Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 5, 2016

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2016

SECTION B


AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

BREEDERS CUP 2016: A DREAM ASSIGNMENT

THIRTY-FIVE HONORED AT LOS ANGELES COUNTY 
SHERIFF’S 34TH ANNUAL VALOR AWARDS AND 
THE TEMPLE STATION CONNECTION

By Joan Schmidt

Just attending the 2016 Breeders’ Cup at the 
Great Race Place is awesome in itself. I have 
been counting the days for the last two years! So 
many wonderful horses entered in the various 
categories, and Santa Anita is the best venue 
around with its gorgeous setting, the perfect 
layout, and even easy parking! 

 Monday afternoon was fabulous. The Drawing 
of Post Positions for the Classic and Distaff were 
held at the Chandelier Room, complete with 
sumptuous appetizers and beverages. Prior to 
the drawing, I chatted with Victor Espinosa and 
Mike Smith. Trainers Art and Alan Sherman and 
Richard Mandella also were on hand to answer 
questions. It was very interesting watching 
everyone’s reactions as Laffit Pincay III read the 
post positions. It also was neat to see media 
friends-Julie Stewart from Washington State and 
a couple from Canada.

 Wednesday brought a fun experience. Top 
Breeders’ trainers and jockeys were seated at 
individual stations and the media was able to 
move around to secure multiple interviews. They 
included jockeys Gary Stevens, Mike Smith and 
Victor Espinosa, and trainers Chad Brown, Mark 
Casse, Art Sherman, Richard Mandella Todd 
Pletcher, Kiaran McLaughlin and Hugo Palmer. 
Afterwards, there was a buffet brunch. Prior to 
the media shoot, I met two Venezuelan reporters, 
an Aussie Photographer, Michael McInally, racing 
fans from New York, Miami and Louisville. James 
Corral had his wonderful key chains, plaques and 
other neat items on sale. Equine painter Annette 
Haigh was taking photos to use as models for her 
painting.

 Thursday I arrived at Clockers Corners, saw 
many Breeders’ entries working out, and ran into 
Florent Geroux and Julian Leparoux with his 
beautiful family, wife Shea and son Mitchell. The 
Media attended a Safety and Security Briefing for 
the Breeders Cup. Speakers included Breeders’ 
Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel, Dora 
Delgado, Breeders’ Cup Senior Vice President of 
Racing and Nominations, Joe Morris, Senior Vice 
President West Coast Operations, Dr. Rick Arthur 
CHRB Equine Medical Director, Dr. Deborah 
Lampartner, Breeders’ Veterinary Team Leader. 
Dr. Alan Ruggles and Dr. Scott Palmer, On-Call 
Program, Don Ahrens, Breeders’ Security Team, 
Lou Scalera, Director of Security, Santa Anita 
Park, and Luis Jauregui, Horse Racing Board 
Safety Security.

 We learned three Kimzey equine ambulances 
will be deployed at various positions around the 
oval and the So CA Equine Foundation operates 
an equine hospital in the stable area.

 Security is a top priority, Horses are secured 
seventy-two hours prior to first post and there 
is an enhanced “State of the Art” surveillance 
system, installed in 2014. There are 100 security 
officers monitoring the horses twenty-four 
seven.

 There is a strict Prohibited Substance Rule. The 
horses who will be entering the races are tested.

 It was a very interesting session, and I now look 
forward to the races themselves.


By Joan Schmidt

 The LASD 2016 Medal of Valor Awards was wonderful 
but heart-wrenching. Held at USC Galen Center arena, 
Cannel 7’s David Ono was MC; guest speaker was Air 
Force Staff Sgt. Spencer Stone, a military Purple Heart 
award recipient. In November, 2015, he assisted in 
disarming a gunman on a Paris-bound train, preventing 
the massacre of many passengers.

 The Awards were dedicated to the memory of Sgt. 
Steve Owen; there was a beautiful tribute, including 
a video of his life and career. Sgt. Owen himself had 
received the Meritorious Conduct Gold Medal for 
saving a kidnapped victim and capturing two armed 
robbery suspects in Lancaster, 2013.

