Schwarzenegger to Chair Host Committee

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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

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