Our History
Joe McAnally, then with the California Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (“CHBPA”) was concerned about the high cost of dentistry for backstretch workers. He hired Dr. Linda Roselle and converted the old “silks” trailer to a small dental unit. Soon, more space was needed. A larger trailer was acquired about the same time Dr. Russell Maatz, a local Emergency Room physician, approached Joe about the prospect of adding primary medical care. They were soon joined by Noble Threewitt, a prominent and long-standing Thoroughbred trainer who knew that this population needed such help.
Business was so brisk that the clinic outgrew itself and in the mid-1990’s a much larger facility was built and placed across the parking lot from the original site. At about 5,000 square feet, today the clinic serves over 4,000 patient visits on an annual basis. This larger unit was made possible largely through a donation from the CHBPA Welfare Fund to the CTHF in the amount of nearly $1.5 million. The CTHF was incorporated in 1984. Without Joe and Noble’s help securing the seed money, along with Dr. Maatz, it is questionable if the CTHF would have been able to grow into the charitable foundation it is today.
As Noble’s training career began to wind down, he spent more and more time at the clinic looking after the workers. Noble lived to be 99 years old and served as the president of the CTHF for 28 years. Deservedly, the Santa Anita clinic is now named the Noble Threewitt Health Center, in his honor.
Further reading on Noble Threewitt
February 19, 2001 – California Thoroughbred Horsemen Honor Noble Threewitt
July 7, 2005 – Noble Cause
September 19, 2010 – Iconic Trainer Noble Threewitt Dies at 99
Noble Threewitt - July 1961 - Valley Times Collection
