News Analysis: Newest CHRB member could change the direction of the horse racing board

In some ways, Thomas Hudnut, the latest member of the California Horse Racing Board, has the best credentials to affix the regulatory company tasked with reforming racing in California.

Because the longtime head of Harvard-Westlake, the uber-rich personal faculty in Studio Metropolis, he’s very acquainted coping with folks used to getting their very own means and having to determine persuade them in any other case.

He walks in because the attainable swing vote on a board that has shaped two camps over preserve racing getting in California within the face of vocal opposition.

One group, led by Vice Chairman Oscar Gonzales and together with Wendy Mitchell and Brenda Washington Davis, appears prepared to make use of measures similar to shortening licenses and growing penalties for issues of safety. The opposite group is in favor of slower change and a delicate contact when coping with the tracks and contains Chairman Greg Ferraro, Dennis Alfieri and Alex Solis. Damascus Castellanos was the ideological middle, though he tended to vote with the latter group.

Hudnut replaces Solis, who has moved to Kentucky and requested to not be reappointed. Solis was probably the most against important change and embraced the established order. That finish of the spectrum possible shall be stuffed by Alfieri, who within the December assembly praised The Stronach Group with the way it dealt with the fatality disaster at Santa Anita in 2019, though the observe refused a CHRB request to shut close to the top of its assembly.

Because the spike in deaths was first reported by The Occasions and have become a nationwide story, TSG has changed some senior observe executives and turn into a nationwide chief in reform and security measures, dramatically lowering fatalities at Santa Anita.

Hudnut wouldn’t touch upon any pending points apart from becoming a member of the board in its unanimous help of Dr. Jeff Blea, the equine medical director at the moment on administrative go away after having his license suspended by the state veterinary board over alleged minor violations whereas he was in personal follow.

Hudnut was each recruited and held his hand up for the appointment from Gov. Gavin Newsom. Amongst people who had been backing his appointment had been Jack LeBeau of Los Alamitos and Roger Licht, former chair of the CHRB.

Los Alamitos was the topic of the type of license scrutiny that has divided the board in late 2020 when Gonzales, Washington Davis and Mitchell voted for a six-month license somewhat than the yr the observe had at all times been given. As a result of solely six commissioners had been in attendance — Solis was lacking — the vote twice resulted in a tie, which means the observe had no license. Alfieri and Castellanos came visiting to the facet of the shorter license simply so the observe may keep open. When the complete fee met the following month, the six-month license was overturned and Los Alamitos was granted a yearlong license on a 4-3 vote.

It underscores why Hudnut might maintain the important thing to future actions of the board. He nonetheless wants Senate affirmation however can serve till that point. His first assembly is Thursday, maybe the final one to be held by teleconference earlier than the board returns to in-person conferences.

“The case might be made for California that it’s the nationwide chief in drug testing, horse and rider security,” Hudnut mentioned. “Simply take a look at the information during the last three years.”

Hudnut, 74, joins Castellanos, Gonzales and Mitchell as registered Democrats. Alfieri and Washington Davis are registered Republicans and Ferraro has no get together affiliation.

Hudnut has a robust background in horse racing having been a fractional proprietor for a number of years. Among the many trainers he has used are Richard Baltas, Phil D’Amato, Neil Drysdale and Brian Lynch. He at the moment owns no horses.

He began as a wrangler in Colorado in his teenagers. His love of horses extends past thoroughbreds.

“I’ve had a lifelong affection for horses and the will to do proper by them,” he mentioned.

Hudnut admits to haven’t listened to a number of board conferences recently, so he could also be stunned when even probably the most benign objects set off sturdy public remark.

Among the many factors often introduced up at conferences by animal rights advocates is that board members preserve racing alive to line their very own pockets and preserve their jobs on the board.

Commissioners are paid $100 a month.