Officials at Santa Anita have announced that respected and longtime Woodbine racing executive Steve Lym will assume the role of vice president of racing and racing secretary.
The racing secretary at Woodbine from 2003 through 2013 and since that time the organization's directory of racing, Lym is a married father of two sons and will be joining the Santa Anita team just after the first of the year. The winter/spring meet at the Arcadia oval begins Wednesday, Dec. 26.
“I'll be there the first week in January and [wife] Jennifer and I are looking forward to this new chapter in our life,” said Lym Saturday from Toronto. “Coming from Woodbine, where we, too, are a bit isolated in terms of ready access to other major tracks, I see similarities in the business model that Santa Anita is faced with and I think I bring a skill set that will transfer nicely to Southern California.”
Added Tim Ritvo, the chief operating officer for The Stronach Group: “Steve is very excited to be coming to Santa Anita and we're fortunate to be getting a man of his stature and character. In addition to his wide breadth of experience as a horseman and racing official, Steve has served on a number of national and international boards and committees, including the Breeders' Cup Selection Panel, which will serve him well in his new position.”
Lym has also been involved with the International Federation of Horseracing's World's Best Racehorse Ranking Committee, the North American Ratings Committee, the Canadian Graded Stakes Committee and as a member of the body that oversees all racing rules and regulations in Ontario.
“We think Steve's overall experience is going to prove invaluable,” added Ritvo. “In his position at Woodbine, he was basically dealing with a year-round racing dynamic which will serve him well here at Santa Anita. As everyone knows, we have a number of industry stakeholders that we deal with on a daily basis and Steve has already told me that he looks forward to working with all of them, including groups here in California such as the CHRB, TOC and CTT.”
Until Lym's arrival, the racing office will be led by Dan Eidson, who with TSG Vice President of Racing P. J. Campo has overseen the production of the season's first conditions book.
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