By DRF.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 27, 2017) – A horse based at San Luis Rey Downs with trainer Adam Kitchingman was recently found to have the equine herpesvirus, and racing officials are not allowing Kitchingman’s horses to ship into Santa Anita. The horse who tested positive and whom the trainer declined to identify was placed in isolation, according to Rick Arthur, California’s equine medical director. He said the horse was found to have the non-neurological strain of herpes, a milder strain, and he was optimistic there would be no additional cases at San Luis Rey Downs, a training center in northern San Diego County. “There is no evidence of any other horses being affected,” he said. “Everyone at San Luis Rey Downs is aware of the situation.” Arthur said Kitchingman’s horses may be allowed to ship this week if the situation improves. As a result of the herpes positive, the Kitchingman-trained Chief Hosa was scratched from an optional claimer at Santa Anita on Friday, and Red Lightning was withdrawn from... ...

ALBANY, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2017) – Be a part of the California-bred Turf Extravaganza Day celebration at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday, April 30. The feature events will be the $100,000 Campanile Stakes for Golden State Series eligible 3-year-old fillies and the $100,000 Silky Sullivan Stakes for Golden State Series eligible 3-year-olds. Both will be raced at one mile on turf. California Thoroughbred Breeders Association members will be welcome at a hospitality area on the Players Patio. The CTBA member track pass will serve as complimentary admission to the hospitality area, where an appetizer buffet will be provided with a private cash bar. Members of the CTBA Board of Directors will be present for a meet-and-greet. The Cal-bred Turf Extravaganza Day will be held on closing day of Golden Gate’s Turf Festival. ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Mar. 23, 2017) — California Thoroughbred Breeders Association again sponsored a booth at Ag Day March 22 at the California Capitol to educate legislators about the importance of the Thoroughbred industry to the state’s agricultural economy. CTBA Board Member George Schmitt and farm owner Joe Daehling kindly provided a mare and foal for a meet and greet with legislators: Pie Yammy, a 12-year-old daughter of Roar owned by Schmitt and his wife, Clare, along with the mare’s Brave Cat filly, who was born at Daehling Ranch Feb. 14. Schmitt, Daehling, Julia Oldfield (Daehling’s daughter), and CTBA Event Coordinator Christy Chapman represented the CTBA at the booth.   ...

From TOC ARCADIA, Calif. (mar. 23, 2017) — All horsemen are invited to an open forum at Santa Anita on Saturday, April 22nd at 10:00 a.m. in the Baldwin Conference Room. Meet TOC staff and directors for a discussion of current events and a chance to have your questions answered. Mark your calendars now for this special event. To register, please click here, or call us at (626) 574-6620. ...

By Paulickreport.com PLEASANTON, Calif. (Mar. 22, 2017) — When jockey R.M. “Bobby” Gonzalez moved his tack to Northern California in the late 1970s, one of the trainers who took notice of his ability to break horses quickly out of the starting gate was Doug Utley. “He gave me first call after I started beating him in a lot of races because I would get out of the gate fast and his horses couldn’t catch me,” Gonzalez said. “I became a speed rider and he loved speed horses. We made a good team.” Over the next 30 years, until a spill ended Gonzalez’s riding career in 2009, the two men were a force to be reckoned with in Northern California. They remained close friends in the ensuing years, and when Utley was suffering through the last stages of cancer he called the rider to tell him his end was near and that he planned to return to his native Utah. “I stopped by his place in Pleasanton about 10 days ago,” Gonzalez... ...

From DMTC DEL MAR, Calif. (Mar. 22, 2017) –The summer of 2017 will see Del Mar offer 41 stakes races worth $7.3 million for its horsemen during a 36-day season that will be the 78th for the iconic track founded in 1937 by Bing Crosby and a crew of his Hollywood pals. Racing alongside the blue Pacific will begin on Wednesday, July 19 and move forward to Labor Day, September 4 with its richest and most prestigious afternoon coming on Saturday, August 19 when the $1,000,000 TVG Pacific Classic will be presented for the 27th time as the highlight of a stakes-filled card.  The robust Del Mar stakes program is expected to take on extra significance this year with the 34th edition of the Breeders’ Cup headed to the seaside track for the first time as part of its fall session.  Horsemen from around the country are expected to take advantage of the summer races as likely “preps” for their runners who are being pointed for any of the 13 championship events... ...

DEL MAR, Calif. (Mar. 21, 2017) — Two high quality two-year-olds have been added to the 28th Annual Barretts Select Two-Year-Old in Training Sale. Tapit has been the leading sire for each of the last 3 years and currently commands the highest stud fee of any stallion in North America.  Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables has an extremely well-bred son of Tapit who is the first foal of the Grade 1 winner Lady of Fifty.  Named Fiftyshadesoftapit, this colt sells as Hip 135. Stay Thirsty, a multiple Grade 1 winning son of major sire Bernardini, is currently the second leading second crop sire in North America in 2017.  Clovis Crane’s Crane Thoroughbred Services has a filly who is the second foal of the young War Front mare Social Amber.  Named Osteria, this filly sells as Hip 104.  This auction will be held on Wednesday, March 29 in the Surfside Raceplace located on the grounds of Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California beginning at 2:00 p.m. PDT.   The entire catalog can... ...

From CHRB ALBANY, Calif. (Mar. 21, 2017) — The Racing, Breeding and Stabling Initiatives Committee will meet Thursday, March 23, at Golden Gate Fields beginning at 10 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend. The agenda and supporting package of materials are available on the CHRB Website. ...

From TOC ARCADIA, Calif. (Mar. 15, 2017) — John Van de Kamp, who was TOC President and General Counsel from 1996 through 2004, died March 14 at his home in Pasadena following a brief illness. He was 81. Van de Kamp was born in Pasadena into a prominent family known for its popular baked goods and windmill-themed bakeries. He graduated from Stanford Law School in his early 20s and served a short stint in the military before being appointed an assistant U.S. attorney. He was a towering political figure who made his mark as the top prosecutor in Los Angeles County and then California, serving as California’s Attorney General in the 1980s. Most recently he served as counsel in Mayer Brown LLP’s Los Angeles office.  As the second TOC president, he helped define the position of a new entity in the industry’s decision-making process. Through his strong leadership and dedication, he gave the horse owner a greater voice in the California thoroughbred industry. “I learned early in my tenure that... ...

From CHRB ALBANY, Calif. (Mar. 14, 2017) — The date for the California Horse Racing Board meeting originally scheduled for Thursday, March 23, has been changed to April 6. The location for the meeting remains at Golden Gate Fields. The meeting of the Racing, Breeding and Stabling Initiatives Committee will still take place on March 23 at Golden Gate Fields beginning at 10 a.m. ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2017) –The Breeders’ Cup released detailed ticketing information Feb. 28 for the 2017 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, taking place at Del Mar Nov. 3-4. The 2017 Breeders’ Cup will mark the first time  the World Championships will be held at Del Mar, located just north of San Diego. Beginning March 6 at Noon EST / 9 a.m. PST, fans will be able to purchase tickets online at www.BreedersCup.com/Tickets or by calling the ticketing office at 877-849-4287. A special ticket pre-sale will be conducted in the days prior to the March 6 on-sale date. Fans are encouraged to sign up now at dmtc.com/season/breeders-cup for pre-sale access as demand for tickets to the 2017 World Championships is expected to be high and reserved seating is likely to sell out quickly. Similar to when the two-day event was held at Keeneland in 2015, Breeders’ Cup and Del Mar will also cap the number of attendees at 37,500 per day. Detailed information on seating options can be viewed... ...

From CHRB ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2017) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, February 23, at Santa Anita Park. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. First Vice Chair George Krikorian, Second Vice Chair Madeline Auerbach and Commissioners Jesse Choper, Araceli Ruano and Alex Solis also were in attendance. The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief: Acting on a recommendation from the Medication, Safety and Welfare Committee, the Board approved for public notice significant proposed regulatory amendments to improve the out-of-competition testing program as part of an aggressive enforcement program that will have the added benefit of protecting horses and riders. The proposals reflect the recommendations of the Racing Medication of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and the Model Rules adopted by the Association of Racing Commissioners International. The complete texts of these amendments can be found on the CHRB Website within the package for the Board meeting, agenda item 11. The Board adopted... ...

From Barretts DEL MAR, Calif. (Feb. 24, 2017) — The catalog for the 28th Annual Barretts March Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training is now on-line and will be mailed soon. This auction of 129 two-year-olds will be held on Wednesday, March 29 in the Surfside Raceplace located on the grounds of Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California beginning at 2:00 p.m. PDT. The catalog can be viewed here now. The March Sale catalog should also be available soon for iPad. Click here for details. The official training preview is scheduled to be held on Monday, March 27 on the Del Mar racetrack beginning at 10:00 a.m. PDT. The preview will be streamed live here. Video clips for each preview can be viewed on-line by the following morning of the preview here. Since its inception, the Barretts March Sale has long been the leading producer of top quality race horses west of Kentucky. Among the many Grade One winners are Awesome Gem, Brocco, Brother Derek, Danon Legend (JPN), Dubai... ...

