Dr. Gregory Ferraro

First, the CHRB was put in a no-win situation. To paraphrase Board Chairman Dr. Gregory Ferraro, half of the state was going to be mad at the CHRB regardless of how they voted. And frankly, it is very sad that it even came to that, as I will explain in more detail momentarily. While it is clear that the recent letter sent by Craig Fravel did not sit well with them, it seems that the Board understood the ramifications of not having racing in the North. Meaning that it would...

Dr. Gregory Ferraro, the current chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and an equine surgeon and a medical executive, has been named the 17th recipient of the Laffit Pincay, Jr. Award. The 75-year-old will be honored at Del Mar with a ceremony during this Saturday's TVG Pacific Classic Day program. The Pincay Award, named for and presented by the Hall of Fame rider, goes to those who have served the sport "with integrity, extraordinary dedication, determination and distinction." "I can think of few people who fit the requirements for...

The Los Alamitos Quarter Horse Racing Association released Tuesday evening a seven-page draft "Equine & Rider Safety Enhancement Plan," ahead of a follow-up meeting July 20 with the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) concerning a recent uptick in equine fatalities at the track. Among some of the new protocols outlined in the plan is an additional veterinarian to scrutinize horses entering and exiting the track during morning training, and the creation of a program whereby every equine fatality triggers a "Fatality Review" to be conducted by a panel including a...