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Wayne Oke accepts position with California
Horse Racing Board
3/9/07 - KyHarnessRacing.com

    Wayne Oke has accepted a judges/stewards position
    for the California Horse Racing Board. It wasn't an
    easy decision, but the right one. If you have never
    thought of going to California once in your life, then
    you're not dreamin. Wayne isn't gonna be dreamin it
    any longer. He will be livin it. California Livin.

    He move from Canada to Kentucky almost twenty
    years ago. Then, working for Woodbury, a horse
    transport company. Through the years Wayne Oke
    has had his hand in several aspects of the business.
    From shipping horses, training, driving, horse broker,  
    county fair presiding judge (in Kentucky and
    Tennessee), starter, race secretary and associate
    judge for the past five years in Kentucky.

    While speaking to Wayne Oke in a phone interview he
    had this to say to all horsemen and women of
    Kentucky.

    "This is one of the toughest decisions I've ever
    had to make, just for the simple reason of all
    the people I have met. I really appreciate all the
    relationships and friends that I've made here
    through the years. And, if anyone one decides
    to come to California, please look me up.
    Kentucky will remain my home. I'm not moving,
    I'm just relocating for a year.  Opportunities like
    this don't come down the stretch very often.  I
    flew out to Sacramento last week and met with
    California Horse Racing Board Chairman Richard
    Shapiro, Executive Director Ingrid Ferman, and
    Personnel Director Wendy Matsuda and felt the
    interview went well. Thursday evening I got the
    phone call and job offer.  I had been speaking
    with Marc Guilfoil throughout the process and he
    kept telling me "if they offer the job that I owe it
    to myself and family to strongly consider it."  So
    with that the Oke family sat down to a serious
    soul searching session.  In the end it the
    decision simply came down to California offers
    around 210 days of racing as compared to
    Kentucky's 80 days. I want to stay in the official
    end of the business full time and this gives me
    the opportunity to do just that.  Although I will
    miss all the friendships and comradely I have in
    Kentucky, I felt this was a good opportunity to
    better myself. Right now I'm on my way to
    Florida to catch a boat and take my beautiful
    wife Connie on a Caribbean Cruise of a lifetime
    before I start in California next month. Make no
    mistake, I'll be back, Kentucky will always be
    home to me"



    I, for one, couldn't help but notice the great amount
    of attention to detail and the passion Wayne Oke has
    for the sport of harness racing in Kentucky. His
    absence will be missed. KYharnessracing.com would
    personally like to congratulate Mr. Oke with his new
    position with the California Horse Racing Board and
    continued success in the harness game.  
    Stay in touch,
    T.C.
Future Looks Brighter for Kentucky Horsemen
5/23/07 Aaron Young - KyHarnesssRacing.com

    The May primary election is history but the future is a
    little brighter for Kentucky's horsemen.

    Steve Beshear got forty-one percent of the vote
    and earned the Democratic nomination for governor
    over Bruce Lunsford as well as other democratic
    hopefuls. In November, also on the ballot will be
    Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher who received fifty
    percent of the vote to gain his party's nomination.

    Beshear had been rising in the polls recently due to
    his ads calling for expanded gaming and getting
    endorsements from the likes of former Governor
    Bereton Jones and, Treasurer and former candidate
    Jonathan Miller. Beshear could be Kentucky's best
    bet for passing legislation that would allow slot
    machines at racetracks.

    I urge everyone to support Beshear this coming
    November. I would also like to see the KHHA,
    KyHarnessRacing.com, KHRA Director of
    Standardbred Racing Marc Guilfoil, The Red Mile,
    Bluegrass Downs, Thunder Ridge and all Kentucky
    horsemen put together a fund raising event
    surrounding our great sport for the Beshear
    campaign. This could bring his and others attention
    towards harness racing in Kentucky, which is the real
    issue.

    To learn more about Steve Beshear and his running
    mate Daniel Mongiardo, visit their campaign website
    at www.stevebeshear.com     

    To all horse people of Kentucky; if you have not
    already, REGISTER TO VOTE TODAY.  Together
    we CAN make a difference.
"California Dreamin" Oke enjoys the west coast
6/25/07 KyHarnessRacing.com

    Wayne Oke accepted a position, earlier this year, as
    the state steward in California. He has been at his
    new post for almost two months. We have had
    several inquiries about Wayne, and how he's doing.
    So we gave him a call.

    The first thing Wayne wants to set straight is, he
    knows he would not be in the position he is now in, if
    it wasn't for the experience he gained in Kentucky.
    He especially thanks Marc Guilfoil for the knowledge
    he gain working under him. "Wayne pays close
    attention to all the details. He has a mind like a steel
    trap, he never forgets the little things. His greatest
    asset of all is his extreme loyalty, a presiding judges
    dream," Marc Guilfoil said about his former associate
    judge. He also worked as presiding judge at the
    Kentucky Fair Circuit for three years before being
    relieved of his duties there. After that, he accepted a
    position as an associate judge at the pari-mutual  
    tracks.

    Wayne is very happy with his decision to move. He
    just signed another year contract, so he will be there
    at least two more years. "This is without a doubt the
    best thing I've done. The people here are very
    positive. And everything is operated in the most
    professional manner possible." Oke stated. "I'm just  
    amazed at the professionalism here. Everyone here is
    employed by the state. You don't have to answer to
    the tracks. That makes for a much better balanced
    system than what I was use to." The state is who
    you are employed by and they are the one to hire
    you or relieve you. Wayne had this to add, "The only
    downside to the situation is I'm in California and my
    wife is still in Kentucky. There is a good possibility of
    moving everything here."