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2017) — The California Horse Racing Board during its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Feb. 23 at Santa Anita Park unanimously approved a measure to allow races to be run with medication-based eligibility conditions. After a ruling in March by the Los Angeles County Superior Court—which forced the CHRB to set aside its approval of Los Alamitos Race Course’s “house rules” banning the use of Clenbuterol, Albuterol, Zilpaterol, and Ractopamine for Quarter Horses races—the CHRB took an emergency action in the spring of 2016 to allow Los Alamitos to continue that practice. The vote Thursday made that temporary, emergency action permanent. The Superior Court found that Los Alamitos’ “house rules” at the time had conflicts with CHRB rules, which forced the change in the CHRB rule. ANGST: Court Rules Against Los Alamitos Drug Rules Under the approved new amendment, racing secretaries in California can establish medication-based eligibility conditions as long as the conditions are “agreed to in advance in writing by the acknowledged horsmen’s organization.... ...

From Barretts POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 11, 2017) — Stormy Hull of Sequim, Washington is the recipient of the inaugural McMahon Award given to the breeder of the leading money-winning California-bred two-year-old stakes winner sold at public auction.   Hull, who operates Critter Creek Farm along with Ginger Samples, bred California Diamond, recently named the California-bred Champion Two-Year-Old colt of 2016.  With earnings of $417,780 last year, he easily outdistanced all rivals. California Diamond was purchased from the Critter Creek Farm consignment at the 2015 WTBOA Summer Yearling Sale by John Brocklebank, agent for Dickman Legacy Ranch.  After receiving his early preparation in Utah, he won his 2-year-old debut, a 5-furlong Maiden Special Weight at Santa Anita on June 17 for Brocklebank, and returned 22 days later to set a new stakes record while winning the listed Santa Anita Juvenile. The sale topper at the Barretts’ Paddock Sale at Del Mar two weeks later, he continued a juvenile campaign for leading California owner Rockingham Ranch and trainer Peter Miller not seen in... ...

ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2017) – Rosemary Stringer, longtime staff member of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, passed away last week. She was 87. Stringer, reared in the San Gabriel Valley, worked for the CTBA from 1981 until her retirement in 2012. She began in the registration department, worked as a receptionist and then became membership manager. Stringer is survived by two children, Tate Stringer and Hillary Ward. A celebration of her life will be held at Santa Anita’s Clocker’s Corner on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m.  ...

By DRF.com ALBANY, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2017) — Trainer Jerry Weaver, 81, suffered a fatal heart attack in his tack room at Golden Gate Fields on Tuesday, according to a track executive. Weaver, who began training in 1991, saddled 142 winners from 1,488 starters. His runners hit the board 481 times. Funeral arrangements were pending. ...

From CHRB SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2017) — The CHRB 2015-16 annual report is now posted on the CHRB Website at http://www.chrb.ca.gov/annual_reports/2016_annual_report.pdf. ...

From Harris Farms COALINGA, Calif. (Feb. 7, 2017) – Harris Farms is pleased to announce the addition of Jeranimo to our 2017 stallion roster. The 11-year-old son of Congaree, out of Jera, by Jeblar won eight graded stakes over a six-year racing career and earned $1,525,364. Included in his stakes victories were the G1 Eddie Read stakes and G1 Shoemaker Mile. In addition, he captured the G2 San Gabriel Stakes three times, the last coming as an 8-year-old. Jeranimo displayed explosive speed winning the Shoemaker Mile and his late-running style was impressive in the Eddie Read. Jeranimo is owned by the Jeranimo Partnership and will stand for $2,500 live foal, stand to nurse for the 2017 breeding season. For additional information or contracts contact Dave McGlothlin at davem@harrisfarms.com or 559-884-2859. ...

From Rancho San Miguel SAN MIGUEL, Calif. (Feb. 6, 2017) — Multiple stakes winner Rousing Sermon sired his first foal when Coastal Skimming delivered a colt on January 30.  The Coastal Skimming foal was bred by Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams. Coastal Skimming is a multiple winner of over $122,000 and is the dam of Swiss Skimmer, a winner of nearly $160,000 in earnings, and Sea Preacher, a winner of almost $100,000 in earnings.  Rousing Sermon is by Lucky Pulpit and is out of Rousing. He is the leading earning son of Lucky Pulpit at stud in California. Rousing Sermon is also the leading juvenile earning son of his sire, with over $274,000 earned as a juvenile, while winning the California Cup Juvenile Stakes and finishing second in both the CashCall Futurity G1 and the Real Quiet Stakes. Overall, he earned $821,572 during his 36-race campaign.  Rousing Sermon will stand his second season at Rancho San Miguel for $2,000 live foal. ...

From Rancho San Miguel SAN MIGUEL, Calif. (Feb. 3, 2017) – California stallion Curlin to Mischief sired his first foal when Billiondollarbaby dropped a filly on Feb. 2. Rancho San Miguel farm manager Clay Murdock said, “The first foal, for both Curlin to Mischief and the dam, stands up and over a good bit of ground. Her presence is noted by her beautiful eye and classic head. The bone, the body and her confirmation is what we had expected from this sire line.” Billiondollarbaby is by Giacomo out of Sovereign Cross. Her Curlin to Mischief 2017 filly was bred by Crown Racing Stables, LTD. Curlin to Mischief is by Curlin and out of Leslie’s Lady; she is the dam of multiple champion filly/mare Beholder and the Eclipse-Award siring Into Mischief. Curlin to Mischief will stand for $3,500 live foal. ...

From DMTC Publicity DEL MAR, Calif. (Feb. 2, 2017) — The 27th running of the $1,000,000 TVG Pacific Classic will be held on Saturday, August 19 at Del Mar and be broadcast live by the NBC Sports Network, it has been announced. The Grade I mile and one-quarter for 3-year-olds and up, captured last year in spectacular fashion by subsequent Horse of the Year California Chrome, will be the centerpiece of the seaside track’s 78th summer season, which runs from July 19 to September 4. It will air from 5 to 6 p.m. (Pacific). The TVG Pacific Classic is the west’s only million dollar race for older horses. It is again part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and will guarantee its winner a free spot in the starting gate for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Saturday, November 4. “The TVG Pacific Classic has grown in stature year by year,” said DMTC executive vice president and chief operating officer Josh Rubinstein. “And with the Breeders’ Cup... ...

From TOC ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2017) — The California Thoroughbred Business League (CTBL), a group comprised of racing associations, horsemen’s organizations and fairs, is responsible for overseeing funds that are to be utilized for providing workers’ compensation insurance relief to horsemen. Working with Finish Line Self Insurance Group (FLSIG), which has handled workers’ compensation for the Thoroughbred horsemen for the past six years, the CTBL has been dealing with the issue of steadily increasing statewide workers’ compensation rates. The cost of the 2017 program for Thoroughbreds is estimated to be $13,767,652 – a 3.64% increase over 2016.   As a result, it has become necessary to increase the per-start fee from $95 to $100 to cover the owners’ portion of funding for the program. The per-start fee will continue to be automatically deducted from the owner’s paymaster account every time they start a horse. This change will go into effect at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields beginning February 1.   Owners having questions concerning the FLSIG Workers’... ...

From CHRB ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 27, 2017) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, January 26, at Santa Anita Park. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, Jesse Choper, George Krikorian, Araceli Ruano, and Alex Solis also were in attendance. The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief: ·        Chairman Winner opened the meeting by first announcing that Commissioner Steve Beneto had resigned from his position on the Board in order to devote more time to his own business interests. The Chairman described him as “a terrific member of the Board, who will be missed by the Board and by racing in general.” ·        Chairman Winner next introduced newly appointed Commissioner Araceli Ruano. He said her “background, her resume, is really special…and I think the other Board members, the staff, and everyone involved in racing will be delighted that Commissioner Ruano is now on our Board.” ·        Executive Director Rick Baedeker announced there had... ...

By Bloodhorse.com Multiple grade 1 winner and millionaire Brother Derek   has been purchased by Saudi Arabian owner/breeder Abdulaziz Albarjes and will stand at his Alysoob Stud Farm near Riyadh. The 14-year-old California-bred son of Benchmark—Miss Soft Sell, by Siyah Kalem, is expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia Feb. 24. He does not have a stud fee for 2017 because breeding fees are not charged.  Alysoob Stud also owns American-bred sires Pomeroy   and Flashy Bull  , who entered stud overseas in 2015. “One of the reasons we chose Brother Derek was his sire line,” said Adullah Alanasser, the son of Albarjes. “The Alydar line is not very common in Saudi Arabia. We hope to see great runners out of his offspring.” Brother Derek, bred in California by Mary Caldwell, was sold for $275,000 as a 2-year-old to Cecil Peacock. Peacock and trainer Dan Hendricks won five graded stakes with Brother Derek, including the Hollywood Futurity and Santa Anita Derby (both G1). He retired with six wins out of 17 starts and earnings of... ...

