As One Racing Launches Intentionally Diverse and Inclusive Horse Racing Partnership

Edited Press Release

As One Racing Stables has launched its first diverse and inclusive racing partnership. The group will race under the As One Racing banner and has acquired its first equine athlete to promote the group's mission and vision.

As One Racing was formed by a group of six like-minded individuals with a desire to grow the sport by broadening its base and bringing new faces to the industry. Turning to history, the group recognized the need for the African American community that had once been a vital part of the industry to be welcomed back. The group's founders and management committee reflect its vision– a diverse group of individuals working together to compete at the highest level while carrying out a vision and mission of promoting diversity and inclusion. To date, the group has focused its efforts on its educational mission, speaking on the history of African Americans and diversity in the sport at numerous public and private events. Now, As One is ready to move forward with racing.

As One acquired its first horse, multiple stakes winner Bipartisanship (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), in partnership with Commonwealth Racing and others for $260,000 at the recent Keeneland January Horses of All Ages sale.

The first partnership carries out the mission of the venture by pairing newcomers to the sport from diverse backgrounds together with industry stalwarts. Founder and partner Leon Nichols said that partnering together shows a real desire of the industry to be welcoming and inclusive.

“Being able to participate in this great sport as a minority and pay tribute to the famed horsemen from the late 1800s is thrilling,” Nichols said. “Doing it as business partners with industry insiders who welcome us shows that we can set an example for the future and drive real change.”

Recognizing the need and goals of the venture, Eric and Tammy Gustavson with Spendthrift Farm were quick to join from the outset.

“We are strong believers in the mission of As One Racing and were immediately interested in participating when we heard about it,” said Eric Gustavson.

Other notable names who have partnered in As One include Alex Rankin with Upson Downs Farm, Everett Dobson with Cheyenne Stables and Candy Meadows Farm, and Bret Jones with Airdrie Stud.

The founders of As One, who also serve on its management committee, include Nichols, who co-founded the Project to Preserve African American Turf History; Jonathan Israel, a longtime racing fan and administrator at the University of Louisville; Romain Malhouitre, President of Runnymede Farm; Ronald W. Mack, Lexington businessman and founder of Legacy Equine Academy; Brutus Clay, Chairman and CEO of Runnymede Farm; and Jay Ingle, an equine attorney with Jackson Kelly PLLC in Lexington, Kentucky.

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African American Contributions To Horse Racing Recognized Ahead Of Kentucky Derby 147

On Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear signed a proclamation naming April 25 – May 1 Ed Brown Society Week in the commonwealth, recognizing African Americans' contributions to horse racing ahead of the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby.

“In the 1800s and early 1900s, the majority of jockeys were African Americans. But, despite their centuries of contributions, after World War I, African Americans were pushed out of the sport,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am proud to recognize the Ed Brown Society, an organization helping right this wrong by providing mentorship to the next generation of African American Kentuckians in the horseracing industry.”

The Ed Brown Society is named after Edward D. Brown, who was born into slavery in Lexington in 1850, but through his tenacity and love of the sport developed into one of the most accomplished African American horsemen in the history of Thoroughbred racing.

Brown was sold at age seven to a proprietor of the horse farm Woodburn Stud in Woodford County. Brown had a small boyhood stature, but gained a vast knowledge of horses, which afforded him the opportunity to become a jockey in his early teens.

At 14, Brown won his first race on a horse named Asteroid. A year later, Brown was emancipated. He continued to work at Woodburn Stud until the proprietor's death in 1867. Afterwards, Brown built his career as a top jockey and trainer until he saved enough money to establish his own racing stable, where he owned and trained a number of stakes winners.

Brown's most distinguished career highlights include two standout victories: He rode Kingfisher to win the fourth running of the Belmont Stakes in 1870, and led Baden-Baden as a trainer in 1877 to win the third running of the Kentucky Derby.

Brown's important role in thoroughbred racing was confirmed with his 1984 induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The Ed Brown Society was recently established to celebrate the rich history of African Americans in the equine industry as well as to create opportunities for young African American Kentuckians.

