Thursday Thoughts with Jason Beem Oct. 15, 2026

A good Thursday morning to you all! I wanted to write a bit today about Stewards and their place in the racing world. A big reason I wanted to write this column was in memory of long time steward Mike Twiggs, who passed away earlier this week. Mike was a steward in the state of Oregon for more than two decades and I had the good fortune to work with him at Portland Meadows and Grants Pass Downs. 

Even though Oregon isn’t the biggest racing scene in the world, Mike always treated it with care, diligence, and professionalism. He came from a racing family in Oregon where his dad was a trainer and his brother Kenny trained and rode horses. I believe Mike did ride some very early in his career, as well. Like many racing jurisdictions, horse racing is often a family affair, and the Twiggs are one of the many great families in Oregon racing. 

I came into this game as a horseplayer and fan so like many bettors, I always assumed the one job of stewards was to officiate the races. Working with Mike and other stewards, I’ve learned that’s not even a majority of their job. They arrive first thing in the morning to conduct meetings, issue rulings, and oversee the draw and a lot of the business on the backside. Even during the races there are issues that come up with licenses or someone not following the procedures, and it falls on the stewards hands to make a decision. Is the horse late walking over to the paddock? Stewards have to get it figured out. The horse gets loose, stewards are talking to the vets. It’s kind of a crazy job when you see it up close, and it’s interesting how little of it is actually making foul calls or inquiries into races. 

Now of course when those inquiries happen, it becomes priority number one. Most stewards I’ve talked to over the years are very good about knowing and seeing things from the lens of protecting the betting public. Often in horse racing, I get frustrated with people who work in the game forgetting that we’re in the gambling business and along with the safety of the athletes in the races, the integrity for the betting public is of paramount importance. Most stewards I’ve met, including Mike, are guided by it. 

Being a racecaller, I’ve gotten to know many stewards pretty well through working with them and most have been great to work with. I think often as bettors we don’t see them and just think about them when the inquiry or objection light goes up. And I’m just as guilty as many people are for cursing in their direction when I think they made a bad call. I assume that anyone who goes into any kind of sports refereeing is aware that at many points during their job, people are going to be mad at them or yell at them. It’s part of the reason I could never do that job or any refereeing position, because I’d get way too upset. I’m sensitive, just like I’m sure many stewards are. But they have to be able to accept that people aren’t going to like some of their decisions and move on with the knowledge they did what was right by the rules and the betting public. 

Mike Twiggs was a nice man who did a very good job for a lot of years in a tough position. I send my condolences to his family and loved ones and thank him for the work he did for racing in the great state of Oregon.