By Bloodhorse.com NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 26, 2017) — Love the Chase, dam of two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome  , foaled a Tapit   half brother to North America’s all-time leading money earner just before midnight Jan. 25. The chestnut colt was born at Atlas Farm in Nicholasville, KY where Love the Chase has resided since selling for $1.95 million to John McCormack Bloodstock as agent on behalf of SF Bloodstock at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton November sale.  “This colt has four big shoes to fill,” Tom Ryan of SF Bloodstock posted when he announced the foal’s arrival on Twitter. “He has loads of character and a peculiar white blaze.” The Tapit colt is the first live foal out of Love the Chase since the daughter of Not For Love produced a son of Lucky Pulpit in 2015 that is a full brother to California Chrome. California Chrome is set to make his final career start in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park before retiring to stud... ...

From Cicero Farms HEMET, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2017) — Cicero Farms’ Grade II-placed mare Tiz A Kiss (Cee’s Tizzy – Candy Factory by Seattle Bound) has been officially retired and will head to California Hall of Fame breeder Pat Thompson’s Ridgeley Farm to begin her broodmare career.  The 7-year old is scheduled to visit He Be Fire N Ice for her first mating.  “Originally scheduled for retirement at the end of February this year, the racing connections of Tiz A Kiss decided to retire the gray mare six weeks early,” said Barbara Ranck Perry of Cicero Farms.  “In the Megahertz she showed she was ready for her next career.  She was a real gem to race and we are excited for the next chapter.  We are very excited to breed her to He Be Fire N Ice. “We believe in Cal-bred racing and saw no reason to send her to Kentucky when we can breed to such a brilliant son of Unusual Heat, the all-time leading sire in California.  We... ...

From Pacific Coast Thoroughbreds HEMET, Calif. (Jan. 23, 2017) – Ethnic Dance, winner of the Grade II Del Mar Derby, has been retired to stand the 2017 breeding season for a fee of $1,500. The son of Tribal Rule is a half brother to Twirling Candy, the second-leading second-crop sire of 2016 behind Uncle Mo. Ethnic Dance broke his maiden at a mile on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park by 6 ¾ lengths. He won the 2013 Del Mar Derby gate to wire by 1 ¼ lengths. ...

From CHRB ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 20, 2017) — The California Horse Racing Board will conduct its regular monthly meeting Thursday, January 26, at Santa Anita Park beginning at 9:30 a.m. An audio-only webcast of the Board meeting can be heard through a link on the CHRB website (webcast). The Medication, Safety and Welfare Committee will meet Wednesday at the same location beginning at 11 a.m. The public is encouraged to attend these meetings. The Board agenda and supporting package of materials are available on the CHRB website, as are those for the Medication Committee (agenda and package). ...

From Milky Way Farm TEMECULA, Calif. (Jan. 20, 2017) – California stallion Circumference was represented by his first foal on Jan. 16, a filly out of the winning dam Nubian Priincess. John Ivory is the breeder. Circumference is the first son of Galileo to stand in California. He is a half brother to Circular Quay. Circumference stands at Milky Way Farm in Temecula for a fee of $3,000. ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Jan. 19, 2017) — Veteran trackman Dennis Moore, the track superintendent at Santa Anita Park, has agreed to accept the additional role of director of track maintenance at Del Mar, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club announced Jan. 19.   Moore, 67, with more than 44 years of experience working racetracks around the world, will continue his full-time role at Santa Anita while also assuming his new responsibilities at Del Mar for its summer and fall meetings.   “Having consistency is a key element in safety and that can mean surface and personnel,” said Del Mar president and general manager Joe Harper. “With Dennis Moore on board at Southern California’s two major tracks—both featuring the same racing surfaces—we’ve moved solidly in that direction. We owe Keith Brackpool and his people at Santa Anita a big thank you for their willingness to share Dennis with us, which will go a long way toward enhancing Southern California’s racing and training environment.   “We’re doing everything in our power... ...

From NTRA LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 11, 2017) – The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today announced that a system has been established at https://www.ntra.com/comment for individuals to submit an e-mail comment directly to the United States Treasury Department in support of newly proposed regulations related to withholding and reporting of pari-mutuel winnings. The proposed regulations, which would replace outdated regulations adopted nearly 40 years ago, more accurately reflect today’s pari-mutuel wagering environment and will positively impact a significant percentage of winning wagers, particularly those involving multi-horse or multi-race exotic wagers. It is believed that the proposed changes will result in tens of millions of dollars in additional pari-mutuel wagering annually. If adopted, the new regulations will not only  promote greater compliance and more accurate reporting and withholding by taxpayers but also reduce burdensome and needless paperwork system-wide. Efforts spearheaded by the NTRA on behalf of the industry over the past two and a half years came to fruition on December 30 when Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published... ...

From Equibase LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2017) — California-bred California Chrome posted the top Equibase Speed Figure in 2016, the company announced on Thursday. California Chrome earned a 132 for his 12-length romp in the Winter Challenge Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course on December 17. Owned by California Chrome LLC, California Chrome earned the top figure in his final start of the year, completing the 8 1/2-furlong Winter Challenge in a track record time of 1:40.03. Horse of the Year in 2014 and a finalist for the same honor in 2016, California Chrome won six other races last year in addition to his top-ranked performance, including the Dubai World Cup, Pacific Classic, and Awesome Again Stakes. California Chrome is expected to make the final start of his career in the inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on January 28. “The Winter Challenge race was fun because he got to finally run where he’s been based and the Los Alamitos fans really enjoyed it,” said California Chrome’s... ...

By DRF.com ALBANY, Calif. (Jan. 12, 2017) — Russell Baze, the winningest jockey in horse-racing history, will enter another Hall of Fame in April when he is enshrined in the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in San Francisco. Baze, 58, retired from racing last June with 12,842 victories. Baze has been inducted into both the U.S. and Canadian racing halls of fame. He was awarded a special Eclipse Award in 1995 after winning 400 races for the fourth straight year. He also was honored with Santa Anita’s George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award as voted on by fellow jockeys. ...

From TOC ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2017) — Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) is offering a free seminar, “Tax Planning for Horse Owners” – an introductory seminar aimed at helping horse owners gain a working knowledge of the rules of both federal income and state sales taxation as they apply to the racehorse business. A panel of tax experts will discuss tax treatment for horse acquisitions and sales, tax deductions for business related expenses, the IRS “hobby loss” provision, depreciation, sales and use taxes, forms of doing business (sole proprietorship, partnership, syndicate, corporation or LLC), capital gains and more. The seminar will take place at Santa Anita Racetrack, in the Baldwin Conference Room (3rd floor, Clubhouse level), Saturday, Feb. 4 at 8:30 a.m.  Although it is free and open to the public, reservations are recommended and can be made by calling TOC at (626) 574-6620 or by clicking here. TOC is the official organization serving new, veteran and future Thoroughbred owners in the state. It represents, advances, and protects owners’... ...

From Equibase LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 2, 2017) – California-bred California Chrome was the leading Thoroughbred earner in the world in 2016 with earnings of $8,090,000, which included his win in the Dubai World Cup, according to final statistics released today by Equibase Company LLC, the Thoroughbred industry’s official database for racing information. Jockey Javier Castellano finished the year as the leading rider by earnings for the fourth consecutive year while Ken and Sarah Ramsey were the top earners for owners for the third time in four years and Chad Brown for the first time was the top earner for trainers. Breeders’ Cup Classic and Travers Stakes winner Arrogate led all Thoroughbreds in North American earnings with earnings of $4,084,600. California Chrome, whose other races this year included victories in the Pacific Classic, Awesome Again Stakes and San Diego Handicap and a runner-up finish to Arrogate in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is also the sport’s all-time leading earner with total earnings of $14,502,650, including Dubai World Cup earnings. (California Chrome and Arrogate... ...

From CTFMA BONSALL, Calif. (Dec. 30, 2016) – The California Thoroughbred Farm Managers Association will hold a San Diego Stallion Tour on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017. The tour will visit Ballena Vista Farm (stallions Bluegrass Cat, Calimonco, Dixie Chatter and Eddington), E.A. Ranches (Haimish Hy and Mr. Big) and Ocean Breeze (Cogito and Square Eddie). The tour will leave the San Luis Rey Downs parking lot in Bonsall at 8 a.m. The cost is $40, with CTFMA providing transportation, lunch, morning coffee and afternoon snacks. To reserve a spot, RSVP to: ctfma@yahoo.com. Payment can be made at: paypal.me/CTFMA or mail check to CTFMA, P.O. Box 876, Fallbrook, Ca., 92088. ...

