California

California's storied racetracks once set the gold standard in American racing. Yet today, many owners are asking: is there hope? From my vantage point as a longtime owner, the answer lies in collaboration, clear communication and a shared commitment to the future. We've seen encouraging signs--new training programs, emerging talent and a continued passion among participants. California racing does not lack for quality horses, trainers or owners. What we must do now is harness that strength and align it toward a common purpose. After retiring from a career in public...

Last year the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) approved the establishment of maximum statewide ages at which horses can race--10 years old for winners and five years old for maidens. On Wednesday, the CHRB voted unanimously to tweak that rule, raising the max age for maidens to six, with the stipulation that such horses would be receiving "increased scrutiny" from the state's regulatory veterinarians. Prior to the codification of a maximum age for maidens at the state level, California's three currently active tracks had been operating under "house rules" that...

Santa Anita Park will host friends of late trainer John Shirreffs for a Celebration of Life to be held Sunday, March 15 in the Chandelier Room from 1-3 p.m. The public gathering is open to all who knew the trainer during his tenure as a fixture on the Southern California racing circuit, including his many years at Santa Anita Park. Shirreffs passed away unexpectedly at age 80 on Feb. 12 in his Arcadia, CA home after a brief illness.

Last Sunday's GII Rebel Stakes third-place finisher Litmus Test (Nyquist) will stay in Hot Springs to contest the GI Arkansas Derby March 28 for trainer Bob Baffert. Speaking of his Arkansas runners from last weekend, Baffert said that while his GIII Honeybee Stakes winner Explora (Blame) had shipped back to California, Litmus Test would remain at Oaklawn through the end of the month. "I didn't want to bring him all the way back here and ship him back," Baffert said. "He's there. I want to give him another chance. I...

The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will offer significant enhancements to its 2-year-old racing program, reinforcing the track's long-standing commitment to developing juvenile runners while expanding opportunities for owners, trainers and breeders, the track announced Wednesday. Beginning with the 2026 Summer season, which opens July 17, Del Mar will offer $100,000 open maiden races for 2-year-olds on the main track. These enhanced purses, for both colts and fillies, underscore the early success of California's new single-circuit structure and reaffirm the importance of juvenile racing to the seaside oval. In addition, Del...

Trainer James Cassidy died Wednesday at his home in Monrovia, California after suffering from heart disease. He was 80. Born Aug. 21, 1945 in New York City, Cassidy got his start working with show horses at the age of 12. He would later transition to racehorses and in 1975, Cassidy took out his trainer's license. He then spent more than a decade working as an assistant for such top Eastern-based trainers as Joe Canty, Frank Whitely and Charles Sanborne before striking out on his own. Cassidy's first starter as a...

Patrons arriving for Thursday's races at Santa Anita were met by something new, gaming terminals called Racing On Demand. Racing On Demand terminals--like HHR machines--are a form of pari-mutuel wagering on previously run races. The Paulick Report was first with the story. Twenty-six machines were operating on Thursday, and they were on the ground floor of the grandstand in an area formerly known as the Horse Wizard Lounge. No decision has yet been reached regarding how many machines will ultimately be made available to Santa Anita patrons. That decision may...

Santa Anita Park has canceled live racing Wednesday, Dec. 31 and Thursday, Jan. 1 because of a strengthening rainstorm coming in from the Pacific. The storm, which was forecast to hit on Thursday, has gathered strength and is now expected to impact Southern California around noon Wednesday. The two-day storm is expected to bring up to three inches of rain to the area surrounding Santa Anita Park. The canceled races will be rescheduled in the coming weeks with the first make-up day coming next Thursday, Jan. 8.

The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) has named the 22 individual recipients of this year's Howard "Howie" Zucker Grant Program, named in honor of their late president Howard Zucker, the group announced Saturday. This month, CARMA has awarded $515,000 to 22 different aftercare charity partners across the country, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring every California-raced Thoroughbred has a safe, dignified transition to their next chapter. The recipients are: After the Homestretch Arizona, CANTER California, Canter Haven Farm, Center for Racehorse Retraining, Champions Retreat, Desert Oasis Rescue, Down The Stretch Ranch,...

Tom Ryan's observation that California graded stakes have been decimated by the graded stakes committee is spot on, but does not delve into the issue deeply nor address solutions. I applaud him speaking out against a system that adheres to a doctrine of the past, which evaluates many criteria while ignoring the fact that all graded stakes (save a select few) will be the domain of slot-enhanced, subsidized racetracks in the near term. The idea that the Breeders' Cup and/or Jockey Club could ignore this trend while sitting idly by...

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com MATT SCULL, FOUNDER, PRESIDENT OF FIRST RODEO RACING The care for the horse comes before all. A greater emphasis is now placed on the competition rather than the business of breeding and sales. The wrinkles in HISA have been ironed out and it has allowed the proper framework for all states/track operators to pull the rope in the same direction, rather than...

GISW and nationally ranked fourth-crop sire Collected (City Zip) will highlight Rancho San Miguel's 2025 Open House & Stallion Show to be held Saturday, December 6. The free event will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with all regional Thoroughbred breeders, owners, trainers and enthusiasts invited to attend. Collected recently arrived at the San Luis Obispo County farm from Airdrie Stud in Kentucky, which is partnering with Rancho San Miguel and prominent California breeder/owner Marsha Naify to stand the 12-year-old son of City Zip for a $7,500 fee...