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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The “Breeders' Cup En Vivo” team will be comprised of co-hosts Claudia Spadaro, Darwin Vizcaya, Roberto Rodriguez, and Annise Montplaisir–who also produces the show.

The 2023 “Breeders' Cup En Vivo” schedule includes: the Aug. 12 GI Fourstardave S. which offers an automatic berth to the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile; the Sept. 2 GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic (GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic); Sept. 9 GII Kentucky Turf Cup (GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf); the Sept. 30 GI Awesome Again S. (Classic); and Oct. 6 GI Darley Alcibiades S. (GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies).

“We are very pleased to present the groundbreaking programming of 'Breeders' Cup En Vivo' for a third consecutive season,” said Justin McDonald, Chief Marketing Officer of Breeders' Cup Limited. “This series highlights the truly global nature of the Breeders' Cup while providing on-site coverage of key Challenge Series races for Spanish-speaking fans and participants alike.”

Montplaisir added, “The engagement and comments we've received from Spanish-speaking racing fans for these shows has been overwhelmingly positive. Each co-host on this team has their own fan base and provides their own unique perspective, which collectively contributes to extraordinarily high-quality Spanish coverage of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.”

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The conference, “Impact and Influence”, attracted over 100 graduates from around the world. During the prelude, the focus was on His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Godolphin Charitable Initiatives led by Godolphin Flying Start Chair Joe Osborne. Diana Cooper, Godolphin's Strategic Adviser for Charities was also among the speakers, as was Lisa Jane Graffard (Class of 2005). Class of 2008 alum Gina Bryce hosted the conference.

Other speakers during the evening included GFS Executive Director Clodagh Kavanagh; CEO of CPL, Lorna Conn; entrepreneur Heinrich Anhold, founder of Stable Lab; Cathal Beale, CEO of the Irish National Stud (Class of 2010); Anna Jones, author of the book “Divide”; and Michael Hardy (2012).

The award winners of the night were:

• Rising Star Leadership Award: Annise Montplaisir (2021), the Executive Director of Amplify Horseracing
• Rising Star Business Award: Tim Donworth (2018), French trainer
• Leadership Excellence Award: Craig Rounsefell (2007), CEO of Boomer Bloodstock and Chair of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia
• Business Excellence Award: Gary King (2010), Senior Vice-President, Thoroughbred Daily News & President of TDN AusNZ.

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Since its launch in 2021, the Amplify Horse Racing Mentorship Program has produced nearly 30 graduates, and propelled its participants to jobs, internships and educational pursuits within various fields of the equine industry. These include media, racetrack and farm work, pari-mutuel wagering, sales, ownership, and veterinary medicine. Notably, the program has accepted mentees from 17 different states and territories.

“In a relatively short period of time, this program has inspired many young people who might not have known they have a place in the Thoroughbred industry, and given them direction on what avenue they want to take,” said Amplify executive director Annise Montplaisir. “This year we are excited to offer travel awards through the program so that a few dedicated mentees have the opportunity to experience the industry first-hand.”

To learn more about the program and apply today, visit www.amplifyhorseracing.org/mentorship, or contact info@amplifyhorseracing.org for more information. Amplify will open applications for the fall program intake in June.

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Guided by a goal to develop a platform for youth in horse racing, Montplaisir co-founded Amplify with Madison Scott in 2019, and has served as the organization's president since its incorporation in 2020. Scott remains on the board of directors alongside Price Bell, Jordyn Egan, Hallie Hardy, Laurel Humbert-Stock, Katie LaMonica, and Cate Masterson.

Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, and an alumna of North Dakota State University, Montplaisir completed internships with Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland and Mill Ridge Farm before getting accepted into the Godolphin Flying Start Program. Her professional background includes project managing for global networking organization Together for Racing International (TfRI), co-hosting Hípica TV's Spanish coverage of the Breeders' Cup in 2021 and 2022, and producing and co-hosting the Spanish language online horse racing program, La Trifecta, with America's Best Racing. Montplaisir recently culminated a 2-year term as equine education coordinator of the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation.

“It is an honor for me to work with Amplify Horse Racing to showcase how enriching the Thoroughbred industry can be,” said Montplaisir. “From the time I started my own career journey in horse racing, my ambition has been to streamline the pathway for other youth to be involved. Amplify fulfills that purpose by creating new opportunities and promoting existing initiatives, and I believe it is going to be impactful in the lives of many youth.”

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Amplify Horse Racing, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit promoting education and careers in the Thoroughbred industry to youth and young adults, has reopened its mentorship program application for 2022. The program formalizes the process of pairing young adults interested in pursuing a Thoroughbred industry career, with experienced industry professionals who can offer guidance.