From CHRB SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Dec. 23, 2016) — Araceli Ruano, 45, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board of Directors, it was announced on Friday by Governor Brown. Ruano has been a senior advisor at the SFE Group LLC since 2016. She was vice president at Sotheby’s West Coast Trusts and Estates Department from 2014 to 2016. Ruano was senior vice president and director at the Center for American Progress from 2010 to 2013 and chief executive officer at the ALAS Foundation from 2007 to 2009.She was an attorney at Mayer, Brown, Rowe and Maw LLP from 2003 to 2007 and at Manatt, Phelps and Phillips LLP from 2001 to 2003. Ruano was a senior policy advisor for the Gore Presidential Campaign Committee in 2000. She was assistant political director and senior policy advisor to Vice President Al Gore and Second Lady Tipper Gore at the White House from 1993 to 1997. Ruano is a member of the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Board of Directors, CalArts... ...

By Bloodhorse.com RAMONA, Calif. (Dec. 22, 2016) – Retired California stallion Turkoman, an Eclipse Award winner and longtime California sire, was euthanized due to infirmities of old age Dec. 21 at E.A. Ranches in Ramona, California. The pensioned son of Alydar was 34. Trained by Gary Jones and campaigned by Saron Stable, Turkoman teased of his ability during his 3-year-old season with runner-up finishes in the grade I Swaps and Travers Stakes and a third-place finish in the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I).   It was at age four that the dark bay son of Alydar shone most brightly.  A fan favorite due in part to his 17-hand size and thrilling come-from-behind style, Turkoman won the Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II), Widener Handicap (gr. I), and Tallahassee Handicap before running down Precisionist in the 1986 Marlboro Cup (gr. I).  Favored in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, Turkoman trailed the field before unleashing his trademark come-from-behind move in the homestretch only to fall short by 1 1/4 lengths to longshot Skywalker.... ...

From CHRB SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Dec. 19, 2016) – This is an update of complaints, stewards’ rulings, and Board decisions involving Class 1, 2, and 3 medication violations and other significant matters. Pursuant to CHRB Rule 1859.5, the stewards at Santa Anita issued a ruling today disqualifying Masochistic from his second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and redistributing his share of the purse ($255,000) based on positive test findings for the anabolic steroid stanozolol. On November 5, 2016, Masochistic, trained by Ron Ellis, finished second in the sixth race at Santa Anita Park (the Breeders’ Cup Sprint). Post-race blood and urine samples taken from Masochistic were analyzed by the Maddy Laboratory at U.C. Davis and found to contain the Class 3 drug stanozolol and its metabolite 16-hydroxy stanozolol. Split-sample results received from Industrial Laboratory on December 16 confirmed the presence of stanozolol and/or its metabolite 16-hydroxy stanozolol in both blood and urine samples. Accordingly, the stewards conducted a hearing Friday on a complaint filed by the California Horse Racing Board,... ...

From CHRB LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (Dec. 16, 2016) — The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, December 15, at Los Alamitos Race Course. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, George Krikorian and Alex Solis also were in attendance. 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 gave final approval to race meets at Los Alamitos, Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields after the three associations submitted (or promised) all documents required by statutes. In doing so, Scott Daruty with the Stronach Group indicated that both Santa Anita and Golden Gate will be limiting their agreements to four Advance Deposit Wagering companies: Xpressbet, TVG, NYRAbets.com, and TwinSpires. Furthermore, Xpressbet and TVG have signed agreements with the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) for a revised distribution of revenue from wagers placed through ADW by bettors while they are physically located at live race meets. Daruty indicated their intention to have the same... ...

By Bloodhorse.com CYPRESS, Calif. (Dec. 16, 2016) —Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields are planning to limit the amount of advance deposit wagering operations that are permitted to take bets on races at the two racetracks, Scott Daruty said at a California Horse Racing Board meeting Dec. 15. Ongoing financial relationships between racetracks, advance deposit wagering platforms, and horsemen were again the centerpiece of the CHRB meeting at Los Alamitos Race Course. Daruty, who often speaks at CHRB meetings representing various entities aligned with The Stronach Group (which owns both Santa Anita and Golden Gate), said the racetracks have already reached agreements with TVG and Xpressbet (another entity of The Stronach Group), and would likely reach a deal with TwinSpires and NYRA Bets. Those left out could include BetAmerica and Watch and Wager. “We came to the conclusion that we’re not sure we’re doing the right thing at Santa Anita by sticking our neck out and taking heat from horsemen and regulators on one side, and ADWs on the... ...

By Thoroughbredracing.com NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (Dec. 14, 2016) — Even before California Chrome begins his new career as a stallion in about two months, co-owner and breeder Perry Martin is harboring expectations equal to the unparalleled standards the flame-colored chestnut has burned into history as North America’s all-time leading earner. “I hope and expect that he’s going to displace Tapit as the top United States sire,” Martin declared in early December after working with Taylor Made Farm at the Keeneland November sale to acquire nine mares at a total cost of $2.79 million to be bred to California Chrome. Since Tapit has set North American records for single-season progeny earnings in each of the last three years and sired 21 Grade 1 winners, beginning with champion Stardom Bound in his initial crop – and is top U.S. sire in the TRC Global Rankings, Martin’s hopes are soaring beyond earthly bounds. As he pointed out, however, there are reasons for optimism: California Chrome has a far superior race record, featuring seven Grade... ...

From Barretts POMONA, Calif. (Dec. 9, m2016) — The catalog for 2017 Barretts January Mixed Sale is on-line and will be mailed soon.  This auction of 182 head will be held on Tuesday, January 17 starting at 11:00 a.m. on the grounds of Fairplex Park.   The catalog can be viewed here.   The catalog is also available on the Ipad using The Jockey Club’s free Ipad ap.  Click here for more information.   Cataloged horse’s Daily Racing Form past performances are here.   Among the sires of the 47 yearlings and 66 two-year-olds in the catalog are such stallions as Acclamation, Artie Schiller, Awesome Patriot, Bluegrass Cat, Bullet Train, Champ Pegasus, Coil, Cylcotron, Desert Code, Dominus, Empire Way, First Samurai, Flat Out, Heatseeker, Jeranimo, Lookin At Lucky, Lucky Pulpit, Macho Uno, Marino Marini, Merit Man, Ministers Wild Cat, Paddy O’Prado, Richard’s Kid, Sapphire Cat, Shackleford, Shanghai Bobby, Sierra Sunset, Slew’s Tiznow, Smiling Tiger, Stormberg, Street Boss, Street Hero, The Factor, The Pamplemousse, Tizway, Ultimate Eagle, Vronsky and Wilburn.   The... ...

From TOC ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 9, 2016) — At its meeting today, the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) unanimously elected Nick Alexander chairman. Alexander joined the board in 2013 and has served as Secretary/Treasurer since that time. Alexander replaces Mike Pegram, who will remain on the board and executive committee but is stepping down after serving as chairman for six years.   Alexander is the founder of Nick Alexander Imports and operates a horse ranch in Santa Ynez. He has raced Thoroughbreds in California for 38 years, and his homebred stallion Grazen is one of the top ten on the Lifetime Stallion Leaders list.   “Mike Pegram has been an exceptional, hard-working chairman, and his shoes will be very hard to fill,” said Alexander. “But I am committed to working diligently to protect and advance owners’ rights. The issues confronting California racing and TOC members have never been as important as they are today. I look forward to working with our president, Greg Avioli and... ...

By Bloodhorse.com FERNDALE, Calif. (Dec. 9, 2016) –A magnitude 6.5 earthquake off the coast of Northern California Dec. 8 only caused “minor cosmetic damages” to the Ferndale racetrack at the Humboldt County Fair, according to fair officials. The earthquake, which hit at 6:49 a.m. PT, had an epicenter about 100 miles off the coast. Ferndale sits about 200 miles north of the San Francisco Bay Area. “We’re really fortunate,” said Richard Conway, general manager of the Humboldt County Fair. “There’s almost no evidence of the earthquake. Things shook off shelves and there’s some cracks in drywall, but that’s it. “It’s funny how these things can happen. We’ve had smaller earthquakes cause more damage, but this time we were fortunate.” The Humboldt County Fair has offered horse racing since its first year in 1896. ...

