thoroughbred owners of california | Horse Racing Free Tips

Report: Baffert Trainees Have The Highest Death Rate In California

A total of 74 horses in the care of trainer Bob Baffert have died since the year 2000, according to records compiled by the Washington Post and released in a lengthy article on Friday. When factoring in the number of races run, Baffert trainees have died at the highest rate of the 10 California trainers with the highest number of equine fatalities: 8.30 deaths per 1,000 starters.

(Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, banned from racing at tracks owned by the Stronach Group, including Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields in California, has a rate of 6.25 deaths per 1,000 starts.)

Baffert faced regulatory scrutiny once for that high death rate, in 2013, when a seventh horse from his barn suddenly dropped dead for no apparent reason. Dr. Rick Arthur, the California Horse Racing Board's equine medical director, opened an official investigation into Baffert's operation.

Washington Post investigative reporter Gus Garcia-Roberts points out that around the time that Arthur was putting together the report on Baffert, a state legislator who formerly worked for Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) board member Dennis Cardoza (who co-owned a horse trained by Baffert) had filed legislation to put a term limit on the equine medical director position that Arthur was holding.

Baffert is also a board member of the TOC, and his racing stable donated $1,000 to the TOC's political action committee the previous August.

Arthur eventually ruled that while Baffert was treating every horse in his stable with a thyroid medication without veterinary prescription, that was not the cause of the sudden deaths. Arthur's report delivered in November of 2013 indicates he found no explanation for the sudden deaths in Baffert's barn, and that while “something under his control is associated with these fatalities,” regulators cannot act without evidence of rule violations.

Two months after Arthur officially cleared Baffert, the legislation to limit his term died.

Butler to Receive TOC’s Ed Friendly Award

Aidan Butler, Chief Operating Officer, 1/ST RACING and President, 1/ST CONTENT, has been selected by the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) as recipient of the 2020 Ed Friendly Industry Service Award. The award is presented annually to recognize outstanding contributions and service in the Thoroughbred racing industry. Originally known as the TOC Chairman's Award, it was renamed for the legendary television producer, Thoroughbred owner and TOC founding member following his death in 2007. Former recipients include Mace Siegel, John Harris, Bob and Beverly Lewis, Jerry and Ann Moss, and Clement Hirsch.

“We are very pleased to honor Aidan with this award,” said TOC Chairman Gary Fenton. “Aidan came to Southern California two years ago and navigated us through an existential crisis and the institution of historic medication changes. He created trust and relationships between stakeholders and was instrumental in bolstering the now thriving Southern California racing circuit.”

“There isn't an hour in the day that anyone–from staff to racing fans–cannot reach Aidan,” Fenton added. “His dedication to making this industry and everyone around him better is admirable and makes him very deserving of having his name on the same list as so many other industry legends.”

Butler will be recognized at TOC's Southern California Annual Meeting at Del Mar on Aug. 14.

The post Butler to Receive TOC’s Ed Friendly Award appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

1/ST Racing Executive Butler Named Recipient Of TOC’s Ed Friendly Industry Service Award

Aidan Butler has been selected by the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) as recipient of the 2020 Ed Friendly Industry Service Award. The award is presented annually to recognize outstanding contributions and service in the Thoroughbred racing industry. Originally known as the TOC Chairman's Award, it was renamed for the legendary television producer, thoroughbred owner, and TOC founding member following his death in 2007. Former awardees include some of the most prominent names in Southern California racing, including Mace Siegel, John Harris, Bob and Beverly Lewis, Jerry and Ann Moss, and Clement Hirsch.

An expert in technology, horse racing and gaming, Butler currently serves as both the Chief Operating Officer, 1/ST Racing, and President, 1/ST Content. 1/ST is The Stronach Group's consumer-facing brand and is a dominant player in North American Thoroughbred horse racing, technology, entertainment, media, wagering and real estate development.

During a transformative time in horse racing, Butler was responsible for the implementation of industry-leading health and safety protocols for horses and riders at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., while overseeing track management and operations at the company's West Coast venues. In addition, he was responsible for the development of key stakeholder and strategic relationships and most recently for leading Santa Anita Park successfully through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There isn't an hour in the day that anyone – from staff to racing fans – cannot reach Aidan,” Fenton added. “His dedication to making this industry and everyone around him better is admirable and makes him very deserving of having his name on the same list as so many other industry legends.”

Butler will be recognized at TOC's Southern California Annual Meeting at Del Mar on August 14.

The post 1/ST Racing Executive Butler Named Recipient Of TOC’s Ed Friendly Industry Service Award appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Thoroughbred Owners Of California Announces 2020 Leading Owners

The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) has announced the winners of its 2020 statistical awards for leading California owners. Hronis Racing LLC was leading owner in total purse earnings; Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC led all owners by number of California wins; Reddam Racing takes the award for most California starts; and Red Baron's Barn LLC and Rancho Temescal LLC share the honor for most California stakes wins with LNJ Foxwoods – each garnering 7 stakes wins in 2020.

Hronis Racing runners earned a total of $1,783,800 in California last year, with 23 wins from 168 starts, including three stakes wins. Their top stakes runners included Santa Anita Handicap winner Combatant, Cistron, Chaos Theory, Higher Power, and Heywood's Beach.

Tommy Town Thoroughbreds had 34 wins from 171 California starts, for total earnings of $1,192,288. Their top runners included Keeper Ofthe Stars, Dynasty of Her Own, No Longer Silent, and Praise and Honor.

Reddam Racing runners made an impressive 199 starts in 2020, with 27 wins and total earnings of $1,719,181. Top Reddam runners included Play Chicken, An Eddie Surprise, Ambivalent, and Rookie Mistake.

Co-recipients of the award for most California stakes wins with 7 each, Red Baron's Barn LLC/Rancho Temescal LLC had many impressive stakes runners including River Boyne, Hariboux, Big Sweep, and Quattroelle. Co-recipient LNJ Foxwoods stakes winners included United, Astute, Dogtag, and Nasty.

All winners will be recognized at TOC's Annual Meetings at Del Mar Racetrack on Saturday, August 14th and at Golden Gate Fields on Saturday, October 23rd.

The post Thoroughbred Owners Of California Announces 2020 Leading Owners appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post