Handicapping Challenge to Benefit Grayson-Jockey Club

Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation will partner with Little Red Feather Racing and Equibase to sponsor the ‘Gamble For Grayson Handicapping Challenge.’

The contest will take place Nov. 28 and 29 and will span five graded stakes races to be held that weekend at Del Mar. Representatives of Little Red Feather and Equibase will begin with $500 bankrolls, $100 must be wagered on each race on straight win-place-show bets, exactas, trifectas or superfectas. At the end of the contest, all remaining bankroll and winnings will be donated to Grayson.

The team representing Little Red Feather is Gary Fenton, managing partner of Little Red Feather; and Kenny Mayne, sports journalist for ESPN. The Equibase team is composed of Christina Blacker, TVG host, reporter, and analyst; and Ellis Star, national racing analyst for Equibase.

The races that have been selected for the Gamble for Grayson Handicapping Challenge are the GI Hollywood Derby and GI Matriarch S., the GII Seabiscuit H. and the GIII Jimmy Durante S. and GIII Cecil B. Demille S.

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Canterbury Requests 65-Date Season For 2021, Purses Projected To Return To Pre-COVID Levels

Canterbury Park racing officials have submitted a request to the Minnesota Racing Commission for 65 racing dates in 2021 beginning May 18 and running through Sept. 16. With the request came the caveat that future impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic may necessitate an amendment to the request. Horsemen purses are projected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels of approximately $220,000 per day, a 13 percent increase over the $195,000 per day in 2020. The meet would feature both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing.

Canterbury Park's 2020 race meet was delayed and shortened but once commencing on June 10 the meet ran uninterrupted for 53 days through Sept. 17 with limited spectators.

“We intend to run a more typical 65-day meet in 2021,” Vice President of Racing Operations Andrew Offerman said. “We have learned a lot about safely conducting a racing season during very trying circumstances. We will build on that knowledge next season knowing that there may be subsequent changes and alterations to the schedule. However, it is important for the racing industry to understand our intention to run a 65-day meet from mid-May through mid-September.”

With a capacity limit of 750 spectators in the recently concluded meet, track officials moved off the traditional Thursday through Sunday schedule and conducted racing Monday through Thursday evenings. The result was a 116 percent increase in out-of-state wagering handle. The request for 2021 is for a Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule with racing on Memorial Day and Labor Day as well as Saturday, July 3.

Canterbury Park's live racing success has been predicated on live crowds averaging more than 6,500 per day generating food, beverage, handle and admission revenues crucial to supporting a race meet that employs more than 1,000 workers, the majority of which was lost in 2020.

“We fully understand the severity and serious nature of the ongoing pandemic; however we remain optimistic and are planning a 2021 season for what might be possible,” Vice President of Marketing John Groen said. “Should venues like Canterbury Park be allowed to safely increase attendance capacity, Sunday afternoon would provide an opportunity to reintroduce popular family promotions tied to live horse racing that we are known for.”

Sunday afternoon racing in 2021 would replace Mondays which produced the weakest results during Canterbury Park's 2020 meet. In past years, promotions such as corgi dog races and fireworks displays have attracted crowds three times larger than the daily average.

The 2021 schedule also includes a nine-day break to accommodate Twin Cities Summer Jam, a three-day music festival held in the racetrack infield July 22 through 24. The event was first held in 2019 but postponed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

The Minnesota Racing Commission, a nine-member panel appointed by the state's governor tasked with overseeing the integrity and safety of horse racing at Minnesota's two pari-mutuel racetracks, is expected to consider Canterbury's race date request at its December meeting. Minnesota Administrative Rule 7872.0100 required Canterbury Park to submit for 2021 racing dates no later than Nov. 15, 2020.

Canterbury Park's 24/7 card casino and simulcast racebook remain open daily. For more information visit www.canterburypark.com.

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Kentucky Derby Museum Welcomes Four New Board Members

Kentucky Derby Museum welcomes five new members to its Board of Directors. Joining the Board is Brandy Harmon, Vice President of Ticketing & Venue Operations for Breeders' Cup Ltd., Ja Hillebrand, CEO of Stock Yards Bank & Trust, Briana Lathon, Senior Compliance Officer, Group & Military at Humana and returning to the Board is Harold Workman, who is retired from his career in public service.

