Chew retiring to start horse center for special-needs children and veterans

DEL MAR, Calif. – Veteran trainer Matt Chew is retiring in coming weeks.

Chew, 60, plans to have his last runner in Southern California at Del Mar on Monday’s closing day of the summer meeting and said Sunday that he will have a few more starters at Golden Gate Fields before disbanding his 10-horse stable.

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Chew said he will focus on a horse farm in Hayden Lake, Idaho, where he and his wife, Candy, have property.

“We plan on having a horse center for special-needs kids and veterans,” Chew said between races Sunday.

Chew began training in 1982 and has trained throughout California. In recent years, his stable has raced primarily at Del Mar and Santa Anita, where his wife is a marketing executive. A devoted outdoorsman, Matt Chew said a milestone birthday this year played a role in his decision.

“I’m 60 this year,” Chew said. “I had to make a decision to do something else or stay in this forever. I’m not familiar with what’s outside of these gates.”

Through Sunday, Chew had six wins this year. The stable has numbered approximately 15 to 20 runners in recent seasons.

Chew’s top runner in recent years was Singing Kitty, a three-time stakes winner at Santa Anita in 2015. Her richest win was the $200,000 California Cup Oaks for statebreds.