CHRB Okays Santa Anita Fall Race Meeting

The California Horse Racing Board, after briefly discussing the "nuclear option" of denying a license to Santa Anita for its meeting set to open Sept. 29, has agreed to let racing proceed subject to an extension of the track's 2019 agreement with horsemen.

Representatives of both Santa Anita and the TTC told the Sept. 15 CHRB meeting negotiations for a new agreement had stalled over one issue, identified by others establishment of standards for exclusion of trainers. That sticking point has been debated for nearly two years without resolution and both sides said they appeared to be at an impasse.

"I'm getting the feeling it's like losing the last five pounds when you're trying to lose weight," said commissioner Brenda Davis, who has led board efforts to broker an agreement. "It just never comes off."

"We have the option, obviously, that we just don't award the race meet application," said CHRB chairman Gregory Ferraro. "That may be the nuclear option. But this has been going on for years and the only leverage we have is whether they get a license to operate."

After brief discussion of the possibility of denying a license, executive director Scott Chaney said he felt the need "to caution the Board a little bit.

"I'm not comfortable with putting the staff in the position of deciding whether Santa Anita is going to run or not," he said, noting the meeting was set to open in just 15 days and no full meeting of the Board is scheduled in the interim.

The board then voted unanimously to extend the 2019 agreement and urge horsemen and Santa Anita to continue working toward a resolution.

The CHRB also gave tentative approval to a 2022 racing schedule that closely mirrors the 2021 dates allocations. Earlier hearings on proposed schedules featured some debate on granting Santa Anita a "break week" midway through its December-through-June schedule.

The approved schedule includes one scheduled break after the Santa Anita Derby (G1) with the option of extending that to a second week. Track officials said the size of the horse population and the condition of the turf course will be considered in assessing that option.

The board also initiated rulemaking to amend the claiming process to prevent two claims for the same horse by a single trainer. Ferraro said a loophole in current rules allows a trainer to file one claim in his own name and a second as a partner with the prospective new owner, giving the trainer two chances to succeed with the claim in a shake.

Ferraro said the issue was raised during his time on the backstretch during the recently concluded Del Mar meeting.

"Multiple small trainers complained they were not able to have a fair shot at claiming a horse," Ferraro said, noting New York has implemented a similar change in its claiming race regulations.