Ferraro Re-Appointed to California Horse Racing Board

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Jan. 5 the reappointment of Dr. Greg Ferraro to the California Horse Racing Board. His appointment, to run through Jan. 1, 2027, requires state Senate confirmation.

Ferraro, 76, of San Francisco, has served on the CHRB board since 2019. He is currently chair.

During Ferraro's time at the CHRB, the regulator has instituted rules to benefit horse safety and welfare, and along with changes made by tracks, veterinarians, and horsemen, equine fatalities in the state have dropped sharply. 

With Ferraro serving as chair of the CHRB, the regulator further investigated the sudden death of grade 1 winner Medina Spirit  in late 2021. The CHRB also investigated a wagering fiasco at the 2021 Breeders' Cup at Del Mar when the premature scratch of Modern Games  resulted in him racing for purse money only when victorious in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). The regulator filed no complaints related to the incident, which shifted the outcome of millions of dollars of bets.

Previously a practicing racetrack veterinarian, Ferraro also served as Director of the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health from 1997-2014. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and is a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Veterinary Medical Association.