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2016) –Veteran jockeys Kerwin Clark, Stewart Elliott, Julien Leparoux, Glen Murphy, and Scott Stevens are the five finalists for the 2017 Santa Anita George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, Santa Anita Park announced Dec. 7. The Woolf Award, which can only be won once, has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950 and recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. The trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue of legendary jockey George Woolf, which adorns Santa Anita’s paddock gardens. The winner will be announced in February following a nationwide vote of jockeys. Woolf, who died following a spill on Santa Anita’s clubhouse turn Jan. 3, 1946, was regarded as one of the top big-money riders of his era. Known affectionately as “The Iceman,” he was revered by his colleagues, members of the media, and fans across America as a fierce competitor and consummate professional who was at his best when the... ...

From Barretts  DEL MAR, Calif. (Dec. 7, 2016) — All 2017 Barretts Sales will be held at Del Mar, except the 2017 January Mixed Sale and 2017 Fall Sale of Yearlings and Horses of all Ages, which will be held at Fairplex Park in Pomona. January Mixed Sale, to be held in Pomona, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 Supplemental Entries Close: January 3, 2017   Select Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Training Preview: Monday, March 27, 2017   May Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training, Wednesday, May 17, 2017 Training Preview: Monday, May 15, 2017 Entries Close: April 7, 2017 Supplemental Entries Close: May 3, 2017   The Paddock Sale of Race Ready Horses, Sunday, July 29, 2017 Training Preview: Friday, July 27, 2017   August Select Yearling Sale, Tuesday, August 29, 2017 Nominations Close: April 14, 2017   Fall Sale of Yearlings and Horses of Racing Age, to be held in Pomona, Tuesday, October 17, 2017 Early Entries Close: August 25, 2017 Entries Close: September 1, 2017 ...

By Bloodhorse.com BloodHorse and Weatherbys announced today they have jointly developed a free Global Stallions app that is now available for Apple and Android phones and tablets. The app provides continually updated graphs, charts, and statistics pertaining to stallions standing in North America and Europe and timely worldwide racing information about their offspring. Featuring more than 700 stallions from the BloodHorse Stallion Register and the Weatherbys Stallion Book, the app provides customizable views and the ability to select currency measurements, distance measurements, and “favorite” stallions. “This app should be exceptionally useful for Thoroughbred breeders all over the world, and we enjoyed working with the Weatherbys team to develop it,” said John K. Keitt Jr., publisher and editorial director of BloodHorse. “It is not just a digital version of a printed stallion register; it has many interactive, real-time features that are not possible in a printed format.” “Weatherbys is delighted to have jointly developed an app that we believe will quickly become one of the most useful sources of information for... ...

From UC Davis DAVIS, Calif. (Dec. 3, 2016) —This summer, join UC Davis Extension on two exciting outdoor adventures that take participants into the California wilderness on horseback— Mustangs: A Living Legacy and Mountain Horsemanship: Veterinary Care and Horsepacking in the Wilderness. Past participants have acclaimed these courses an outstanding adventure. Mustangs: A Living Legacy Track wild horses and relive the Old West in the seldom-visited Pizona area of Inyo National Forest. From a central meadow camp, riders track mustangs in their natural pinyon forest habitat and learn the social behavior of the horses and their current struggle. This program is a special opportunity that combines a rustic outdoor adventure and a unique educational experience in exploring the biology, ecology and behavior of a proud and beautiful animal— the North American wild horse. •    June 10–13: Sat.–Tues., 7 a.m.–3 p.m. •    Bishop, Calif. •    $900. Includes horse, saddle, meals and instruction. Enroll in section 164AGC800. Mountain Horsemanship: Veterinary Care and Horsepacking in the Wilderness This deluxe seven-day... ...

From NTRA LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 29, 2016) – Greg Avioli, CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, has been named to the Board of Directors of Horse PAC® , the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s federal political action committee. The appointment was made at Tuesday’s meeting of the Horse PAC® board in Lexington. Avioli, a past president of Horse PAC®, is a longtime racing executive, attorney and legislative expert. He has served as CEO of the Stronach Group, President and CEO of the Breeders’ Cup and Chief Operating Officer of the NTRA. “Greg Avioli was instrumental in the creation of Horse PAC® and we are pleased to have him join the Board,” said Horse PAC® President Peggy Hendershot. “His extensive knowledge of the federal legislative system and network of industry contacts make him an ideal addition.” The TOC is a non-profit corporation that serves as the California Horse Racing Board’s recognized representative of Thoroughbred owners in the California horse racing industry. Horse PAC® was activated in 2002 to support Federal elected... ...

TEMECULA, Calif. (Nov. 20, 2016) – Multiple graded winner Winning Cause has been retired and will stand the 2017 breeding season at Milky Way Farm in Temecula for a $2,000 fee. Winning Cause, a 6-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, won a trio of Grade III stakes – the 2013 Coolmore Lexington, the 2014 Cliff Hanger and the 2015 Red Bank for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of the Kingmambo mare Raffishing, Winning Cause banked $645,743 in 27 starts. ...

From CHRB DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 18, 2016) — The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, November 17, at the Del Mar Surfside Race Place. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, Steve Beneto, Jesse Choper and George Krikorian also were in attendance. 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 approved the 2017 race dates allocations for the Northern California thoroughbred and fairs circuit as follows: Golden Gate Fields, December 21, 2016, through June 20; Pleasanton, June 21 through July 11; Cal Expo, July 12 through August 1; Santa Rosa, August 2 through August 22; Ferndale, August 23 through September 5; Golden Gate, August 23 through September 19; Pleasanton, September 20 through October 3; Fresno, October 4 through October 17; and Golden Gate, October 18 through December 19. The individual associations and fairs will designate in each of their license applications the actual starting and ending dates of their meets within these... ...

By Bloodhorse.com HEMET, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2016) — Grade 1 winner and track record setter Misremembered has been relocated to BG Thoroughbreds to stand the 2017 in Hemet. The son of Candy Ride (ARG) will stand for $2,500.   Trained out of the Baffert Stables, Misremembered won six races and earned more than $1.3 million. He won the G1 Santa Anita Handicap and posted victories in the G2 Swaps Stakes and G2 Indiana Derby, where he ran the 8+1/2 furlongs in track record time of 1:40 4/5. He also won the Santana Mile at Santa Anita by an easy three lengths stopping the clock for the mile at 1:33 2/5. He was ranked as #1 Handicap Horse in North America upon his retirement according to Daily Racing Form.   Misremembered has 2 crops of racing age and has already produced a graded stakes winner, two stakes winners and three stakes placers. His progeny are 55% winners/starters. “We are very excited to have Misremembered join us for the 2017 breeding season”... ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2016) –A nearly sixth-month dispute over Northern California’s 2017 racing schedule was resolved Nov. 17 during a California Horse Racing Board meeting  at Del Mar. CHRB members, at the regularly scheduled monthly meeting, approved a schedule recommended by the regulatory agency’s Race Dates Committee Nov. 16. With the board’s stamp of approval Thursday, Golden Gate Fields will run until June 20, followed by Pleasanton (June 21-July 11), Cal Expo (July 12-Aug. 1), Santa Rosa (Aug. 2-22), Ferndale (Aug. 23-Sept. 5, overlapped with Golden Gate), Golden Gate (Aug. 23-Sept. 19), Pleasanton (taken from Stockton, Sept. 20-Oct. 3), and Fresno (Oct. 4-17). Because Sonoma County school districts still have not set their schedules for 2017 and the fair at Santa Rosa has no intention of running races during the school year, officials from the Sonoma County Fair have not committed to running all three weeks allotted in the approved plan. If Sonoma decides to run two weeks instead of three, Ferndale would move up to... ...

From Rancho San Miguel SAN MIGUEL, Calif. (Nov. 9, 2016) – Grade I winning millionaire Haynesfield has been acquired by Climax Stallions, a new venture of Bob and Sean Feld, and will be relocated to Rancho San Miguel for the 2017 breeding season. “We are very excited to offer Haynesfield, a leading son of Speightstown, to California breeders. Speightstown is quickly becoming a sire of sires allowing Haynesfield and the Speightstown line a chance to really thrive on the West Coast,” said Sean Feld. Haynesfield was a wire-to-wire winner of a six-furlong maiden special as a 2-year-old at Belmont and a stakes winner as a juvenile; overall he won 10 races from 19 starts. Haynesfield is out of a Grade II-placed stakes winner Nothing Special, by Tejabo, Haynesfield captured the 2010 Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (Gr. I) and seven other stakes and earned more than $1.3 million. Racing for the ownership of Turtle Bird Stable’s Haynesfield, was honored as New York-bred Horse of the Year twice. “Haynesfield gave us... ...