The initial pilot program, launched in 2021, matched 12 individuals from eight different states with industry mentors. The pairs worked together for three months to develop their knowledge of the Thoroughbred industry, and create an educational plan that included tailoring resumes to be applicable to the industry, shadowing mentors at industry events, and applying for jobs and training programs.

Nearly all mentees from 2021 have since taken steps toward pursuing a career in the industry by enrolling in college equine programs, being hired for industry internships and jobs, or targeting vet school.

The objectives of the program are:

• Improve accessibility of the Thoroughbred industry
• Develop newcomers' understanding of the industry by leveraging the passion, knowledge and experience of industry professionals
• Facilitate meaningful conversations between young adults and industry professionals about employment expectations
• Create a pathway to employment by connecting education and workforce

Mentee candidates should demonstrate a strong interest to learn and desire to work in the Thoroughbred industry. The suggested age range is 18-25, and there are no restrictions based on academic achievement. Amplify prioritizes applicants with little to no industry work experience, and they must be residents of the United States or Canada. The 2022 program application timeline is Jan. 10 through Aug. 12, and the program duration for each mentor-mentee pair is three months, as determined by acceptance and start date. Eligible mentors can apply at any time.

Amplify Horse Racing is driven by Annise Montplaisir, the organization's Co-Founder and President, and Equine Education Coordinator for the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation.

“I am pumped for Amplify Horse Racing to resume offering this mentorship program,” said Montplaisir. “It is an amazing inlet for young adults to take their first steps into the industry with the guidance of someone who has already navigated that path. Additionally, it's a great way for industry employers to positively educate about the sport, the jobs that are in high demand, and the best way to prepare for a career.”

“The Amplify Mentorship Program is a fantastic way for students with an interest in exploring careers in the Thoroughbred industry to make connections and develop a professional network,” said Jen Roytz, who served as a mentor in 2021. “Amplify does a fantastic job of laying out a framework for the mentors and mentees to follow, allowing students to gain an appreciation for the array of career opportunities that may be complementary to their college major, work experience, strengths and interests.”

“The Amplify Horse Racing Mentorship is an amazing way to make connections and network within the industry,” said Trisha Smith, a 2021 mentee. “I do not come from an industry background, and feel that programs like this are crucial to help new people get into the sport. Everyone I met as a result of the program was so helpful during my job search. [Program coordinator] Annise Montplaisir was very supportive throughout the program, and because of various job posts she sent me, I am now living my dream and working in the Thoroughbred industry.”

To learn more about the program and apply today, visit amplifyhorseracing.org/mentorship, and contact info@amplifyhorseracing.org for more information.

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Future Stars Friday coverage had more than 80,000 live views, and Saturday's broadcast grew dramatically, topping 200,000. The shows provided analysis, commentary, interviews, and race calls in Spanish, and enabled audiences spanning the globe to view the races live, with viewers tuning in from the U.S., Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Spain, and every country in South America.

“As a team, we were absolutely thrilled with the reach of the show, the live engagement with fans all over the world, and the support these shows received from our partners at America's Best Racing and the Breeders' Cup,” said Hípica TV host and racing analyst Claudia Spadaro. “We are confident that this is just the beginning. Our Breeders' Cup viewership numbers make it clear that the audience is out there and that they want more coverage of racing in Spanish.”

Co-hosted by Spadaro, Emanuel Aguilar, Annise Montplaisir, Roberto Rodriguez, and Darwin Vizcaya, Breeders' Cup en Vivo launched on Aug. 28 with a series of six live digital handicapping shows in Spanish covering 14 of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series races. Developed and produced by ABR, Breeders' Cup en Vivo was streamed live across both organizations' Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels. The Challenge Series shows alone generated more than 75,000 combined views and engagements with a reach of more than 205,000.

“The digital shows were an extension of Spanish-language content that we've made an investment in going back to our launch of the 'La Trifecta' streaming series last year,” said Stephen B. Panus, president of TJC Media Ventures. “We want to congratulate the entire team of hosts and producers who brought the Breeders' Cup shows to life, beginning with the Challenge Series through to the World Championships at Del Mar racetrack, and to convey that we'll continue to invest time, energy, and resources into reaching Spanish-speaking audiences.”

“The 'Breeders' Cup en Vivo' live stream further advances our goal of expanding the global reach of the Breeders' Cup World Championships and bringing in new audiences to enjoy the excitement of Thoroughbred racing at its finest,” said Justin McDonald, Breeders' Cup senior vice president of Marketing. “We thank America's Best Racing, the whole 'en Vivo' team, and Hípica TV for their efforts in making this program an unqualified success.”