“It has been a tough year on many businesses, but especially for non-profit organizations like the Kentucky Derby Museum,” said Pat Armstrong, President & CEO. “Our Museum is navigating challenges in 2020 with steady direction from our Board. With their experience and sharp minds, the incoming Board members will further strengthen our organization moving forward in these challenging times.”

Additionally, current Board Member David Nett has been appointed Secretary. Departing Board Members are Theresa Canaday, Michael Rust and T. Hunter Wilson.

Kentucky Derby Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is governed by a 22 person Board of Directors, committed to the highest standard of business ethics. The Museum board monitors Museum operations, provides financial oversight, and helps guide the growth of the Museum. The new Board members will serve a three year term.

About the new Board Members:

Brandy Harmon

Brandy oversees all ticket sales and operations for the Breeders' Cup World Championships, beginning her career there in 2009. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science in Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering, she began her career as Director of Sales & Operations for Dapple Bloodstock/Season Exchange, and worked her way up the ladder through the equine industry. Harmon is a member of the Thoroughbred Club of America, served on the board of directors for the Oregon TOBA, Race for Education, and a member of several industry organizations. She resides in Lexington, KY with her husband.

Ja Hillebrand

Mr. Hillebrand is Chief Executive Officer of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company and its holding company, Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc. Ja joined Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company in 1996 to develop the Private Banking Group for the company. Prior to joining the Bank, he was with a regional bank and a community bank where he specialized in private banking.

Ja led Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company's expansion into the Indianapolis market in 2003 and in 2007 he led the Bank's expansion into the Cincinnati market and supervised the Bank's retail brokerage division.

He served as Executive Vice President and Director of Private Banking until 2008. In 2008, he was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors and named President. In 2018, Ja became Chief Executive Officer.

Briana Lathon

Briana Lathon is an attorney and life-long Louisvillian. She graduated from Centre College in 2015 and the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 2018.

Briana is currently employed by Humana as a Senior Compliance Officer for the commercial and military group. Prior to Humana, Briana spent two years in private practice as a business litigation attorney.

During law school Briana served as the Black Law Student Association President, Lead legal research fellow for the Center for Land Use and Policy, and was named a Brandeis Human Rights Advocacy Fellow by the University of Louisville and Louisville Bar Foundation.

In addition to the Kentucky Derby Museum board, Briana serves as the Chair of the Brandeis School of Law Diversity Alumni Council, is a member of the Kentucky Derby Festival Board of Directors, an Associate member of the Brandeis Inn of Courts, and vice chair of the Louisville Bar Association's Young Lawyers Section.

Harold Workman

Harold Workman of Louisville grew up on a family farm in Livingston County and received a bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture in 1969.

Workman has spent his career in public service with significant focus on development of livestock expositions. Workman began his career with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. In 1974, he was named General Manager of the North American International Livestock Exposition. Beginning in 1986, Workman directed all agency-produced events for the Kentucky State Fair Board as director of exposition, and served four years as vice president of expositions and operations. In 1993, Workman was named to his current position as President and CEO for the Kentucky State Fair Board.

Thanks to his efforts, the Kentucky Exposition Center is home to several signature events including the North American International Livestock Exposition. When he took on the challenge of establishing a major livestock exposition 38 years ago, he set the groundwork for an event that would annually attract thousands of producers and exhibitors. The event has grown from 2,500 head of beef cattle in its first year to becoming the largest all-breed, purebred show of its kind.

Under his leadership, the Exposition Center has been transformed into one of the ten largest facilities of its type with more than 1.2 million square feet of indoor space.

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Derby Museum Announces New Board Members

Officials at the Kentucky Derby Museum have announced five new members to its Board of Directors.

Joining the Board are Brandy Harmon, Vice President of Ticketing & Venue Operations for Breeders’ Cup Ltd.; Ja Hillebrand, CEO of Stock Yards Bank & Trust; Briana Lathon, Senior Compliance Officer, Group & Military at Humana; and returning to the Board is Harold Workman, who is retired from his career in public service.

“It has been a tough year on many businesses, but especially for non-profit organizations like the Kentucky Derby Museum,” said Pat Armstrong, President & CEO. “Our Museum is navigating challenges in 2020 with steady direction from our Board. With their experience and sharp minds, the incoming Board members will further strengthen our organization moving forward in these challenging times.”

Current Board Member David Nett has been appointed Secretary. Departing Board Members are Theresa Canaday, Michael Rust and T. Hunter Wilson.BraB

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