Following Shirreffs' Passing, Santa Anita Reassigns String to Eurton, Hess

Four days after trainer John Shirreffs died on Feb. 11, 2026, Santa Anita and connections moved swiftly to complete an orderly dispersal and reassignment of his training string on Feb. 15, 2026, transferring several horses to veteran Southern California trainers Peter Eurton and Bob Hess Jr. The rapid handoff put immediate responsibility for conditioning, race entries, and day-to-day care into the hands of two established barns.

Santa Anita officials and owners worked together to manage the logistical handover, executing stalls, paperwork, and transport arrangements at the track facility during the Feb. 15 process. Several horses that had been under Shirreffs' supervision were reassigned to Eurton and Hess, shifting stable assignments and training plans just ahead of Santa Anita's forthcoming racing dates.

For owners, the reassignment changes fee structures and training strategies overnight. With Peter Eurton and Bob Hess Jr. accepting strings formerly with Shirreffs, owners must now coordinate with new trainers on race targeting and jockey bookings at Santa Anita. Those adjustments will affect which horses appear on upcoming condition books and who mounts them for the remainder of the meet, as the new trainers assume responsibilities that Shirreffs had handled until his death.

The move also has implications for stable employees and local race-day operations at Santa Anita. Transferring horses to Eurton and Hess centralizes much of the Shoeffrs string into established Southern California operations, altering daily staffing needs in barn areas and potentially shifting work to crews aligned with the new trainers. That reorganization follows a long-standing pattern in the region where veteran trainers absorb horses when a condition forces a rapid change in a yard's leadership.

The speed of the reassignment - completed four days after Shirreffs' passing - highlights how quickly the Southern California racing community can mobilize to protect horses, owners' interests, and meet integrity at Santa Anita. With several horses now under the care of Peter Eurton and Bob Hess Jr., owners and jockey agents will watch entries and declared riders closely in the coming weeks as the new barns integrate the arrivals and set race plans.

If you have a horse affected by the Feb. 15 reassignment to Peter Eurton or Bob Hess Jr., or firsthand perspective from Santa Anita's stable area, share your account below so connections and fans can track how these transfers are shaping upcoming cards and stable dynamics.