Edited press release
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to chair the Breeders’ Cup Host Committee, which will promote the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held at Santa Anita Park on October 24-25.
“The very first Breeders’ Cup was run in California, and so it is a special honor to host the 25th running of horse racing’s most prestigious championship races at Santa Anita during the Oak Tree season,” said Schwarzenegger. “The event will not only showcase one of the world’s most beautiful racetracks but also will generate more than $100 million for the California economy. I am looking forward to working with the other members of the host committee to ensure its success. We are proud of our world class racetracks and, in particular, of the Oak Tree Racing Association, which has been chosen to host the Breeders’ Cup this year and next, an unprecedented achievement.”
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held at Santa Anita Park for the fourth time and this year’s running marks the seventh time that the Breeders’ Cup will be held in the Golden State. The 2009 Breeders’ Cup will also be held at Santa Anita Park, marking the first time that a Breeders’ Cup has returned to the same track in consecutive years.
The Breeders’ Cup consists of two days of international racing at its best. There are 14 races with purses totaling $25.5 millions.
Friday’s program features the first ever all female racing program, highlighted by five Breeders’ Cup races. The action continues Saturday with nine open male Breeders’ Cup races. Each year, the Breeders’ Cup draws the top horses, jockey and trainers from more than a dozen countries around the globe, battling for championship honors. This year’s races will also be televised domestically with an unprecedented nine hours of two-day coverage on ABC and ESPN and in more than 120 countries.
“This will be the first Breeders’ Cup conducted on a synthetic surface and free of any steroid use by any participating horse," said Sherwood Chillingworth,” executive vice president of the Oak Tree Racing Association. "It is a series of three firsts in Breeders’ Cup’s twenty-five year history, and Oak Tree is proud to be part of their innovations.
The Breeders’ Cup host committee is comprised of civic and business and horse racing industry leaders. The committee will work to increase awareness of the Breeders’ Cup throughout California and oversee the activities of numerous local ceremonies and special events surrounding this year’s event.
2008 Breeders’ Cup host committee
Chairman
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor, State of California
Anthony Adams
California Assemblyman, 59th District
Michael Antonovich
Los Angeles County Supervisor
Madeline Auerbach
Vice-Chair, Thoroughbred Owners of California
Bill Bogaard
Mayor, City of Pasadena
Rick Caruso
CEO, Caruso Affiliated
Ron Charles
President, Los Angeles Turf Club
Robert Harbicht
Mayor, City of Arcadia
R. D. Hubbard
Thoroughbred Owner
Bob Margett
California State Senator, 29th District
George Nicholaw
Commentator
Laffit Pincay, Jr.
Retired Jockey
Anthony Portantino
California Assemblyman, 44th District
Kathy Schloessmann
President, LA Sports & Entertainment Commission
John Semcken
CEO, Pacific Palms Resort
Richard Shapiro
Chairman, California Horse Racing Board
Samantha Siegel
Thoroughbred Owner
David Simon
President, Los Angeles Sports Council
Gary Toebben
President & CEO, LA Area Chamber of Commerce
Antonio Villaraigosa
Mayor of Los Angeles
Operations Committee
Chairman
Sherwood Chillingworth
Oak Tree Racing Association
Rick Baedeker
Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
Beth Costanza
Arcadia Chamber of Commerce
George Fasching
Arcadia Resident and Businessman
Ruth Gilb
Arcadia Resident and Volunteer
Allen Gutterman
Santa Anita Park
George Haines
Santa Anita Park
Rick Lemmo
Caruso Affiliated
Nan Marchand
Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau
Don Penman
City of Arcadia
Mickey Segal
Arcadia Resident and Volunteer
Pete Siberell
Santa Anita Park
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
