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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.

“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 August 14.

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New COVID Protocols Outlined at Santa Anita, Golden Gate

Based on increasing vaccine availability and declining COVID-19 numbers, The Stronach Group and TOC outlined new protocols at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields to allow licensed owners more access to the grounds.

SANTA ANITA PARK

Mandatory Santa Anita protocols, including social distancing (a minimum of six feet), face cloths covering your nose and mouth, health screening, temperature check and wrist banding will continue to be enforced for everyone entering Santa Anita, including the Stable Area.

Winner's Circle

After each race, the winning horse will be brought into the winners' circle and a limited number of owners will be allowed access for the customary photo.

Social distancing (minimum of six feet) in the winner's circle will be strictly enforced.
Entrance to the winner's circle will be restricted to a maximum of eight owners and/or guests to allow for social distancing.
Owners and/or guests will be required to stand on the West Side of the winner's circle.
Face cloths covering nose and mouth remain mandatory at Santa Anita, including the winner's circle.

Stable Area Access

Each trainer can authorize a maximum of two CHRB licensed owners to go to their barn at any one time between 10:00 a.m. – 7:00p.m. daily.
Prior to entrance, owners and their guest must pre-register with the Santa Anita Racing Office and submit one of the following to the Santa Anita Racing

Stable Office:

Negative COVID-19 test result that is received within 72 hours prior to the day requested (Negative COVID test can remain on file for a maximum of 30 days)
Proof of completed scheduled COVID-19 vaccination doses
Each owner may bring one additional family member.
Owners may only visit the barn where their horse is stabled.
Owners must keep their visits to the outside areas, including the stall entrances, and not enter stable offices, tack rooms or other enclosed locations.

Workouts/Afternoon Racing

The current protocol (i.e. CHRB licensed owners are permitted each race day) will remain in place for the time being, and CHRB licensed owners should continue to contact TOC to put your name on the reservation list for each race day. No reservation is required for morning workouts. Contact mforney@toconline.com, eperon@toconline.com, or call Mary Forney at (626) 826-3782.

GOLDEN GATE FIELDS

The grandstand and winner's circle at Golden Gate Fields are open for live racing to CHRB licensed owners with the following protocols in place:

Owners must provide a Negative COVID-19 test result that is received within 72 hours prior to the race day (Negative COVID test can remain on file for a maximum of 30 days).
N95 masks covering your nose and mouth remain mandatory at Golden Gate Fields, including the winner's circle.
Social distancing (minimum of six-feet) in the winner's circle will be strictly enforced.
Entrance to the winner's circle will be restricted to a limited number of owners and/or their guests to allow for social distancing.
The grandstand is open for morning workouts on Saturday and Sunday mornings to owners under the aforementioned protocols.

The local health department continues to mandate that the stable area at Golden Gate Fields remains closed to owners, however, conversations are continuing to lessen those restrictions as the COVID-19 numbers improve in the county, and an update could be issued soon.

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Churchill vs. TOC Lawsuit Withdrawn; Neither Side Wants to Say Why

After alleging last month that a disagreement over advance-deposit wagering (ADW) hub rate fees was so egregious that it amounted to a “shakedown” that needed to be fought in federal court, a subsidiary of the gaming corporation Churchill Downs, Inc., dropped its lawsuit against Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) Mar. 8.

According to a “notice of voluntary dismissal” filed Monday in United States District Court (Central District, California, Western Division) by Churchill Downs Technology Initiatives Company (CDTIC), an agreement between the parties was reached Mar. 5 that apparently settles the matter “without prejudice.”

But the details of that agreement were not disclosed in court filings. And when given the opportunity on Tuesday by TDN to explain what led to the apparent resolution, neither TOC president/CEO Greg Avioli nor Scott Edelman, the CDTIC's attorney, responded to email queries.

In a spat that centered on which entity should benefit from the pandemic-related boom in at-home betting, CDTIC filed a Feb. 2 complaint asking a judge to rule that TOC couldn't use a state law to force CDI into either accepting lower rates, abandoning its recently signed agreement with Santa Anita Park, or entering into arbitration to settle the dispute. (Santa Anita itself was not a defendant in the suit.)

According to CDTIC's complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief, the dispute arose Oct. 28, 2020, when Avioli allegedly asked CDI's then-executive director of racing, Mike Ziegler, to “voluntarily return the equivalent of 1% of the total amount generated from California residents wagering on those platforms in 2020.”

In addition, according to the complaint, “Mr. Avioli proposed that all ADW providers agree to a 3% hub fee for the 2021-2022 term–a rate CDT has never agreed to in its history of operating in California.”

CDTIC had not wanted to disclose details of those hub fees in court documents, and had even been granted permission from the judge overseeing the case Feb. 9 to instead file those financial details as sealed documents that the public couldn't view. Hub fees are generally not disclosed by industry entities because such figures are deemed competitive secrets.

According to the original complaint, “TOC threatened that if CDT did not comply with its 'voluntary' request, it would demand arbitration pursuant to [a California law]. Contrary to Mr. Avioli's false characterization, the revenue ADW providers earned in 2020 was not a 'windfall,' but the result of increased demand for online wagering.”

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Thoroughbred Owner Conference’s Virtual Series Kicks Off March 2

Registrations are still being accepted for the seventh Thoroughbred Owner Conference, which kicks off Tuesday, March 2, at 2 p.m. ET as the first of a series of 10 virtual panels that will be held on the first Tuesday of every month for the duration of the year. The 2021 conference series is hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Dean Dorton Equine, Stoll Keenon Ogden, and Stonestreet Farm.

The first panel, “The Economics of Racehorse Ownership,” is sponsored by Keeneland and will delve into accounting, tax, legal, and insurance considerations associated with racehorse ownership. It will also include information on the costs of ownership, the fundamentals of running a racing stable, and owner responsibility for aftercare.

Moderated by horse racing television analyst Caton Bredar, the panel will consist of owners George Bolton and Maggi Moss; Sarah Reeves, attorney and member, Stoll Keenon Ogden; and Jen Shah, tax director, Dean Dorton.

“With more than 650 guests already registered for the virtual Thoroughbred Owner Conference series, we are excited to kick it off with an expert group of panelists that will provide invaluable information for new and veteran owners alike,” said Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView. “While we will be posting replays of every session, we encourage those interested in the series to register in advance to get the best experience and to be able to ask questions in real time that will be addressed at the end of each panel.”

There is no registration fee for the live or recorded virtual conference series, but registration is required. For more information about the owner conference series, including the full schedule of panels and registration, please visit ownerview.com/event/conference or contact Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com.

OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.

The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.

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