Derek, 51, was appointed to fill one of two vacant posts on the California Horse Racing Board, a position requires confirmation by the state Senate and pays $100 per diem.

Derek is a horse lover who has lobbied Congress for the past five years to ban the slaughter of the animals. She also owns the pet care products company Bless the Beasts, which sells such items as dog shampoos, conditioner and fur polish.

She also wrote the book "Riding Lessons: Everything That Matters in Life I Learned from Horses." Her Web site said the autobiography links her life lessons with her understanding of horses.

Her first board meeting will be Thursday at the Del Mar racetrack. She joins Jerry Moss, the co-founder of A&M Records and a prominent horse owner, on the board.

Also appointed was writer and TV producer David Israel, whose credits include "The Untouchables" and "Midnight Caller." As a former syndicated sports columnist, Israel covered the Triple Crown victories of Seattle Slew and Affirmed in the 1970s.

The seven-member racing board supervises horse racing and parimutuel wagering at racetracks in California, enforces laws and regulations, and sanctions violators.