The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) conducted a meeting by teleconference on Wednesday, Sept. 15.
The public participated by dialing into the teleconference and/or listening through the audio webcast link on the CHRB website. Chairman Gregory Ferraro chaired the meeting, joined by Vice Chair Oscar Gonzales and Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, and Wendy Mitchell.
The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the webcast link.
In brief:
• The Board allocated dates for all of California racing in 2022. The allocations reflect the recent and historical dates run by racing associations and fairs with two notable exceptions. Santa Anita will close for as many as two weeks in the middle of its winter-spring meet. Del Mar will shift its traditional schedule by one week with later opening and closing dates. Date allocations permit the tracks to operate on the dates they choose within their timeframes. The actual dates of planned operation will be announced and considered by the Board when each track submits its license application.
As allocated, the dates for the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit will begin at Santa Anita on December 15, 2021 (with opening day expected to be December 26 as usual). Santa Anita will take one week off (three racing days) for certain during the meet – the week of April 15-17 – and has the option for a second “flex week” that could immediately follow – April 22-24 – or be taken off at some other time depending on weather and circumstances. Their allocated dates conclude June 21.
The racing calendar continues to Los Alamitos for daytime Thoroughbred racing from June 22 to July 12, and then to Del Mar with allocations from July 13 to September 13. Del Mar is expected to go dark for the first week of that allocation and open its meet on July 22. Del Mar anticipates running beyond Labor Day and closing September 11.
The circuit will then shift back to Los Alamitos (September 14-27), then Santa Anita (September 28-November 8), Del Mar again (November 9-December 6), then finally back to Los Alamitos (December 7-20).
The Thoroughbred fair circuit in Northern California will begin at Golden Gate Fields with allocated dates of December 22 through June 14, followed by Pleasanton (June 15-July 12), Cal Expo (July 13-August 2), Santa Rosa (August 3-16), Ferndale (August 17-30), Golden Gate (August 24-October 4, overlapped one week with Ferndale), Fresno (October 5-18), and concluding at Golden Gate (October 19-December 20).
The Board allocated an entire year to Los Alamitos for night Quarter Horse racing (December 22-December 20). Los Alamitos will race both day and night during those weeks when Thoroughbred racing is conducted in the day.
Harness racing at Cal Expo will be conducted within two blocks of dates: December 22 through May 10 and October 26 through December 20.
• The Board approved the license application for the Los Angeles Turf Club (LATC) to conduct a Thoroughbred meet at Santa Anita with racing scheduled to begin October 1 and conclude October 31. The Board authorized the meet even though LATC could not finalize the horsemen’s agreement with the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT). The Board authorized the meet to proceed using the previous year’s agreement. Racing commissioners will be meeting with the CTT and racing executives in an effort to resolve their differences.
• The Board approved the license application for the Pacific Racing Association (PRA) to conduct a Thoroughbred meet at Golden Gate with racing scheduled to begin October 21 and conclude December 12. PRA faces the same issue as LATC concerning the horsemen’s agreement, so the Board authorized that meet to proceed with the previous year’s agreement. In conjunction with this license approval, the Board approved an agreement between PRA and the Thoroughbred Owners of California authorizing the racing secretary to establish conditions on races limiting the administrations of certain medications and certain procedures.
• The Board approved the license application for Big Fresno Fair to conduct a fair meet in Fresno with racing scheduled October 8-17.
• The Board approved the license application for Watch and Wager LLC to conduct a harness meet at Cal Expo with racing scheduled November 19-December 19.
• CHRB Executive Director reported on the tracking of racing related injuries that has been a topic at recent Board meetings. “The CHRB takes all such allegations very seriously,” he explained. “The CHRB assigns a fourth steward to racetracks. In addition to the three-member panel that oversees operations at each track, the CHRB assigns a safety steward to more specifically ensure the protections of horses and licensees. One of the safety steward’s responsibilities is to follow up on all horses that are vanned off or injured on the track. If those horses leave the track shortly after the injuries, CHRB investigators follow up along with the safety steward. There have been a few cases where the CHRB suspected that connections were trying to avoid the count, so our team followed up with either ranch visits or by requiring live pictures of the horses. The suspicions thus far have proven to be unfounded. Should we uncover evidence that injured horses are removed from racing or training facilities, the CHRB would prosecute such behavior to the fullest extent possible. If stakeholders or member of the public have actual evidence that any injured horse has been removed from regulated facilities to escape scrutiny, please contact the CHRB directly or through our tip line.”
• Concerning the panel responsible for reviewing entries to make sure the horses are fit to compete, Vice Chair Gonzales suggested expanding the panel to provide increased scrutiny for the Breeders’ Cup (November 5 and 6 at Del Mar). Dr. Jeff Blea, equine medical director, said this will be accomplished.
• The Board authorized Fasig-Tipton Co. to conduct a horse sale at Fairplex in Pomona on September 28.
• The Board began the regulatory process to prohibit any licensee from depositing more than one claim (commitment to purchase) for any horse in a race. Chairman Ferraro said this will ensure that trainers with smaller stables wishing to claim (purchase) horses will have an equal chance with larger stables that sometimes submit multiple claiming slips for different owners in their barns.
• The Board approved the amended license application by Xpressbet LLC to reflect a change in officers for its Advance Deposit Wagering operation.
(CHRB)