SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has named fellow celebrity Bo Derek to a state commission overseeing horse racing in California.

The 51-year-old actress was appointed to the California Horse Racing Board today. The position requires confirmation by the state Senate and pays $100 per diem.

Derek is an animal rights activist and horse lover who has lobbied Congress for the past five years to ban the slaughter of horses in the U.S. She also owns the pet care products company Bless the Beasts, selling dog shampoos, conditioner and fur polish.

Derek is the author of a 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.