COALINGA, Calif. (Nov. 7, 2016) – Jeranimo, a 10-year-old son of Congaree, our of Jera, by Jeblar, will stand the 2017 breeding season at John Harris’ Harris Farms in Coalinga. Jeranimo was campaigned by Robert LaPenta and B.J. Wright and trained by Michael Pender. Jeranimo won the Shoemaker Mile Stakes (Gr. IT), Eddie Read Stakes (Gr. IT) and the San Gabriel Stakes (Gr. IIT) a record three times. His lifetime record is 11 wins, including eight stakes, six times second (three stakes) and five times third (four stakes) with earnings of $1,525,364. John Harris commented, “I am delighted to add this nice stallion to our stallion roster. He combines several attributes that I admire – won both short and long on both synthetic and turf, very durable, has a pedigree that has many great horses, won several graded stakes and had miler form. Plus he is good looking and has a nice disposition.” Mike Pender, who trained Jeranimo, stated: “He was bold and the alpha male of the shed row,... ...

By DRF.com LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 7, 2016) — California Chrome retained a tenuous hold on his spot at the top of the weekly NTRA Top 10 Thoroughbred poll two days after suffering his first defeat of the year to Arrogate in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. California Chrome, who has led the voting every week so far this year, topped the pool with 442 total points while receiving 30 first-place votes. Arrogate, who was fifth in the polling prior to the Breeders’ Cup, received 16 first-place votes and trails California Chrome by 24 points in the poll, with 418. By and large, the 46 voters in the poll also vote in the Eclipse Awards balloting, making the poll an imperfect but important harbinger for the Horse of the Year vote. Beholder, winner of Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff, moved up five spots, from eighth to third, while the previously undefeated filly she nosed out in that race, Songbird, dropped from third to fourth. Filling out... ...

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Nov. 6, 2016) –A crowd of 72,811 at Santa Anita Park Nov. 5 set a record for the highest single-day attendance for a Breeders’ Cup World Championships since the event switched to a two-day format. Saturday’s attendance at Santa Anita was the highest for any Breeders’ Cup day since 72,730 were on hand at Churchill Downs in 2010 to see Zenyatta in the final race of her career. The two-day attendance for 2016 was 118,484, the highest in Breeders’ Cup history. Common-pool wagering on Saturday’s 12-race Breeders’ Cup card was $109,055,897, a 3.2% increase over the $105,625,491 wagered in 2015. Common-pool wagering for the two days was $159,991,803, an increase of 6.25% over the $150,574,656 total in 2015. Saturday’s on-track handle was $13,515,269, an increase of 3.5% over last year’s on-track handle at Keeneland. The on-track handle at Santa Anita for the two days was $20,694,235. “The Breeders’ Cup exists to showcase the very best of Thoroughbred racing and we witnessed that over the last two... ...

From CHRB ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 21, 2016)  – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, October 20, at Santa Anita Park. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Commissioners Steve Beneto, George Krikorian and Alex Solis also were in attendance. The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief: ·        In discussing 2017 race dates allocations for Northern California, all attempts to negotiate an agreed-upon solution failed and all motions failed to garner the required four votes for adoption. Therefore, the matter was moved to the November agenda. Chairman Winner implored the stakeholders to try once again to reach an accord. ·        The Board approved the license application for the Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association to conduct a race meet commencing December 30, 2016, through December 17, 2017. ·        The Board approved for 45-day public notice proposed amendments to regulations that would allow racing secretaries, racing associations and fairs to write medication-based race conditions, subject to CHRB final... ...

By Bloodhorse.com ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2016) –Members of the California Horse Racing Board made a commitment to decide the highly contentious Northern California 2017 racing dates dispute at its regular October meeting, but at the conclusion of a nearly 2 1/2-hour discussion Oct. 20 at Santa Anita Park, the regulatory agency could not reach a resolution. The CHRB commissioners in attendance voted 3-1 to approve a dates proposal for the region, but because only four of seven member seats were filled, the three votes did not meet the required four needed to pass the measure. CHRB chairman Chuck Winner and fellow members George Krikorian and Steve Beneto voted to approve the proposal, while Alex Solis provided the only “no” vote. Commissioners Madeline Auerbach and Jesse Choper were not in attendance and the seat previously held by Richard Rosenberg is vacant. The proposal would have assigned Golden Gate Fields dates from Dec. 26-June 20, the Alameda County Fair at Pleasanton from June 21-July 11, the State Fair at Cal Expo... ...

By Bloodhorse.com POMONA, Calif. (Oct. 19, 2016) — A yearling from the first crop of California stallion Smiling Tiger, a multiple grade I-winning sprinter and millionaire, topped the Barretts October mixed sale at $190,000. Held at Barretts’ former home at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif., the sale included a broodmare for $105,000 as well as a $95,000 yearling filly. Overall sale figures were nearly identical to last year, when the sale was held at Del Mar. A total of 174 horses grossed $2,484,000 and averaged $14,276, compared with the 2015 figures of 175 horses grossing $2,534,500 and averaging $14,483. “This shows stability and that it doesn’t matter where you sell them, it’s what you sell that counts,” said Kim Lloyd, general manager of Barretts. The yearlings averaged $15,705, down 8.8% from the $17,218 average in 2015. A total of 82 of the 217 yearlings through the ring did not sell, for a buy-back rate of 37.8%. The yearling median was $8,500 in 2016 and $10,000 in 2015. “I was very pleased... ...

By Terry Miller, Arcadia Weekly I just received some very sad news that my good friend and horse photography mentor, Bill Machon passed away.  He truly was a fixture at Santa Anita and always had advice, a bloody good joke or two and knew everyone.  More importantly they knew and loved him. Bill was, for all intents and purposes the Ambassador of Racing Photojournalists, especially at Santa Anita and Hollywood Park tracks. Recently, April 2, the Press Photographers’ Association of Greater Los Angeles bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award upon the eminent photographer Bill Mochon during its annual awards luncheon in Alhambra. A virtual fixture at Santa Anita Race Track in Arcadia, Mochon for years had been mentoring young and green photographers and helping us all understand horse racing photography’s dos and don’ts – i.e. like the first time I met Bill in the late 1990s he advised me it was perhaps not good protocol to stand in front of the automatic camera at the finish line … true story. Talk... ...

From Harris Farms COALINGA, Calif. (Oct. 3, 2016) — Harris Farms is saddened to report that its stakes winning broodmare, Super Tuesday, died on October 1, 2016 as a result of complications of colic. Super Tuesday (Political Ambition-Vaderette, by Skywalker) won five races including the Work The Crowd at Golden Gate Fields, and the California Sires at Hollywood Park.  She was by Political Ambition-Vaderette, by Skywalker and produced four winners from five foals to race including Quick Meeting ($152,872), Maybe Tuesday ($169,302) and Doris Johnson ($47,253). Her current 2-year old, Primary Target by Thorn Song is in training at Santa Anita. She was owned and bred by Harris Farms and Sheila Williams, and was trained by Dean Pederson.  For further information, contact John Harris at johnharris@harrisfarms.com or Dave McGlothlin at davemcglothlin@harrisfarms.com. ...

By DRF.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2016) — A filly by the first-crop stallion Smiling Tiger was purchased for $130,000, making her the most expensive horse of Tuesday’s Barretts select yearling sale at Del Mar. Gross sales and average price were essentially the same compared to 2015, and median price declined. Overall, 46 horses sold for $1,710,000, an average of $37,174, according to results provided by Barretts. The gross increased $81,000 from 2015, while the average increased $151. The median price was $27,500 compared to $32,500 in 2015. The number sold increased by 2 from last year. :: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales “We felt holding steady would be a win,” said Barretts general manager Kim Lloyd. The sale was dominated by California-breds. There were nine horses withdrawn, and 23 listed as not sold, or 34 percent of the horses that went through the ring. The number of horses bought back was exactly the same as in the 2015 sale, which Lloyd said was discouraging.... ...

From DMTC                 DEL MAR, Calif. (Sept. 1, 2016) — Fourteen stakes races worth just over $2 million will be offered during Del Mar’s third consecutive fall racing season that kicks off at the shore oval on Friday, November 11, which is Veterans Day.   The stakes roster, highlighted by a pair of Grade I events on the closing weekend of December 3 and 4, mirrors for the most part the previous two falls, all of which have been dubbed the “Bing Crosby Season” as a salute to the track’s founder and the rich history of old Hollywood that he embodied.   One of the changes from last year’s stakes schedule is the addition of the $200,000, Grade II Bayakoa Handicap for older fillies and mares on Saturday, December 3 to the lineup. Previously, the race had been run at Los Alamitos.   Conversely, Del Mar will not present three stakes it offered during the fall of 2015 because they have returned to the Santa Anita schedule. Those were the... ...

From CHRB DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 27, 2016) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, August 25, at Del Mar’s Surfside Race Place. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Vice Chair Richard Rosenberg and Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, Steve Beneto, Jesse Choper, George Krikorian and Alex Solis also were in attendance. The audio of this entire Board meeting is available on the CHRB Website (www.chrb.ca.gov) under the Webcast link. In brief: ·        Seven individuals concerned about racehorse fatalities at Del Mar’s current meet addressed the Board during the comment period to express those concerns. CHRB Executive Director Rick Baedeker described some of the rules, policies and practices the CHRB has in place with respect to the safety of horses and riders. He and Chairman Winner assured the public that this Board’s primary objective is the health and safety of horses and riders. ·        The Board approved a rolling three-year racing calendar for thoroughbred meets in Southern California as submitted by racetracks and horsemen and reflecting a multi-year agreement on... ...

