BURLINGAME, CA—JULY 31, 2018—Funeral services are set Saturday (Aug. 4) for John Andreini, longtime Quarter Horse owner, breeder and supporter who died following a brain aneurysm on Friday. He was 90.

A funeral Mass on Saturday will begin at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 1310 Bayswater Avenue, Burlingame, California. Friends and family are invited to attend a Rosary at 6:30 p.m. Friday (Aug 3) at Crosby N. Gray Funeral Home, 2 Park Road, Burlingame.

John (Giovanni) Aurelio Andreini was a giant of a man whose accomplishments coupled with self-sacrifice and generosity and a spirit to serve others has inspired countless individuals to reach a higher calling in life.

Born in Los Angeles, California shortly before moving to San Mateo, John attended St. Catherine's grade school and San Mateo High School until leaving to join the Merchant Marines at age 17 during World War II, serving in the South Pacific in Iwo Jima for two years.

Upon returning from the war, John settled down and started a family working two and three jobs at a time to make ends meet. This early pressure was the beginning of John's drive to succeed. With help and advice from his father, Giovanni (who was born in 1888 in Florence Italy and immigrated to Los Angeles before World War I), John decided to launch his first business at age 23.

John's following list of accomplishments quickly became his platform for a lifetime of good deeds and service to others. As an employer of hundreds of people whose careers have flourished, as a mentor and a positive role model, he inspired so many he came into contact with throughout his life. He was a man of his word, tireless worker, and had a core of integrity.

His list of achievements includes but are not limited to:

• Founder and CEO of Andreini & Company, established in 1951 and headquartered in San Mateo, California with branches across the United States. One of the largest privately held Insurance Brokerages in the United States, ranking consistently at #50 among the top 100 insurance firms in the country.
• Owner with wife Linda of JL Ranch in Paicines, California, a highly regarded 2,600 acre Quarter Horse racing and breeding farm, which has bred and raced a wide range of exceptional Quarter Horses.
• Established family owned and operated grape growing operations covering some 3,000 acres throughout California's Central Valley under the names of L&J Farms and Cortona Vineyard.
• Owned JSJ Harvesting, an independent wine grape harvesting company serving vineyards in the Central Valley of California.
• Appointed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve two terms as one of seven California Horse Racing Commissioners.
• Served on numerous boards as a director including: CHRB (California Horse Racing Board), AQHA (American Quarter Horse Association), PCQHRA (Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association) and Cow Palace.
• Affiliated with and served on various banking institution boards.
• Developed a number of commercial and residential properties over the years including Village Green Assisted Living Health Care Facility in Gilroy, California.
• Was one of four partners in All American Ruidoso Downs Racing, LLC and All American Ruidoso Horse Sales, LLC. These companies operate a horse racing facility, casino and horse sales company in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

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"I can’t express what an incredible loss this is to the racing industry," said Ed Allred, the owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. "He was a giant in Quarter Horse racing. All the wonderful things you’ll hear about John Andreini are all true. He helped Los Alamitos Race Course in so many ways. When we were facing difficulties with worker’s compensation coverage, John helped us greatly. He helped us create the framework for Finish Line Insurance Group."

"John was always looking to the future," said Vince Genco, a friend and longtime business partner in Quarter Horse racing. "I don’t know anybody that had more passion for the sport and more enthusiasm to make it better. He bought part of a racetrack when he was 90, that tells you right there how much passion he had and much he enjoyed racing. He was always looking for a good mare. We did a lot of fun things and enjoyed a lot of great races together.

"The great Bill Verdugo told me that there are guys you can party with and guys you can go out and do business with, but very few you can do both with. John Andreini was one of those guys. He was such a great role model. He had such a positive attitude and always such enthusiasm for the sport. Just the other day we were at his ranch looking at the babies. He was so excited about his yearlings and weanlings. We would go out to his ranch four or five times a year. It was an honor to spend time with him and a privilege to have had some opportunities to sit down with him and Dr. Allred and listen to them talk about the sport. I’ll miss him dearly."

"John was a force of nature and had a lot of fun owning this track with the partnership. He was a great American, a great family man and a true friend who will be missed,” stated Stan Sigman, for the All American Ruidoso Downs Racing, LLC partnership.

For nearly 30 years, breeding Quarter Horses was one of Andreini’s passions in life. He bred in his own name or in partnerships with others the winners of more than $6.17 million led by the Grade 1 winner Volcom, a winner of over $430,000. He also bred the Grade 1 winner Deefirst, who earned over $319,000.

Andreini also bred Grade 2 winner Make A Secret and Grade 3 winners Illegal Fireworks and Exquisite Strides. He was the co-breeder of Jumpn Beduino, who in 2009 earned close to $200,000, Grade 1 winner Headturner, and Lindas Dasher, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Ed Burke Memorial Futurity.

His broodmare band has been spearheaded by the great Dinastia Toll BR, the mother of the champion millionaire FDD Dynasty, Brazilian Dasher, Chaotic Cartel, and Staggering Stride, the sale topper at the 2015 Los Alamitos Equine Sale.

Over the years, Andreini’s broodmares included Lady Tenaya, Imjumpn, Go Adrianna, Totally Illegal, Ah Sigh, Shyann Cash, Immortal Cartel and more. His top current mares included Mischievous Player, a daughter of Dinastia Toll Br, and Jess Racy Eyes, who Andreini owned in partnership with Genco. She’s the mother of Oklahoma Futurity winner Fetching Beauty and three-time stakes winner Woop Dee Doo.

The long-time market breeder and stakes winning owner operated along with his wife, Linda, the 2,650 acre JL Ranch in Paicines, California. The ranch has always been a great source of pride for the Andreinis, who worked ardently to turn the ranch into one of Quarter Horse racing’s most pristine facilities.

Over the years, the Andreinis added a ranch house for manager Danny Cardoza, big open field for the horses, large pastures, multiple barns and a second mare motel.

"I feel like I’ve lost one of the best friends I’ve ever had," Cardoza said. "I’m one of his employees, but he treated me like family. He’d try to come to the ranch once a week. He wanted to see every horses, every mare and every baby. He wanted to know every single horse at the ranch. He just loved his horses so much."

He will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

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John is survived by his wife, Linda and children Marc, Peter, Lisa, Tia, Adam and Adrianna. He has five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. H brothers Georgio and Romano and a sister Giovanna also survive him.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the All American Ruidoso Downs Foundation – John Andreini Scholarship Fund, PO Box 449, Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico 88346, in memory of John Andreini.

Additional reporting courtesy Los Alamitos Race Course.