The Thoroughbred Owners of California announced Feb. 2 that six additional persons have qualified to run for the revamped TOC Board of Directors through the nomination-by-petition process.
Qualifying by petition were Tom Bachman, Joel Eichenberger, John Harris, Jerry Jamgotchian, Roxanne Smith, and Michael Wellman. Along with the 24 candidates nominated by TOC, they will make up the ballot for an open election to fill all 15 seats on the TOC board.
The new election was mandated through an agreement between TOC and a rival horsemen's group, the California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, which had protested the board's former representation.
The 24 candidates previously nominated were Madeline Auerbach, Bob Baffert, Dennis Cardoza, Jim Cassidy, Will DeBurgh, Mark Dedomenico, Dennis Grenier, Gloria Haley, Mike Harrington, Allan Kirkwood, George Krikorian, Ron McAnally, Ed Moger, Kevin Nish, Jack Owens, Pete Parrella, Mike Pegram, Keith Pronske, John Sadler, George Schmitt, Pablo Suarez, George Todaro, Kathy Walsh, and David Wilson.
TOC expects ballots and candidate statements to be mailed out on Feb. 15 to all TOC members. The postmark deadline to return ballots is March 15, and following a vote tally by an independent auditor, the newly elected board will be seated in April.