By DRF.com DEL MAR, Calif. – The California Horse Racing Board approved a three-year racing calendar for the Southern California Thoroughbred circuit starting in 2017, with dates similar to the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The racing board was presented with a proposed calendar by racing officials at a committee meeting on Monday. The full board approved the calendar on Thursday. For the 2017 season, Santa Anita will run from Dec. 26, 2016 to July 4, 2017, followed by a two-week meeting at Los Alamitos. Del Mar’s summer meeting will run from July 19 to Sept. 4. Los Alamitos will host the Los Angeles County Fair meeting for three weeks in September before Santa Anita begins a five-week autumn meeting in the final days of September through October. In the final months of the year, Del Mar will run a four-week meeting from Nov. 1-26 before Los Alamitos hosts a three-week meeting from Nov. 30 to Dec. 17. Del Mar’s autumn meeting will include the Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 3-4.... ...

From CHRB SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 18, 2016) — The California Horse Racing Board has stepped up drug testing in Southern California with industry cooperation and soon things will be going really high tech with a new focus on biological markers supported by The Jockey Club. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) hired an additional examining veterinarian for the current meet, while the CHRB appointed a second official veterinarian, which have allowed for increased out-of-competition drug testing – an increasingly important strategy for detecting substances and practices not easily identified through traditional post-race screening. CHRB Executive Director Rick Baedeker said the increased drug testing will continue indefinitely. The Ken Maddy Laboratory at UC Davis is critical to this effort, as it is considered the preeminent facility of its kind and administers the testing for horses participating at Del Mar, Santa Anita, and all other racetracks in the state. Research is a key component of the Maddy Laboratory’s commitment to equine health and safety, and now the lab is breaking new ground... ...

From The Jockey club LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2016) — Barbara Banke and J. Michael O’Farrell Jr. have been elected to the board of stewards of The Jockey Club, filling the expired positions of Stella F. Thayer and Peter S. Willmott. Banke is a Thoroughbred owner and breeder and proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, based in Santa Rosa, California. She serves on the boards of the Breeders’ Cup, TOBA, and National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and has been a member of The Jockey Club since 2013. She owns Stonestreet Stables, which has campaigned the winners of 100 stakes races, including horses of the year Curlin (2007, 2008) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), and is a leading developer of stallions, including Curlin, Kantharos, Carpe Diem, Maclean’s Music and Astrology. Her Lexington-based Stonestreet Farm is a leading commercial breeder and has produced the winners of 38 graded stakes and more than $38,000,000 in purses. O’Farrell owns and operates Ocala Stud, the oldest active Florida Thoroughbred farm, in Ocala, Florida. Ocala... ...

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2016) — The Jockey Club is projecting a 2017 North American registered Thoroughbred foal crop of 22,500. The projection for the 2016 foal crop was also 22,500. The 22,500 foals estimated for 2017 and for 2016 is a 2.3% increase from the 22,000 projected for both the 2015 and 2014 foal crops. “As always, this projection is based on reports of mares bred received to date, and we estimate that approximately 80% of those reports have been received,” said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club’s executive vice president and executive director. The foal crop projection, traditionally announced in mid-August, is computed by using Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) received to date for the 2016 breeding season. RMBs are to be filed by August 1 of each breeding season. Additional foal crop information is available in The Jockey Club’s online fact book at jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp and in the online state fact books. Stallion owners who have not returned their RMBs for the 2016 breeding season are encouraged to do... ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 5, 2016) — Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron has been named the 2016 recipient of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award and will receive the honor in ceremonies at Del Mar Aug. 21. McCarron, 61, is the 13th winner of the Pincay Award, which is given to those who have served the sport “with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination, and distinction.” The honor and its trophy will be presented to McCarron by his fellow Hall of Fame rider Pincay, who rode against him for more than two decades in California and called him “as tough a competitor as there was. “Chris was a warrior on the racetrack,” Pincay said. “He was so smart and so competitive, and when you rode against him, you knew you had to be at your very best. He made me and all the other jockeys he rode against better riders. “But away from the track he was, and still is, a special friend—someone you could count on every day of... ...

By Bloodhorse.com CYPRESS, Calif. (Aug. 4, 2016) –Veteran track announcer Bobby Neuman will call the upcoming Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos Race Course, the track announced Aug. 4. The 12-date season will run Sept. 8-25. “Bobby is an excellent race caller and I’ve enjoyed his work for many years,” said Brad McKinzie, vice president and general manager of the Los Alamitos Racing Association. “We’re excited to have him join the team.” A native of Los Angeles who attended the University of California-Santa Barbara before completing the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program, Neuman, 47, was the longtime caller (2005-2014) at Calder Race Course after serving as the paddock host the previous six years at the South Florida track. He began his career calling races on the Arizona fair circuit and has also served as the track announcer (1997-1999) at Thistledown, Albuquerque Downs, Santa Fe Downs, and Standardbred tracks The Red Mile and Pompano Park. He also continues to call the annual OBS Championship Stakes in Ocala, Fla.... ...

By Bloodhorse.com LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2016) — The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association has announced the regional owners and state and Canadian breeders who will be recognized at its National Awards Dinner Sept. 10 at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington. The regional owners of the year for 2015 are Stonestreet Stables, Eastern region; Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Midwestern region; Zayat Stables, Southern region; and Reddam Racing, Western region. The state and Canadian breeders of the year are: Arizona: Triple AAA Ranch Arkansas: McDowell Farm California: Reddam Racing Canada: Tall Oaks Farm Florida: Jacks or Better Farm Illinois: Richard & Karen Papiese Indiana: Justice Farms Iowa: Poindexter Thoroughbreds Kansas: Pam M. Davis Kentucky: Godolphin Louisiana: Set-Hut Maryland: Dance Forth Farm Massachusetts: Langdon Wilby and Mary Beth Reis Michigan: Campbell Stable Minnesota: Curtis A. Sampson New Jersey: Holly Crest Farm New Mexico: A & A Horse Farm, New York: Eklektikos Stable North Carolina: Chandley Farm North Dakota: Backhaus & Sons Ohio: 3 Clovers Farm & Blazing Meadows Farm Oregon: Oakhurst Thoroughbreds South... ...

From Barretts                 DEL MAR, Calif. (July 27, 2016) — Dan Dayton, stable manager at Barretts for more than 25 years, passed away July 19 unexpectedly near his home in Oregon. Dan was stable manager at Barretts since its inception in 1989 and was the only stable manager while we were located in Pomona. He performed the same function for both Barretts racing and training for several years as well. Dan was a loyal and dependable employee who was known to do anything possible to keep both Barretts consignors and his dogs happy. Most importantly, he was known as a loving husband to his wife Jackie, a caring father and a devoted son. ...

From American Horse Council             WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 26, 2016) — Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced proposed changes to the regulations governing enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). The HPA was passed in 1970 to stop the cruel practice of “soring” horses that was occurring in some sectors of the Tennessee Walking Horse, Racking Horse and Spotted Saddle Horse industry. The proposed rule would make several major changes to current HPA regulations with the goal of ending soring.  The AHC is currently reviewing the proposed rule to determine its impact on the horse industry.  After the AHC has had the opportunity to analysis the details of the proposed rule we will follow up with additional information. The AHC Horse Show and Animal Welfare Committees will also be convening to discuss the proposed rule. This is a proposed rule only and USDA will be accepting comments until September 26, 2016.  USDA will then have to review all comments and release... ...

ARCADIA, Calif. (July 26, 2016) — Richard Eamer, whose Mandysland Farm of the 1980s and 1990s today is part of Magali Farms, died in May. He was 88. Co-founder of National Medical Enterprises Inc. in 1969 with John Bedrosian and Leonard Cohen, Eamer was a California resident and studied law and accounting at USC. He entered the Thoroughbred business in 1981, and some of his earliest purchases came with Bedrosian at the 1981 CTBA Sales’ Del Mar Yearling Sale. Eamer bought property in the Santa Ynez Valley and officially opened Mandysland Farm in 1983. A lifelong animal lover, he named the farm for a favorite Labrador Retriever. “What I wanted was a nice little piece of property where I could very slowly get involved in the racing business and have some place to walk my dogs,” Eamer said in 1982. Laura Cotter, formerly an assistant to trainer D. Wayne Lukas, became manager of Mandysland in the late 1980s. The farm stood several stallions, included M. Double M., Mon Classique and... ...

