About Us
The California Horse Racing Board (Board, CHRB) was established by the California Legislature in 1933. The CHRB has regulatory authority over horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering at licensed racetracks throughout California. As noted in the CHRB’s mission statement, a key objective of the CHRB is to ensure the integrity, viability, and safety of the California horse racing industry.
The CHRB has seven members (commissioners), who are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor of California and confirmed by the Senate.
In 2013, as part of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s reorganization of State Government, the CHRB became part of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.
For decades, the Board adopted regulations and policies and established procedures that gave licensees wide latitude, with the intent of not micromanaging the industry. However, in 2019, an unacceptable series of racehorse deaths at Santa Anita Park focused worldwide attention on California horse racing. Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Gregory Ferraro to chair the CHRB, and with him, several other new commissioners, all determined to ensure the safety of equine athletes and their riders. This ushered in an unprecedented number of regulations that dealt with improving training methods, veterinary practices, and racetrack operations that resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of racehorse deaths in California and brought about a culture change wherein licensees accepted greater responsibility for the safety of horses.
In 2020, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) was signed into federal law, making federal authorities responsible for drafting and enforcing uniform safety and integrity rules in thoroughbred racing in the United States.
Today, the CHRB works closely with HISA in the application and enforcement of rules covering thoroughbreds, while continuing to apply CHRB rules to all other breeds. The emphasis on safety continues, as new ideas are explored and implemented to further enhance the welfare of all racing participants.