reasons behind the deaths, leading to his termination in March 2024. The suit also alleges retaliation, wrongful termination, age discrimination, and defamation.

The suit contends that Santa Anita began a strategy to undermine Willman’s credibility when he refused to fraudulently mislead regulators and the public about the horse fatalities. The suit alleges that the blame was shifted from surface issues and weather conditions to the trainers themselves, particularly targeting Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who was banned from Santa Anita in 2019. The suit also claims that the blame pivot was orchestrated by Mercury Crisis Management.

An investigation by the L.A. County district attorney and a Times investigation concluded that there were multiple factors contributing to the horse deaths, but no single cause. Willman’s attorney stated that his client was terminated for refusing to lie about the horse deaths and intends to hold Santa Anita accountable for its actions. The suit also mentions that Hollendorfer previously sued Santa Anita, with the terms of the settlement remaining sealed.