By DRF.com DEL MAR, Calif. (July 23, 2016) — California Diamond, the undefeated California-bred winner of the Santa Anita Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds earlier this month, sold for $125,000 at Saturday’s Paddock Sale at Del Mar of horses of racing age. California Diamond was the most expensive hip of seven horses sold at the brief sale. California Diamond was purchased by Rockingham Ranch and is expected to be trained by Peter Miller, according to Rafael Becerra, Jr., who signed the ticket. California Diamond was consigned by John Brocklebank, who trained California Diamond in both of his starts. California Diamond raced for the Brocklebank family’s Twin V Farm when he won the Santa Anita Juvenile on July 9, his most recent start. The California-bred California Diamond was the only horse to change hands for $100,000 or more. Only 21 horses were catalogued in the sale, which was held after a 10-race program that included California Chrome’s popular win in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap. Of the 21 offered, three were... ...

From The Jockey Club                 LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 20, 2016) — The Jockey Club reminds stallion managers to submit their Reports of Mares Bred (RMBs) for the 2016 breeding season by August 1. “We ask that RMBs be submitted by August 1 to enable us to provide the most comprehensive breeding statistics possible to industry stakeholders,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club. Iuliano also pointed out that stallion managers who submit their RMBs by August 1 are among the first to receive their Stallion Service Certificates, which expedites the timely registration of 2017 foals. Reports of Mares Bred may be submitted via Interactive Registration at registry.jockeyclub.com or a form is available by email, fax, or mail by contacting inquiries@jockeyclub.com. ...

From Barretts DEL MAR, Calif. (July 17, 2016) — The catalog for the second annual Barretts August Select Yearling Sale is now on-line and will be mailed soon.  This auction of 72 yearlings will be held on Tuesday August 30 starting at 2:00 p.m. in the Surfside Race Place located on the grounds of the Del Mar Racetrack in Del Mar, California.  We believed that last year’s yearlings were a very good group of yearlings in terms of quality and we believe that this year’s group is stronger.  Last year’s select yearling group has already started strong from limited starters including the sensational Hot Perfection.   The yearlings will be stabled inside the Del Mar Horse Show Arena adjacent to the Sales Pavilion.   The interactive, sortable and searchable, on-line catalog can be viewed now here.   The August Sale catalog is also available for your Ipad.  Click here for details.   This is the complete list of stallions in the catalog: Archarcharch, Awesome Gambler, Calimonco, Champ Pegasus, Coil, Cyclotron, Data... ...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 15, 2016) – California stallion and Grade II winner Rendezvous was represented by his first winner on Friday when Meeting in Heaven won the fourth race at Sacramento, a maiden claimer. Meeting in Heaven is out of the Doc’s Leader mare Doc’s Lil’ Angel, was bred by Laura Ann Franklin, is owned by Carrol Stubbs and trained by Armando Lage. The 3-year-old gelding ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:47.36 and won by three-quarters of a length at odds of 7-2. ...

From CHRB DEL MAR, Calif. (July 15, 2016) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, July 14, at Del Mar Surfside Race Place. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. Vice Chair Richard Rosenberg and Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, Steve Beneto, George Krikorian and Alex Solis also were in attendance. 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 approved a series of motions designed to comply with a Superior Court order, submit emergency regulations to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL), and permit Los Alamitos to write race conditions for its current meet (subject to OAL approval of the emergency regulations) – all pertaining to the internal program at Los Alamitos involving the testing of hair samples to determine the eligibility of horses for certain races. ·        Representatives of the Stronach Group advised the Board that Golden Gate is proposing that the vanning and stabling fund not reimburse nearby Pleasanton for stabling costs during Golden... ...

From Barretts DEL MAR, Calif. (July 14, 2016) — The catalog for the Fifth Annual Paddock Sale at Del Mar of Race Ready Horses, scheduled to be held on Saturday, July 23 in the Del Mar paddock approximately 30 minutes after the last race is declared official, is now on-line.  This catalog currently consists of 8 horses of racing age and 10 two-year-olds. Additional horses are expected to be entered prior to sale time. Information including pedigree, complete past performances and a recent race video, if applicable, for each horse can be found in sortable format here.   For the first time, there will be a training preview for horses in the Paddock Sale catalog on Friday, July 22.   This preview will start immediately after regular morning workouts end at 10 a.m. and will be held in the manner of morning workouts.   All horses who work must work at least 3/8ths of a mile.  This preview will be broadcast live http://www.barretts.com/sales/ViewSale/index.asp and videos will be posted on-line soon thereafter.  ... ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (July 14, 2016) –After more than two and a half hours of discussion July 13 during a California Horse Racing Board Race Dates Committee meeting, a racing schedule for 2017 in both Northern and Southern California remained unresolved. At the end of talks Wednesday afternoon at Del Mar, CHRB chairman Chuck Winner adjourned the meeting and said the stakeholders involved would meet in another two weeks to again discuss the issues in each region. While industry stakeholders in the southern region of the state said they would likely be reaching an agreement soon and talks on the topic were finished relatively early in the afternoon, the northern dates disputes—between the state’s fair circuit and Golden Gate Fields—took up the majority of the time. The entirety of the Northern California debate revolves around the region’s highly desired summer and early fall schedule, which has traditionally been allocated to the fairs. In previous meetings on the topic, the California Authority of Racing Fairs proposed a schedule that... ...

By Bloodhorse.com DEL MAR, Calif. (July 14, 2016) –Majority owners Perry and Denise Martin and Taylor Made Stallions announced July 14 that 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome   will run to benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, as a portion of his earnings through the remainder of his racing career will be committed to the charity. California Chrome is currently pointed to the $200,000 San Diego Handicap (gr. II) July 23, and the $1 million Pacific Classic (gr. I) Aug. 20, both at Del Mar. In addition to a portion of California Chrome’s future race earnings to support The V Foundation, the California Chrome team will also hold other special events to raise charitable donations for The V Foundation. The first such event will be an auction following the San Diego Handicap that will offer California Chrome’s blinkers, jockey Victor Espinoza’s silks worn in the race, as well as a co-branded Chrome and V Foundation saddle blanket worn during the horse’s final workout at Del Mar. All proceeds... ...

From NTRA LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 13, 2016) – Two U.S. congressmen, Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) and  Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), have submitted a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew urging finalization of proposed rule changes regarding withholding and reporting of pari-mutuel winnings.  The letter to Treasury was submitted on July 12 and was posted today on the official Twitter account of Rep. Boustany (@Boustany). In the text, Yarmuth and Boustany highlight the bipartisan support the new guideline enjoys, as well as recent congressional activity on the matter and the pari-mutuel wagering industry’s economic impact. The letter concludes: “As you are well aware, it has been more than a year since the proposed rule was first published and, as such, we strongly encourage you to act on this matter by finalizing the proposed rule.” A PDF file of the complete letter can be accessed here: https://www.ntra.com/wp-content/uploads/160712-Boustany-Yarmuth-Pari-Mutuel-Letter-to-Secretary-Lew.pdf. The letter comes on the heels of language in a House Appropriations Committee Report issued last week that accompanied House passage of the 2017 Financial... ...

From NTRA LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 8, 2016) – The U.S. House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2017 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill Thursday evening that includes report language detailing Committee on Appropriations instructions for the U.S. Treasury to “expedite final consideration of the guidance which would modernize the rules governing pari-mutuel wagering.” The bill (HR 5485) provides $21.7 billion in annual funding for the Treasury Department, the Judiciary, the Small Business Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other related agencies. A companion bill in the Senate containing identical “Guidelines for Pari-mutuel Winnings” has been passed out of committee and now awaits passage by the full Senate. Language in the House Appropriations Committee Report reads: Guidelines for Pari-mutuel Winnings.—The Committee appreciates the Department of the Treasury’s proposed rule (REG– 132253–11) published on March 4, 2015, along with the associated public hearing held on June 17, 2015. The Committee encourages the Treasury to expedite final consideration of the guidance which would modernize the rules governing pari-mutuel wagering. “The... ...

From DMTC Publicity DEL MAR, Calif. (July 8, 2016) — “I’ve been calling races for 44 years and I’ve never had one like this.” The voice, that unmistakable voice, was Trevor Denman on the telly from his retreat in Minnesota. To be specific Kellogg, Minnesota, population 450. And the thing he hadn’t encountered in more than four decades of manning microphones up high at racetracks around the world? How about a break; a holiday; a complete shutdown. How about seven and a half months between his last call — at Del Mar on November 29, 2015 — and his next one to be – also at Del Mar on July 15, 2016. “So very different,” Denman said. “I’m feeling fresh, feeling good. But maybe there’s just a little bit of trepidation, just a bit of apprehension about that first call back. It’s been a while now. Then again, when I think about it, how lucky can I be? I’ll be calling the first day at Del Mar, the best day... ...