Chuck Winner, former CHRB chairman who oversaw horse racing reforms, dies at 81

Chuck Winner, former chairman of the California Horse Racing Board, who set the stage for reforms within the state after the Santa Anita fatality disaster in 2019, died Thursday of pure causes. He was 81.

Winner was recognized to greater than the horse racing group. He was energetic in state politics courting to his days at John Marshall Excessive College in Los Angeles, the place he was a member of the Younger Democrats. He navigated his manner via politics beginning with the 1958 gubernatorial run of Gov. Pat Brown, based on the YouGov web site.

He additionally labored on native and nationwide campaigns earlier than co-founding Winner, Wagner & Associates, a public relations agency. The agency expanded and he arrange a specialty of engaged on poll initiatives. When horse racing got here underneath assault in 2019, he instructed The Instances that he had a plan if a poll initiative have been to be dropped at remove horse racing within the state. No such measure has gained sufficient assist.

By way of all of it, he blended his love of politics and horse racing and turned an proprietor, even when on a fractional foundation.

He was requested to hitch the CHRB in 2012 and spent his final 5 years as chairman till voluntarily leaving the Board in 2019.

“From the time he went to work as an assistant to Gov. Pat Brown, carrying his bag and coat on the marketing campaign path, Chuck Winner devoted his life to make the world a greater place,” stated David Israel, who Winner succeeded as chair of the CHRB.

“He cherished his household, his state and his horses passionately. He additionally cherished the Clippers. However no man is ideal.”

Winner guided the CHRB via the fatality disaster at Santa Anita in 2019. At one level, close to the tip of the assembly, he requested Santa Anita to cease racing. The observe refused, resulting in laws that now offers the CHRB that energy. It additionally signaled the beginning of a serious horse racing security reform in California, though Winner was not nonetheless in workplace to information it via the formative phases.

“It’s been a difficult but fulfilling seven years,” Winner stated on the finish of his time period. “My colleagues and I’ve confronted some difficult and significant points. I hope that we have now made a optimistic distinction.”

Winner was additionally the topic of controversy within the Board’s dealing with of a drug optimistic of Triple Crown winner Justify after he received the Santa Anita Derby. Winner had used Bob Baffert as one among his trainers and cries of battle of curiosity have been levied in opposition to Winner when the Board didn’t sanction Baffert, despite the fact that the optimistic was due to feed contamination. Justify went on to win the Triple Crown.

“He was an expensive good friend who had extra integrity than anybody I ever labored with,” stated Rick Baedeker, who was the chief director of the CHRB throughout Winner’s tenure. “And he did extra for racing than anybody I’ve ever recognized.

“Nobody will ever recognize the function he performed in the best way we are actually [as the safest racing state in the country]. With out him we might have by no means gotten up to now.”

Winner had some well being points currently, having a stroke final yr and in addition contracting the coronavirus. However pals who visited him stated he seemed to be his former self after the setbacks.

Winner is survived by his spouse, Annie, and 4 kids, Justyn, Ethan, Nicole, and Zach.

Funeral preparations are pending.