The concept of a social license to operate (SLO) is increasingly vital across industries, especially those involving animals, public trust, or ethical scrutiny. SLO refers to the informal, non-legally binding approval granted by society for an organization or activity to continue. It’s based on public trust, ethical standards, and perceived legitimacy. Unlike legal licenses, SLO is rooted in public perception, not government regulation. SLO is dynamic and can change rapidly with societal values, media influence-especially social media, and cultural norms. US racing had had incidents in the past that caused public fare-ups that quiet down after a short time such as Go For Wand in the 1990 Breeder’s Cup Distaff, Barbaro in the 2006 Preakness, and Eight Belles in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, but public scrutiny and threat to the SLO for horse racing from the rash of fatalities at Santa Anita in late 2018 through the spring of 2019 has never really quieted down despite major regulatory and cultural changes in horseracing over the last half dozen years. Legislation establishing federal oversight of racing through the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act passed through the US Congress in 2020 only after the safety component was added following Santa Anita’s disastrous 2018-2019 year. While catastrophic injuries remain the major concern from the public and garners continued the most attention, catastrophic injury concerns have opened horseracing to greater scrutiny for whip use, two-year old racing, doping and medication issues, and racehorse aftercare. The public in the US simply does not consider horses as livestock. Media amplification of injuries, whipping, or any other perceived animal abuse is ongoing, especially through social media. Most horsemen, track operators, and regulators have come to understand that losing their SLO is an existential threat to their livelihood.