2002 Cal-bred News

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MEETING
OF THE CTBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
HARRIS FARMS

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT:

Sunshine Millions: An agreement has been reached for the Sunshine Millions, a $3.6 million day featuring California-breds and Florida-breds. There will be four races at Santa Anita and four at Gulfstream Park on the same day, January 25, 2003. It is our goal to attract full, competitive fields, and we therefore agreed to keep entry and starting fees at a minimum. Also, transportation costs will be covered as all unplaced shippers will receive a maximum $10,000 performance fee. Purses for the eight races will range from $250,000 to $1 million. Purse funding for the Millions will be derived from a $600,000 contribution from the Breeders Associations in each state, the purse account in each state, and the two tracks. The CTBA's allocation will come from a purse shift in existing Santa Anita stakes, as well as the Cal-bred race fund and stallion registration stakes fund. An Advisory Committee consisting of a representative from each of the six entities (breeders, owners, tracks) will oversee the running of the Millions. The committee will determine which races are to be held in CA and which in FL, as well as the selection criteria for eligible horses.

Doug Burge was commended for his work in negotiating the Sunshine Millions contract, which we believe will further stimulate the Cal-Bred racing and breeding industry.

Board Elections: Directors up for re-election in January 2003 are: Clydene Boots, Jeanne Canty, Keith Card, Gail Gregson, and John Harris. For other active members interested in running for a seat on the board through the petition process, the deadline to submit a nomination form with 25 signatures in support thereof is October 25 (90 days prior to the annual meeting). Petitions should be sent to Rosemary Stringer at the CTBA offices.

The Board passed an amendment to the by-laws, which will take effect for the 2004 board elections, as follows: "All nominees for the office of director of the CTBA must have been a member of the CTBA for the twelve months preceding the nomination deadline."

The Annual Meeting of the Membership will be held on January 25, 2002, in Arcadia, in conjunction with the first edition of the Sunshine Millions. The business meeting will take place at the CTBA library, with the Awards Luncheon following at the FrontRunner restaurant at Santa Anita.

RACING REPORT:

Great State Challenge: The Great State Challenge is scheduled for December 7, 2002, at Sam Houston Race Park. There will be one California-bred invited to each of the six races. The CTBA will submit a preliminary list of 10 horses for each race to the NTRA by October 4, with a ranking of the final list of Cal-breds to be submitted by November 8. Both Cal Cup and Breeders Cup results will play an important role in determining the representatives from California. The purses will be made up of a $175,000 contribution from the NTRA, $50,000 from the Breeders Cup to nominees only, and $50,000 from the participating state-bred fund.

TREASURER'S REPORT:

Through August the CTBA financials show that the association is operating better than budget. The Del Mar Sale met forecasts.

SALES REPORT:

The recently concluded Del Mar Sale was extremely successful. Bucking the trends throughout the country this year, the Sale actually stayed on par with the record sale of 2001. Nearly all of the Sale proceeds have been collected, with disbursement of the funds collected to be made approximately 30 days after the Sale.

EDUCATION REPORT:

The Harris Farms Seminar is pointed to the practical aspects of commercial breeding. We are expecting fewer attendees than for last year's pedigree seminar, but fewer people will result in more comfortable seating arrangements, with tables, instead of last year's rows of seats, which required that the room needed a major reconfiguration before dinner. The stallion tours will be held earlier in the season this year, with the latest tour being the November 9 Northern California tour.

CAL CUP REPORT:

California Cup Day is scheduled for November 2, 2002. This year, each purchased table in the infield party will be decorated with a flower arrangement featuring hand painted jockey silks. Owners and breeders who are repeat table buyers will have their actual silks as part of the decorations. The giveaway will be a high quality polo shirt.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT:

The Worker Compensation bill directing that monies may be moved from the stabling and vanning fund to help subsidize worker compensation expenses on the backside will probably be signed by the governor by September 30. Other bills of concern include the bill to permit trainers to be part of the TOC, and federal legislation involving internet gambling, which in its current form fails to exempt horseracing, but probably will not pass.

MAGAZINE REPORT:

The magazine will add a page listing race horse retirement organizations, and will offer advertising at a reduced rate to retirement farms that wish additional advertising space. We are looking forward to the publication of this year's special farm section.

WEBSITE REPORT:

On-line registration is up and running in a secure environment. This service is separate from the Jockey Club data base. We are working toward further automation. We will eliminate the "first date bred" from our mare's bred report, to be consistent with the Jockey Club reports.

The website had a very high number of hits in August, most related to the Del Mar Sale.