John Cherwa is a special contributor to the Los Angeles Times. He started at The Times in 1980 and left in 1995 to be sports editor of the Chicago Tribune and Tribune Co. sports coordinator in 2002. He rejoined The Times in 2009 and left his post as deputy sports editor late in 2017. Currently, his major coverage area is horse racing, where he can be found at big races at Santa Anita, the Triple Crown series and Breeders’ Cup. He also can be found at the Olympics, having just finished the Tokyo and Beijing double, marking his 11th Olympics. Cherwa also contributes general interest stories from Florida.
Latest From This Author
The attempt to allow Bob Baffert to run a horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby was denied in a ruling on Thursday.
April 18, 2024
Stronghold runs down favorite Imagination to win the Santa Anita Derby. Sierra Leone and Resilience take wins in other 100-point prep races.
April 6, 2024
Q&A with Aidan Butler, the CEO of 1/ST Racing, who answers questions concerning the future of Santa Anita Park. How long can it survive losing money?
April 5, 2024
Owner Amr Zedan files suit in Kentucky that says his Bob Baffert-trained horses should be allowed to run in the Derby because the trainer’s ban was only two years.
April 3, 2024
Final major Kentucky Derby preps go this weekend with races at Santa Anita, Keeneland and Aqueduct. Absence of points-eligible Baffert horses cloud the picture.
March 31, 2024
The CHRB voted unanimously to give Pleasanton racing dates at the end of the year despite a letter from Santa Anita threatening to close or sell.
March 21, 2024
The California Horse Racing Board meets this week to decide if racing will continue in Northern California, or if that business will be sent to SoCal.
March 20, 2024
1/ST Racing made a not-so-veiled threat to consider selling or closing Santa Anita if the board authorizes racing in Northern California this year.
March 19, 2024
William Byron ends Hendrick Motorsports’ nine-year Daytona 500 drought by hanging on to win after avoiding a crash just as the white flag comes out.
Feb. 19, 2024
NASCAR moves a race for second time this season as the Daytona 500 is rescheduled for Monday. It will be part of a doubleheader with the Xfinity Series race.
Feb. 18, 2024