ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 17, 2014) – The California Horse Racing Board conducted its regular meeting Thursday, January 16, 2014, at Santa Anita Park. Chairman Chuck Winner presided. 1st Vice Chair Bo Derek, 2nd Vice Chair Richard Rosenberg, and Commissioners Madeline Auerbach, Steve Beneto, Jesse Choper, and George Krikorian 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 began the public meeting with the announcement that in closed session, the Board had met to consider personnel matters, as authorized by Government Code 11126 (A), and during that closed session the Board approved motions: “One, to make a conditional employment offer to Frederick M. “Rick” Baedeker to be the Board’s executive director with the offer being conditioned on Mr. Baedeker’s successful completion of the state’s hiring process, and two, to delegate full authority to myself, as chair, to take any and all steps necessary to finalize Baedeker’s appointment as executive director without further action by the Board following Baedeker’s successful completion of the state’s hiring process. That vote was unanimous, and we will welcome, in the near term, Rick Baedeker as our new executive director.”
· Chairman Winner welcomed newly appointed Commissioner Madeline Auerbach to her first meeting as a member of the Board.
· The Board approved a regulatory amendment directing that a claim shall not be voided by the stewards if prior to the race the claimant elects to claim the horse regardless of whether the racing or official veterinarian determines the horse will be placed on the Veterinarian’s List as unsound or lame.
· Representatives of the California Marketing Committee reported on their $1.75 million budget for 2014. Chairman Winner indicated that several matters discussed during this report will be referred to two committees of the Board for further discussion.
· Representatives of quarter horse racing at Los Alamitos and harness racing at Cal Expo reported they have signed an agreement that settles issues pertaining to the distribution of ADW revenue.
· 1st Vice Chair Derek, who chairs the Medication and Track Safety Committee, reported on the committee’s Wednesday meeting and announced that the Thoroughbred Owners of California has offered to spend $150,000 to improve security in stable areas. She said she will be appointing a special committee to review security issues and help determine how the money should be spent.
· Consideration of the 2015 allocation of dates for Northern California was rescheduled for the February 21 meeting of the Board.