 The Medal of Valor was awarded to Sgt. Abel Jimenez, 
Dep. Adrian Rendon, Dep. Marlin Conde, Dep. Eric 
Valdez, Dep. Jordan Hempstead, Dep. Kamal Ahmad, 
Dep. Luis Lezama, Dep. Darrell Edwards, Dep. Albert 
Macias, Dep. Gonzalo Galvez, Dep. Roger Para and 
Dep. Ricardo Munoz.

 The Meritorious Conduct-Gold was awarded to 
Dep. Hugo Barajas, Dep. Andrea De La Cruz, Custody 
Assistant Sylvia Granados, Dep. Dep, Jaime De La 
Cerda, Custody Assistant Jesse Hernandez, and Dep. 
Dwayne Javier. 

 The Meritorious Conduct-Silver was awarded to 
Dep. Andrew H. Alatorre, Sgt. Richard J. Blunt, Dep. 
Fernando Galvan-Aguilar, Dep. Gordon L. Baker, Dep. 
Daniel D. Gonzalez, Dep. Robert D. Seminaris, Dep. 
Eduardo Muniz, Retired Dep. David Allis, Dep. Manuel 
Navarro, and Dep. Daniel R. Leon.

 The Purple Heart Recipients were Dep. Edmundo 
Perez, Sgt. Christopher Fernandez, and Temple Station 
Dep. Rick Adams, who was part of the first C.O.P.S. 
Team in the Duarte County area. A few months later, 
Deputy Adams was shot; the bullet missed his aorta by 
an inch. Deputy Adams recuperated and is now Special 
Assignment Deputy in Temple City. 

 The Line of Duty Medal went to Sgt. Burt Brink. 
While assigned to Temple Station in 2007, as a Motor 
Deputy, he was involved in a horrific accident. A car hit 
him with the force of 50 mph; Burt went flying through 
the air, sustaining massive injuries to his shoulder, 
collapsed lungs, ribs, ruptured spleen, bruised kidney 
and severe leg injuries. Recuperation was eighteen 
months.

 The Humanitarian Medal went to CHP Officer Scott 
Riley, who was issuing a citation, at the time of Burt’s 
accident but immediately went to the scene, diverted 
traffic and assisted Burt. Scott, an EMT, removed Burt’s 
vest, took his hand and said, “Stay with me”. Scott asked 
questions to ensure Burt was alert.

 The Lifesaving Medal was awarded to Deputy Javier 
Tiscareno who donated part of his liver to his partner.


KICK-OFF YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT 

TREASURE FAIR THRIFT SHOP’S OPEN HOUSE

Pasadena » Treasure Fair Thrift Shop, the major 
source of funding for the Assistance League of 
Pasadena®, rings in its holiday shopping season 
with an Open House on Monday, November 
7, from 5 PM to 7 PM. The shop, which is 
normally closed on Mondays, opens its doors for 
this exclusive event and invites you to join the 
fun. Enjoy light refreshments while you browse 
through a delightful array of holiday décor, festive 
table settings, and a variety of gift-quality, gently-
used merchandise.

 Treasure Fair Thrift Shop, voted 2016’s “Readers’ 
Choice, San Gabriel Valley’s Best Thrift Store,” is 
located at 3239 East Foothill Blvd., in East Pasadena 
near the corner of Sierra Madre Villa and Foothill 
Blvd. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday 
from 10 AM to 3 PM with extended hours until 
6 PM on Thursdays. The proceeds from all sales 
fund the many philanthropic programs of the 
Assistance League of Pasadena.

 The Assistance League of Pasadena, 
celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is 
a chapter of Assistance League® - a national, 
nonprofit, volunteer organization formed in 
1935, with over 26,000 member volunteers in 
120 chapters. Chartered in 1941, Assistance 
League of Pasadena is one of the longest standing 
chapters. Through their hands-on philanthropic 
efforts, last year the chapter’s volunteers -- an 
active, dedicated, diverse group of individuals 
-- dedicated over 15,000 hours of service and 
touched thousands of lives in Pasadena and the 
surrounding communities.

 Membership in Assistance League of Pasadena 
is open year round to both residents and non-
residents of Pasadena. Information will be 
available at the open house for anyone interested 
in becoming a member.

 For additional information on the Assistance 
League of Pasadena, contact the chapter office 
at (626) 449-2068 or visit its website at www.
pasadena.assistanceleague.org.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com