Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation announced today that it will host the 11th Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The event will be co-hosted by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and The Jockey Club.
Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit to be Held at UK
The 11th Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit will be held June 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Longship Room at Kroger Field on the campus of the University of Kentucky. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be co-hosted by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and The Jockey Club.
Annise Montplaisir, equine education coordinator of the Kentucky Equine Education Project Foundation and president of Amplify Horse Racing, will emcee the event, which will be livestreamed.
Topics for the summit include a presentation by Dr. Tim Parkin on the latest statistics from the Equine Injury Database, work being done by state veterinarians, harmonizing pre-race inspections, track surfaces, and other issues affecting horse safety.
“Keeneland has always been a great host. When its construction coincided with this year's summit, Dr. Nancy Cox, dean of the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, immediately stepped up to host the summit,” said Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and deputy executive director of The Jockey Club. “Dr. Cox and UK have been great partners with The Jockey Club and Grayson on multiple projects, and we look forward to working with them on our 2024 summit. I am certain they will be an excellent host.”
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All-Time Record High of €3 Million for Irish EBF Sponsorship
A total of €3 million will be added to the prize-money of Irish races in 2024 by the Irish European Breeders' Fund (Irish EBF), an all-time record high and bringing the Irish EBF's overall contribution since it was founded in 1983 to over €60 million.
Almost 500 races, both Flat and National Hunt, will carry EBF conditions in 2024. A new addition to the calendar this year is the €330,000 3YO Spring Series, with the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic as its showpiece.
The considerable spend of €3 million has also allowed the Irish EBF to underwrite all two-year-old EBF maiden races with €18,000 of minimum prize-money and all EBF maiden hurdles and beginners chases with a €15,000 minimum prize-fund. This compliments the 2023 announcement where all Listed races are worth a minimum of €40,000 and all fillies' Listed races are worth a minimum of €50,000.
The Irish EBF Auction Series and the Median Sires Series continue with €1.7 million of prize-money on offer to two-year-olds. The Irish EBF Ballyhane S. is worth €300,000 alone, while the Irish EBF Auction Series Final has a total prize-fund of €120,000.
National Hunt support continues with about 50% of the National Hunt allocation targeted at mares' chases, hurdle and bumper races. Irish EBF will also continue to back the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series, worth nearly €400,000 with 16 qualifying races and a €75,000 final at the Punchestown Festival which is backed up by the Irish EBF Auction Bumper Series with six races worth €15,000 each over the season.
Joe Foley, Irish EBF chairman, said, “The Irish EBF governors are delighted to announce another record contribution to Irish prize-money for the 2024 racing year. This will allow us to continue our normal sponsorship programme spanning almost 500 races but also to add extra support in many areas.
“All Irish EBF two-year-olds maidens carrying a minimum €18,000 prize-money is a significant achievement but other areas such as Listed races, maiden hurdles, beginners chases and the exciting new 3YO Spring Series, which culminates in the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms Gowran Classic, will benefit from our increased spend.
“We look forward to seeing the 3YO Spring Series for middle distance horses grow and develop and hope that it becomes as successful and popular as our 2YO series; the Irish EBF Auction Series and the Irish EBF Median Sires Series. As ever, this record contribution would not be possible without the unanimous support and funding from Irish stallion owners, so immense thanks is due to them.”
Jonathan Mullin, director of racing at Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), added, “The Irish EBF has long been the largest sponsor of Irish racing and HRI is hugely appreciative of their long-standing investment, which is underpinned by voluntary contributions from stallion farms all over Ireland.
“The commitment of €3 million towards prize-money includes a key project in 2024: the first year of targeted support for later developing middle distance horses. This initiative is the latest in over forty years of dedicated support from the EBF and for that we thank them sincerely.”
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2024 Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles: Gotham Stakes Winner Deterministic
Welcome to 2024 Kentucky Derby Prospect Profiles, where we’ll take a look each week at a recent winner on the Triple Crown trail, usually from the Road to the Kentucky Derby schedule that offers qualifying points for the first leg of the series. The 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be held May 4, 2024, at Churchill Downs.
