Thoroughbred Owners of California

When Do CAWs Help And Hurt California Racing?

Last month, a lengthy Financial Times feature detailed the growing share of overall handle generated through Computer Assisted Wagering (CAW)--both in California and nationwide. CAW players are a small group of high-volume and largely anonymous gamblers with an outsized impact on the betting markets due in no small part to the sophisticated wagering tools at their disposal. Because of their high stakes play, they're offered inducements in the form of rebates and reduced takeout rates largely not available to the average punter. CAW proponents argue that these deep-pocketed players provide...

[ Read More ]
Del Mar Aiming to Take Record Purses Higher

Edited Press Release Del Mar Thoroughbred Club projected its most lucrative racing season ever last summer, then backed it up with a record-breaking meet that saw purse levels total above $25 million for the session resulting in an unprecedented average purse payout of more than $800,000 per day. Those numbers, the highest in California racing history, are in the track's sites once again with the aim to go even bigger for this year's 31-day stand, which will be the iconic track's 84th season. As it did in 2022, the seaside...

[ Read More ]
2022 California Handle and Purses by the Numbers

The main takeaway from last year's California purse and handle numbers is one of stasis, with no significant movement in any one direction compared to 2021. A roughly 2.5% increase in the number of California races run in 2022 over 2021 is framed against a half-percentage point decrease in purses and an even smaller fraction of a percentage decrease in all-source handle. "It was like holding serve in 2022," said Bill Nader, newly minted president and chief executive officer of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), which once again put...

[ Read More ]
Gary Barber Appointed to TOC Board

The Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) unanimously named Gary Barber to fill the board vacancy created by the recent resignation of Bill Strauss. Barber is a long-time Thoroughbred owner, both on his own and in partnership with others, whose stars include Grade I-stakes winners/champions: War of Will, Got Stormy, Belvoir Bay, Salty, The Deputy, Wonder Gadot, Lexie Lou, Comma to the Top, Tourist, Catch a Glimpse, Becrux, Cost of Freedom, Jack Milton, Channel Maker, Get Her Number, Vequist, and Gretzky the Great. In addition to...

[ Read More ]
Jack Owens Passes Away

Jack Owens, who recently retired as the longest-serving board member of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, passed away Nov. 21 after suffering a heart attack. Owens was first elected to the TOC board in 1995 and retired from board service in July. During his board tenure, Owens served six years as Chairman. He also served as Vice Chairman representing Northern California, Chairman of the Legislative and Government Affairs Committee, and as an active member of the Racing Affairs, Wagering, Bylaws Review, and Purse committees. A graduate of Stanford, Owens practiced...

[ Read More ]
“This is a Voice for All of Us”: Q&A with TOC's Bill Nader

Last week, industry organizations announced the launch of the California Horse Power Coalition, a collaborative endeavor sold as something of a unified foghorn to extol the good word of the sport's economic and cultural impacts. The list of Coalition members reads like a who's who of California racing industry mainstays, including Del Mar, Santa Anita, the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (CTBA) and others. To discuss this new venture--along with a suite of other timely industry talking points--the TDN spoke with newly minted...

[ Read More ]
Tim Cohen Appointed to TOC Board

The Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) unanimously named Tim Cohen to fill the board vacancy created by the recent resignation of Mike Harrington. Per the bylaws, Cohen will be required to run in the 2023 board election. Cohen, owner of Rancho Temescal, runs under Rancho Temescal LLC, often in partnership with his father, Jed Cohen's, Red Baron's Barn LLC. Prior to managing Rancho Temescal, Cohen worked in the hospitality industry, managing luxury hotels and restaurants. "I look forward to joining the Board and further the...

[ Read More ]
HISA Changing Rule on Dirt Shoes

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority will be implementing changes to HISA Rule 2276, which pertains to full outer rim shoes and toe grabs. The rule will not be enforced for horses racing on dirt that are shod with traction devices on their hind feet in the form of either a full outer rim shoe or a toe grab, both up to 4mm in height. All other provisions of the rule will remain the same and be enforced Aug. 1 as previously announced. Click here to read the full HISA...

[ Read More ]
Open Letter To HISA's Proposed Regulations

Edited Press Release The Thoroughbred Horsemen's Associations, Inc, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Thoroughbred Owners of California, and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association collectively have established a diverse group of experienced horsemen, regulators, and veterinarians to review the extensive documents regarding HISA's proposed rules. Each reviewer provided written comments in an open letter to HISA and they are summarized below. Racetrack vs Training Facilities--The inclusion of training facilities in the statute was designed to ensure that horsemen could not evade the requirements for racetracks by stabling at training facilities. HISA needs to...

[ Read More ]
HKJC Executive, New TOC President Bill Nader Joins Writers' Room
HKJC Executive, New TOC President Bill Nader Joins Writers' Room

As a well-respected industry veteran of several decades coming off an immensely successful run as an executive with the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Bill Nader could likely write his own ticket for most jobs in the industry. It was recently announced that after 15 years in Hong Kong, Nader would be coming home to America and become the new president and CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California. Tuesday, Nader joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland as the Green Group Guest of the Week to talk about why...

[ Read More ]
Bill Nader Joins the TDN Writers' Room

Bill Nader, who current serves as an executive with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and will soon take on the role of President and CEO of the Thoroughbred Owners of California, joined this week's TDN Writers' Room to share his experiences with Japanese racing and talk about how he hopes to improve upon racing in California.

[ Read More ]
Bill Nader Named Next TOC President, CEO
Bill Nader Named Next TOC President, CEO

Bill Nader has agreed to join the Thoroughbred Owners of California as President and Chief Executive Officer, the organization announced today. Nader's appointment will take effect in October of this year. He succeeds Greg Avioli who resigned earlier this year. Nader, 64, joins the TOC from the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), where he has held senior executive positions since 2007. Prior to that, Nader was the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Racing Association, where he was employed from 1994-2007. "Given his experience both...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.