$818,000 Allocated So Far to San Luis Rey Fire Victims

After distributing some 90% of $906,000 in donations raised through a GoFundMe drive and other charitable efforts, the group overseeing the distribution of financial assistance for victims of the Dec. 7 fire at San Luis Rey Downs (SLRD) gave its most complete public accounting of the project to date at the Jan. 25 California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) monthly meeting.

The wildfire killed 46 horses, hospitalized three people, displaced hundreds of workers, and destroyed eight barns.

The California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation, Inc. (CTHF), which was asked in December to take responsibility for the donated GoFundMe money under the umbrella of its 501 (c) (3) registered charitable trust, is now focusing on allocating the remaining funds to longer-term medical and psychological assistance for victims, getting displaced trainers and workers back into self-sustaining employment, and making sure that no people or horses adversely affected by the blaze have been left uncared for.

CTHF executive director Cliff Goodrich outlined the timeline of donations as such:

On Dec. 15, eight days after the fire, the CTHF coordinated a distribution of $500 cash to every groom and hotwalker displaced by the fire ($115,000 cumulatively). Some other non-direct employees of trainers, such as exercise riders and SLRD training facility workers who helped to free horses, also were granted shares.

That same day, every trainer whose barns and equipment were destroyed was allocated $600 via check for each horse stabled at SLRD on the day of the fire.

“These blanket and expedited donations were meant to quickly put money in the hands of workers and trainers who were clearly going through a tumultuous time physically, mentally and financially,” Goodrich said.

On Dec. 21, two weeks after the fire, a second $500-per-backstretch-worker cash distribution was made, and trainers in barns that were not destroyed (but who were displaced by the fire) were allocated $250 per horse stabled at SLRD.

Also that day, the CTHF made a $100,000 grant to the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), a charitable 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing funding for the rehabilitation, retraining and/or retirement of California-raced Thoroughbreds. The money will be used to help cover expenses related to finding new homes for the approximately 100 horses who were taken in at Trifecta Equine Athletic Center, which is across the road from SLRD.

“Simultaneously, while the above distributions were being made,” Goodrich said, “the CTHF was in touch with the three hospital[ized] victims and/or their families to ensure if at all possible that no burned or injured victim or family member would have to go out of pocket, whether it be for hospital bills, family housing, transportation or food costs.”

The money listed above amounts to roughly $550,000 that the CTHF distributed before the Christmas holiday, Goodrich said. But, he added, “it was clear that the trainers needed more financial assistance, not only for themselves, but to be able to keep their workers employed. Many had lost all of their tack, equipment, supplies and personal belongings.”

Because the CTHF “was not in a position to determine various levels of hurt” Goodrich said his organization called upon an advisory committee established by the California Thoroughbred Trainers (CTT) to make more precise determinations of need.

Within a matter of days, the CTT came back with a plan of action, and on Jan. 10, a cumulative $255,550 in checks to 19 SLRD trainers whose barns had been consumed by the fire went out “in varying degrees recognizing both large and small stables,” Goodrich said.

So through Jan. 10, Goodrich outlined the $818,000 distribution breakdown (in round numbers) as follows: $453,000 (55%) to trainers; $238,000 (29%) to workers; $100,000 (12%) to CARMA; $15,000 (1%) to hospitalized victims; $12,000 (1%) for a backstretch gathering (with food) for displaced racetrackers.

Since that date, no further distributions have been made, although individual and corporate donations are still coming in, Goodrich said.

“There's no question that we will be left with a reserve that will hopefully be enough to take care of inevitable issues including hospital bills, family support, long-term care, therapy, etc…” Goodrich said. “Both the GoFundMe and CTT advisory committees feel it prudent, as we do, to let some time pass before any further distributions take place.”

Alan Balch, the executive director of the CTT, said “I know that there's some concern about the equity, so to speak, of having trainers receive X percent and workers receive Y percent. This is something [that] we really have labored very hard to bridge this gap.

“There's no one solution that would be perfect,” Balch continued. “But I think everyone involved has acted in good faith to try to do the best that we can. When I have received criticism of the amount of funding that has gone to trainers, I am constantly reminding people that the trainers are the employers. So having trainers succeed and continue to be in business is critically important to employment.”

Balch said his organization is attempting to make sure that there are no racetrackers out there who might be entitled to funds but didn't get them.

At the December CHRB meeting, commissioner Madeline Auerbach had cautioned all parties about keeping eyes open for fraudulent victims who might potentially attempt to scam the charity system. But she said Thursday that outside of one or two people who claimed to be SLRD workers that no other co-workers could definitively identify, theft by deception did not appear to be an issue.

“We were very easy with making sure everybody got paid, but we weren't careless,” Auerbach said. “If there were people who didn't get paid, it's because they didn't show up, would be my guess.”

Goodrich said that after administering donations from 6,000 people in amounts that ranged from five dollars to $50,000, the CTHF will also be thinking about properly winding down the funds distribution process at an undetermined near-future date (the GoFundMe campaign has already been listed as closed after having exceeded its $600,000 goal).

“It can't go on forever, in fairness. So at some point we'll be officially closing it,” Goodrich said.

One remaining item on Goodrich's radar before that happens though, is making sure some of the funds are available for fire victims who are just now realizing they might be in need of emotional or psychological assistance from trained professionals.

“Monies will certainly and can be used for that purpose,” Goodrich said.

Rick Hammerle, the vice president of racing for Santa Anita, who was on the GoFundMe committee, said the experience has given him a new perspective on disaster assistance.

“I've done a lot of things in my life and I've met a lot of challenges, but I'll tell you what: Giving away money to [fire victims] was one of the toughest things I've ever had to do,” Hammerle said. “To sit down at a table and decide who's going to get what and when and where and how is not as easy as it sounds.

“It's a miracle that we got not only as much money as we raised from all the kind people out there, but to get this done in such an expedient manner, and to get cash in people's hands that needed it 'now' was pretty heartwarming to see, and it was great to be a part of,” Hammerle said.