Mary Lou Slender was elected to the Board in February 2004.  She is married to Tucker Slender.  Mary Lou and Tucker live on a ranch in Sanger, California, where they raise beef and longhorn cattle.  She worked in the Arcadia Unified School District in special education for 25 years.

Mary Lou has been involved in horse racing for the past 63 years.  Her father, Nod Argante took out his thoroughbred trainer's license in 1940!  Her husband was the head starter at racetracks both in Northern and Southern California.  Her son, Jay, is the head starter at Santa Anita, Oak Tree and Fairplex.  Mary Lou has two daughters who live in the Del Mar area.  The whole family loves the races.

In 1975 Mary Lou and Tucker bought their first mule, Judy.  Judy was the start of Mary Lou's passion for mules.  They now own three other mules that not only race, but work cows and team pen competitively as well.  All their mules not only bring joy into their lives, but are winners on the track and at shows.

Mary Lou says:  "Mule racing has brought so much excitement to our lives.  We truly enjoy the racing and the people involved.  Hope to see you at the races!"
 

Tom Krahelski was elected to the Board of Directors in February of 2004.  He graduated in 1970 from UC Riverside with a B.A. in Political Science, and in 1973 from Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.  Tom has been an attorney since 1974.  He's worked in public law for both the Riverside and San Bernardino County Counsel's offices.  For 38 years, he has been an avid golfer (handicap of 2 or less for the last 30 years).  He has traveled the world to play golf -- Scotland, Ireland, and England, to name a few.  He has the distinction of making a hole in one on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland in 2001.  He is also a collector of Porsche books, blues CD's and books, golf clubs and travel books, gambling books and "mule stuff." 

Tom is the "numbers" person for mule racing.  He can tell you each mule's speed index, how it breaks from the gate and how it will run.  He loves the sport and he loves the mules.  Tom is a welcome addition to the Board of Directors.