Track superintendent Ron Moore dead at 80

Ron Moore, a former track superintendent at Santa Anita, died on Friday of complications from a recent stroke, the track announced in a statement. Moore was 80.

A native of South Gate, Calif., Moore was from a family with an extensive background of maintaining racetracks in California and throughout the country. His father, Bob Moore, was track foreman at Hollywood Park from 1953 to 1989. A brother, Dennis, has a lengthy resume of caring for racetracks and currently works as a track-surface consultant for the parent company of Santa Anita, 1/ST Racing. Dennis Moore’s son, Rob, is Santa Anita's track superintendent.

Ron Moore began working at Santa Anita in the early 1960s as a coachman on carriages that ferried racing officials to positions around the track. He later worked on his father’s track crew before spending three years in the Army.

In 1977, after his military service, Ron Moore was named foreman in charge of conditioning the main and training tracks at Santa Anita. During his first season, Santa Anita’s meeting was plagued by wet weather. Moore’s efforts to ensure the condition of the course was later honored with an award from the California branch of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

Ron Moore was named track superintendent at Santa Anita in 1981 and held that position through the 1980s during a time that the track hosted the equestrian events of the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.

Aside from Dennis and Rob, Ron Moore is survived by wife Susan, children Wendy, Jennifer, and David, along with their children and grandchildren. Funeral services are pending.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.