The Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) unanimously named Gary Barber to fill the board vacancy created by the recent resignation of Bill Strauss.
Barber was named National Owner of the Year by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) two years in a row (2019 and 2020) and his trademark hot pink silks are well known throughout the world, particularly in his home state of California. He has won more than 1,000 career races, on his own and in partnership, and has enjoyed top-level success at the Breeders' Cup as well as the Preakness Stakes.
Barber said, “My passion for Thoroughbred racing is steadfast. I look forward to joining the Board of the TOC and hope to make a meaningful contribution to the health and welfare of our sport and help attract a new generation of fans.”
Barber, originally from South Africa, is the founding partner of Spyglass Entertainment, whose commercial hits generated over $5 billion in worldwide box office including such films as Seabiscuit, The Sixth Sense, and Bruce Almighty. He currently serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Spyglass Media Group, LLC, a premier entertainment company behind the successful relaunched horror franchise Scream (2022), the reinvention of Hellraiser (2022), the drama The Upside, the upcoming high school comedy Incoming, and the iconic fashion competition series Project Runway.
With a career in entertainment spanning more than three decades. Barber is regarded for taking over Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc. as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 2010, leading its transformational turn-around out of bankruptcy and shepherding such co-productions as Skyfall, Spectre, Creed, The Hobbit Trilogy and 21 Jump Street, as well as the award-winning drama series The Handmaid's Tale, Fargo, and Vikings, among others.
Barber is a long-time Thoroughbred owner, both on his own and in partnership with others, whose stars include Grade 1 stake winners/champions: War of Will, Got Stormy, Belvoir Bay, Salty, The Deputy, Wonder Gadot, Lexie Lou, Comma to the Top, Tourist, Catch a Glimpse, Becrux, Cost of Freedom, Jack Milton, Channel Maker, Get Her Number, Vequist, and Gretzky the Great. In addition to being an owner, Barber is also a breeder and holds significant interests in several stallions.
Strauss was a valued member of the TOC board since 2013 and will continue his connection with California racing. Per the bylaws, Barber will be required to run in the 2023 board election, when Strauss' term would have expired.
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