NTRA eyes California office

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association plans to open an office in California to improve its ability to communicate with its West Coast-based members, the NTRA said Thursday afternoon after a board meeting in New York.

The office will give the NTRA a permanent presence on the West Coast for the first time. The association already has offices in Lexington, Ky., and New York City.

Craig Fravel, the executive vice president of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, was appointed by the NTRA board to search for a person to head up the California office, the NTRA said. In the meantime, Fravel will serve as the NTRA's representative in the area.

According to a release from the NTRA, the board also received a report on a recent ruling by the World Trade Organization that could have impacts on account wagering, saying that the United States inconsistently applies a ban on Internet betting because of exceptions for horse racing.