Keeneland is making a $50,000 contribution to the Ed Brown Society to become an official Ed Brown Partner. This multifaceted partnership will further opportunities for young people of color to gain exposure, experience and professional job placements in the Thoroughbred industry.
As a cornerstone of the partnership, Ed Brown Society (EBS) will identify, recruit and place qualified minority students for paid professional internships within the Keeneland team. Upon the completion of their internships, EBS will provide ongoing direction to these interns as they progress toward permanent professional placements in the Thoroughbred Industry. Ed Brown Society and Keeneland will also collaborate on existing initiatives such as Keeneland's Fifth Grade Field Trips, College Scholarship Day and Keeneland's College Ambassador Program with an effort to promote diversity and inclusion.
The Ed Brown Society (edbrownsociety.org) is named for the noted African American horseman, Edward Dudley Brown from Lexington who achieved great success as a Thoroughbred jockey, trainer and owner from the latter 19th century through the time of his retirement in 1903. Brown, who trained Baden-Baden to win the 1877 Kentucky Derby and developed future Derby winners Ben Brush and Plaudit, was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1984.
“Ed Brown Society and Keeneland have a collective commitment to expose the sport to new and diverse audiences and create more opportunities for people from all backgrounds,” Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We are proud to expand our relationship with Ed Brown Society at the Partner level and excited to invest in a more diverse next generation of industry leaders with the EBS internship program.”
“Like so many African Americans, who have accomplished great things in horse racing, Ed Brown was a native of Lexington, Ky. So, it is a fitting milestone to embark upon this crucial endeavor with Keeneland. We gladly welcome Keeneland to the Ed Brown Partnership, which should open doors in the Horse Capital of the World for more students of color to pursue professional careers in the industry that I love,” said Greg Harbut, chairman of the Ed Brown Society.
Details are also in the works for a Keeneland sponsored Ed Brown Race Day during the 2023 Spring Meet.
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