Reward Offered for Information on Horse Trainer’s Assailants

A $100,000 reward was offered Friday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever severely beat horse trainer Robert Gilbert at Los Alamitos Racetrack earlier this week.

“We want these people caught,” said Jeff True, director of marketing for the track, which is offering the reward. “We’re shocked and hurt that someone has come to our house and hurt one of our people.”

Gilbert, who worked at the track for about 20 years, remains on life support at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He has about a 20% chance of survival, family members said Friday.

The 56-year-old trainer was found semiconscious at the racetrack about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police said Gilbert had been beaten with a blunt object and robbed of about $4,000, which he had won gambling at the Pechanga Entertainment Center in Temecula. They believe Gilbert was followed to the track from the casino.

Investigators have few clues in the case. But they are trying to identify four African Americans--two men and two women--seen leaving the casino about 2:50 a.m. Wednesday, shortly before Gilbert. Police emphasized that the four are not suspects.

One of the men is described as dark-skinned, 20 to 25 years old, about 5 feet 8 and weighing about 200 pounds, with his hair in cornrows. He appeared to be wearing a light-colored sweater and a jacket. The other man also is described as dark-skinned, 20 to 25 years old and about 5 feet 8. He weighs about 150 pounds and had diamond studs in both ears, was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and leather jacket and had a black bandanna over his hair.

Police did not release detailed descriptions of the women.

Although police said the unidentified foursome acted suspiciously as Gilbert cashed in his winnings, they refused to comment further about their behavior.

“We just want to talk to them,” said Lt. Mike Idom of the Cypress Police Department.

Gilbert, a Texas native and divorced father of two, is a blackjack enthusiast, relatives said. Family members said they occasionally worried that someone would try to rob the horse trainer of his winnings.

“I was hoping that it wouldn’t happen, so we didn’t bring it up,” said Gilbert’s younger brother Tom. “Maybe we should have.”