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CHRB Approves Funding Of Marketing Program, Updates Drug Classifications

The California Horse Racing Board conducted a meeting by teleconference on Wednesday, Feb. 17. 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 Commissioners Dennis Alfieri, Damascus Castellanos, Brenda Washington Davis, Wendy Mitchell, and Alex Solis.

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 an agreement between the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), the Los Angeles Turf Club (Santa Anita), and Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (Del Mar) under which those parties will redirect some of their own revenue from Advance Deposit Wagering into a marketing program to fund player rebates, stakes recruitment, and Ship & Win incentives, among other things. This program replicates the functions of the defunct California Marketing Committee.
The Board began the regulatory process to update the CHRB classification of drug substances to align with Association of Racing Commissions International (ARCI) Uniform Classification Guidelines. The Horse Racing Safety and Integrity Act body is expected to adhere closely to ARCI guidelines as they promulgate their federal regulations.
Executive Director Scott Chaney described improvements to the CHRB website, including Racing Reforms Recommendations and the posting of Test Sample Positives in advance of the filing of complaints, pursuant to SB 800.
The Board authorized the distribution of $9,157 in statutorily mandated race day charity proceeds by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club (DMTC) to nine beneficiaries. This amount was substantially less than the previous year's distribution because pandemic restrictions limited the on-track handle on which the program is based. DMTC voluntarily donated $105,058 to bring the total distribution to $114,215.
Public comments made during the meeting can be accessed through the meeting audio archive on the CHRB website.

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Report: Top Santa Anita Jockeys Hit With New Whip Suspensions

Not for the first time, Santa Anita riders Umberto Rispoli and Juan Hernandez have been suspended for whip use. According to the Daily Racing Form, Rispoli was given a three-day suspension for using his whip in an overhand manner during the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes on Feb. 6. Hernandez was also suspended three days for using his whip more than the permitted six times during the second race at Santa Anita on Jan. 31.

In January, Rispoli got his fourth whip rule violation in two months, making the most recent his fifth in quick succession. This ruling is the fourth for Hernandez in the past two months.

Numerous whip rule violations have been handed out by California stewards since Oct. 1, 2020, when new regulations went into effect. Jockeys can now only strike a horse six times during a race and no more than twice in succession and may not use the whip in an overhanded manner. Riders protested the changes at the time, claiming the restrictions would make it more difficult for a jockey to use the whip intuitively or to safely correct a horse they believe may be about to bolt or shy.

Jeff Blea Named CHRB’s Next Equine Medical Director

Dr. Jeff Blea will become the veterinary voice of the California Horse Racing Board upon the long-planned retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur from the position of Equine Medical Director (EMD).

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, chairman of CHRB and a former equine veterinarian himself on the southern circuit, described Dr. Blea as “a nationally known and widely respected equine veterinarian” and said Blea “is recognized for his clear thinking and fairness in his decision making.”

Under contract arrangements between the CHRB and the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) at the University of California, Davis, the EMD serves as a member of its faculty. CHRB Executive Director Scott Chaney said the CHRB worked closely with UC Davis during the process, which was prolonged by the pandemic. A joint panel from UC Davis and the CHRB interviewed candidates and selected Dr. Blea.

“We value this partnership,” Chaney said. “We were fortunate to consider several well-qualified candidates. I am very pleased with the process and the choice. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Blea to make racing safer at this critical time.”

Dr. Blea brings 28 years of veterinary experience with him, and before that breifly rode as a jockey. He has served in leadership roles nationally with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and regionally with the Southern California Equine Foundation and was a director of the Dolly Green Research Foundation from 1999 to 2015.

“As Equine Medical Director, I look forward to working with industry stakeholders in further advancing the progressive transformation of horse racing in California with the emphasis on horse safety, welfare, and integrity,” Blea said.

“Dr. Blea is an excellent choice to become EMD. He has a broad background in horse racing and is well respected by his colleagues here in California and nationally,” added Arthur.

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Dr. Jeff Blea Named California’s New Equine Medical Director

Dr. Jeff Blea has been a trusted voice in the California horse racing industry for decades, and in July he will become the veterinary voice of the California Horse Racing Board upon the long-planned retirement of Dr. Rick Arthur from the critically important position of Equine Medical Director (EMD).

While Dr. Blea has been committed to his thriving veterinary practice on the Southern California thoroughbred circuit, he recently decided he could be a more valuable resource to the equine veterinary profession and provide greater assistance in the advancement of the racing industry.

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, chairman of CHRB and a former equine veterinarian himself on the southern circuit, described Dr. Blea as: “a nationally known and widely respected equine veterinarian. He is recognized for his clear thinking and fairness in his decision making.”

“We value this partnership,” added Chaney. “We were fortunate to consider several well-qualified candidates. I am very pleased with the process and the choice. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Blea to make racing safer at this critical time.”

Dr. John Pascoe, SVM executive associate dean, commented: 'We very much look forward to Dr. Blea serving as the next Equine Medical Director and continuing the vision of late Senator Ken Maddy for a robust partnership between the University of California-Davis, the CHRB, and the racing industry to improve the health and welfare of racing horses. Jeff brings a wealth of expertise to the EMD position. His extensive knowledge of racing, equine and racetrack practice, his national leadership in equine and racing organizations, and his commitment to research that improves horse racing assure that California will continue to lead the nation in our collective efforts to ensure safe racing.'

Dr. Blea brings 28 years of veterinary experience with him, and before that he rode briefly as a jockey. He always has been interested in improving horse racing, focusing primarily on equine health and welfare, as evidenced by his leadership nationally with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and regionally with the Southern California Equine Foundation. He served as a director of the Dolly Green Research Foundation from 1999 to 2015. The list of the organizations and programs he has served is long and admirable.

Dr. Blea always has been forthcoming, expressing common sense and fairness, regardless of which side he favored on any given issue.

“As Equine Medical Director,” he said, “I look forward to working with industry stakeholders in further advancing the progressive transformation of horse racing in California with the emphasis on horse safety, welfare, and integrity.”

Dr. Arthur added, “Dr. Blea is an excellent choice to become EMD. He has a broad background in horse racing and is well respected by his colleagues here in California and nationally.”

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