Visit California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association
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Hall of Fame jocke Laffit Pincay Jr. at the CTBA/TOC open house. (Photos courtesy of Bunny Hinzman)
On the Wednesday leading up to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, the California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (CTBA) headquarters hosted an open house for its organization and the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC). The event attracted an array of industry leaders.
The CTBA’s statement outlines a mission “to create an environment of education for the membership so as to bring about the betterment of the conditions for those involved in the agricultural production of California-bred Thoroughbreds; to assist in all ways appropriate, including legislatively, to maximize the quality and profitability of the product of the members and the efficiency of their operation; and to enhance all economic conditions related to the growth and vitality of the Thoroughbred industry in California.”
The CTBA works to increase the public’s awareness of the Thoroughbred industry and support the education of its members. Striving for optimal expansion of horsemanship in the California Thoroughbred market, the CTBA annually sponsors education forums and seminars. The CTBA also supports the Equine Research Lab at the University of California, Davis, and is constantly upgrading and expanding its own library, audiovisual, and research facilities. It also works closely with the California Department of Agriculture.
The CTBA headquarters house the 10,000-volume Carelton F. Burke Memorial Library, which is supplied and maintained by the California Thoroughbred Foundation. Created in 1958, the California Thoroughbred Foundation awards annual scholarships to UC Davis’s exceptional equine veterinary program and also offers owners, breeders, and trainers with educational programs covering veterinary care in cooperation with other industry organizations. The library is the current home of a Seabiscuit memorabilia exhibit that includes trophies from some of his most significant wins as well as his preserved hooves.
Some of the racing manuals that belong to the Carelton F. Burke Memorial Library
One of Seabiscuit’s preserved hooves
With Classic-winning owner Mike Pegram as its chairman and trainers Bob Baffert and Ron Ellis as directors, the TOC has helped to improve California horse racing in multiple aspects, such as improving wagering and purse money. The organization also worked with the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) to help get a new, safer dirt track at Santa Anita and advocated for clear medication guidelines and more forceful punishment for those who violated those regulations. The TOC also supported the formation of the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), which provides financial assistance to care and re-training of Thoroughbreds.
It is open to the public on weekdays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
To learn more, visit the CTBA website.
To learn more, visit the TOC website.