“At the Ed Brown Society, in our past, we want to acknowledge and educate about the wonderful history of African Americans in horse racing in our great state,” said Ray Daniels, chief executive officer of Equity Solutions Group and president of the Ed Brown Society. “In the present day, we want to highlight the great jobs and opportunities in the equine industry. We've been successful in guiding 30 African Americans into horse ownership in the past few years. And the future for us is to educate young students to make these opportunities in the industry a reality.”

The society aims to increase diversity in thoroughbred racing and its support professions, helping more people pursue a career they are passionate about, and at the same time, helping the equine industry reach its full potential. For example, as of 2018, African Americans comprised 13.4% of the U.S. population, but made up only 1.7% of veterinary employment, a statistic the society wants to help improve.

Through partnerships with industry stakeholders and educational institutions, the Ed Brown Society has the opportunity to ensure the horseracing industry is well-positioned culturally and economically to create a stronger, more diverse pipeline of talent for the future.

The post African American Contributions To Horse Racing Recognized Ahead Of Kentucky Derby 147 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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DeShawn Parker Honored With 2021 George Woolf Memorial Award

DeShawn Parker, the five foot, 10 inch jockey who in 2010 became the first African American rider since 1895 to lead all American jockeys in races won, can now add another coveted achievement to what has been an incredible career, as he has been selected by a vote of jockeys nationwide as the winner of the 2021 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.

Presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950, the Woolf Award can only be won once. One of the most prestigious awards in all of racing and named for the legendary late Hall of Fame jockey who gained national fame when an estimated radio audience of 40 million tuned in as he piloted Seabiscuit to victory over Triple Crown Champ War Admiral in a match race at Pimlico Race Course on Nov. 1, 1938, the Woolf Award recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character garner esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

The Woolf Trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue of the legendary George Woolf which adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area.

A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Parker, 50, outpolled four other Woolf finalists, Alex Birzer, Jorge Martin Bourdieu, Kendrick Carmouche and Aaron Gryder, all of whom have plied their trade with notable distinction at tracks throughout North America.

The 2021 Woolf Award win comes on the heels of the passing of Parker's mentor and father, Daryl Parker. A longtime highly respected Ohio racing steward, Parker passed away from cancer in Cincinnati on March 4.

“My idol, my best friend and a great father!” Parker tweeted on March 5. “He meant so much to my life and my career. I can only hope to be as great as he was. I'm going to miss my Dad so much, but I know he's in a better place with no pain and living his life to the fullest up there, hanging with friends and family and talking up a storm!”

In a sport comprised of much smaller athletes, Parker has long “stood out,” but his character, ability and work ethic are factors that have far out-run initial perceptions that perhaps he was too big to be a jockey. America's leading rider with 377 wins in 2010, he came back to lead all jockeys again in 2011 with 400 trips to the Winner's Circle.

Born Jan. 8, 1971, Parker was a perennial leading rider at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia for more than 20 years. Parker, who through March 16, had 5,841 career wins, has also enjoyed considerable success at Indiana Grand, leading all riders in 2020 and at Sam Houston Race Park, where he was their leading rider in 2015.

Married with two children, Parker lives in East Liverpool, Ohio. The 2020 Woolf Award was won by Luis M. Quinones and DeShawn Parker will thus become the 72nd jockey, dating back to Gordon Glisson in 1950, to be so honored.

Due to uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, the 2021 Woolf Award ceremony will be conducted at a date to-be-determined.

The post DeShawn Parker Honored With 2021 George Woolf Memorial Award appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Greg Harbut Introducing Young African Americans To Racing, Leads Lecture Series At Wilberforce University

Bloodstock agent Greg Harbut has begun leading a lecture series as part of an entrepreneur residency program at Wilberforce University, a private historically black university just outside Dayton, Ohio. According to the Thoroughbred Daily News, Harbut's goal is to introduce young African-American college students to the horse racing industry.

“It's a wonderful industry, an industry I hold near to my heart and an industry that has afforded me a lot of opportunities,” Harbut told the TDN. “From a factual standpoint, there just aren't minorities in this business. We have to make a strategic effort to go out and target people of color and market to people of color.”

Harbut told the TDN the best way to connect with the younger generation is to inform them of the history of American Americans in the sport of racing. He plans to assist interested students find internships in various segments of the Thoroughbred industry.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post Greg Harbut Introducing Young African Americans To Racing, Leads Lecture Series At Wilberforce University appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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