DEL MAR — After nearly five decades in the proverbial saddle, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper will be retiring as the racetrack enters a new chapter, the club announced on Friday.
Harper, 83, said he is ready to transition out of day-to-day CEO responsibilities but will remain on the DMTC Board as a director. He will also assume the title of CEO Emeritus later this year.
DMTC President Josh Rubinstein will succeed Harper as CEO at the beginning of 2027, the club announced July 24.
“I am really proud to have been a part of the long and incredibly rich history of Del Mar,” Harper said. “This is a special place that transcends horse racing; it’s a unique mix of sport, lifestyle and culture. I have so many great memories about the people I’ve met and worked with and the times I’ve spent here that Del Mar is a part of me. But I think it is now time for me to step into a different role and I am happy the Board has honored me with the CEO Emeritus position where I can continue to be an advisor while also continuing to serve as a Director.”
Harper joined Del Mar in 1977 as the general manager, following six years of overseeing racing at Santa Anita as executive vice president at the Oak Tree Racing Association. 
In his years at Del Mar, Harper has overseen many hallmark moments in the racetrack’s history, including the reconstruction of the original 1930s-era grandstand in 1990 and the introduction of the Grade I Pacific Classic in 1991.
Under Harper’s stewardship, Del Mar also hosted the Breeder’s World Cup for the first time in 2017, and has hosted it again since then in 2021, 2024, and 2025.
DMTC Board Chairman David Batchelder said the board is grateful for Harper’s years of leadership.
“Joe Harper’s name and presence have been synonymous with Del Mar for nearly 50 years and his stewardship of this association and this facility has been invaluable to Thoroughbred racing in California and the U.S.,” said David Batchelder, DMTC Board Chairman. “Over the years, we witnessed Joe’s amazing ability to tackle the challenges associated with this business while fostering the respect and goodwill of the horsemen and women from around the globe, our state and local officials, and his colleagues in the racing industry.”
Rubinstein was named DMTC president in 2018 and has held several other executive positions in the organization. He also serves on the boards of other leading industry organizations like the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Equibase, Southern California Off-Track Wagering, Inc. and the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation.
Rubinstein said he is honored to build upon Harper’s strong foundation as the new CEO.
“Joe has been an inspiration and a guiding light to me throughout my career. I am especially appreciative that he is staying on as CEO Emeritus and as a director where we can continue to benefit from his wisdom and leadership,” Rubinstein said.
Harper has held leadership and advisory board member positions with numerous racing and thoroughbred organizations, including the Federation of California Racing Associations, the Thoroughbred Racing Association, the University of California, Davis Center for Equine Health Advisory Board, the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program Advisory Board, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the Winner’s Foundation.