About America's Best Racing:

America's Best Racing is a multimedia fan development and awareness-building platform, initiated by The Jockey Club, designed to increase the profile and visibility of North America's best Thoroughbred racing events with a primary focus on the sport's lifestyle and competition. You can follow America's Best Racing at AmericasBestRacing.net as well as on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, and Snapchat.

About Breeders' Cup World Championships:

The Breeders' Cup Limited administers the Breeders' Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred horse racing's year-end championships, as well as the Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The Breeders' Cup is also a founding member of the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition, an organization composed of industry leaders committed to advancing safety measures in Thoroughbred racing and improving the well-being of equine and human athletes.

The 2022 Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on November 4-5. Breeders' Cup press releases appear on the Breeders' Cup website, breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders' Cup on social media.

About Hípica TV:

Hípica TV is the official Spanish transmission of Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields, Laurel Park, and Pimlico, which host races including the Pegasus World Cup and the Preakness Stakes.

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This August, the three-month program launched with a group of 12 mentees hailing from eight different states. While most mentor-mentee pairs were separated by distance and initially planned on holding their meetings virtually, several mentees expressed an interest in meeting their mentors in person and decided to make the trip to Lexington for their first visit to the Keeneland September Sale.

Matt Scull, age 23, lives in South Carolina and arrived in Lexington just in time for the start of Book 4 to shadow his mentor Shannon Castagnola, the Director of Marketing and Client Relations at Woodford Thoroughbreds. He was able to observe the Woodford consignment during both a day of showing and a day of selling. On his last day at Keeneland, he shadowed a bloodstock agent to inspect Book 5 yearlings.

“Shannon has introduced me to so many faces,” Scull said. “She taught me a bunch about the vetting process, the different bits the horses wear as well as the general basics of being a consignor at a sale. Before this internship, I didn't understand the number of different career paths there are in this industry. I was just thinking about a jockey, owner and trainer. I actually believe this is the greatest sport on earth and I think having people committed to it for their careers is huge.”

Scull developed an interest in racing through his family's annual trips to Monmouth Park.

“My great grandfather, who I met once when I was three before he passed away, loved racing from the gambling side,” Scull said. “So once a year at Monmouth Park my family would have 'Poppy Day' at the races. My freshman year of college I dug super deep in terms of the handicapping side of things. As my life has progressed, I've figured out that this is one of my passions and that I need to pursue it.”

Scull recently graduated from the University of Clemson with a degree in mechanical engineering. He said he was scrolling through Twitter one day during his lunch break at the gas and engine consulting firm he works for when he happened upon Amplify's mentorship application.

“I figured I probably wasn't going to get it, but I thought I would kill 30 minutes of my lunch break by typing it out,” he explained. “I was lucky enough to be selected and it has snowballed from there. It's been amazing. I've gone from not knowing what a pinhook is to potentially working on a farm later this year.”

Scull said he and Castagnola first met when he visited Saratoga this summer. They later conversed several times virtually and his mentor answered his many questions about the sales environment. After taking three vacation days from his full-time job to visit the Keeneland Sale, he said he's still unsure of which sector of the industry he would like to pursue a career in.

“I'm still figuring it out,” he admitted. “I'm a big fan of science and it's kind of crazy how many things are going on [at the sale] in terms of biomechanics and genetic testing. I got to see a video scope and that was really cool. I wish I had a better idea of which direction I want to go, but I think that's part of the beauty of it. There are so many different paths that you could go down and once you decide, it seems like everybody wears multiple hats which is awesome.”

Carol Hayes of Gainesville, Florida was paired with Bonne Chane Farm's Bloodstock and Office Manager Leah Alessandroni. When Hayes expressed an interest in the sales aspect of the sport, her mentor connected her with Carrie Brogden. One week before the Keeneland sale began, Hayes was hired on to work for the Machmer Hall consignment and she made the 12-hour drive up to Lexington to experience her first-ever horse sale.

“I really enjoy it,” the 22-year-old said between calling cards for Book 5. “It's high-paced and I like that. I think it's really interesting to see how the sale goes. I made sure to get here a day early so I could watch the sale before I started working. So I got to experience that side and now that I'm on the behind-the-scenes side, it's interesting to see how all this works.”

Growing up near Ocala, Hayes has been riding hunters and jumpers for most of her life. She said she has always had an interest in racing, but wasn't sure how to get involved.

“It's one sector of the horse industry that I never really got to dive into, so I've always wanted to check it off,” she said. “I found the Amplify mentorship program through the University of Florida. One of our advisors posted it on our undergraduate internship posting page.”

Carol Hayes takes a quick break for a photo op at the Machmer Hall consignment. | Katie Ritz

Hayes and her mentor first met over Zoom, but when Hayes was traveling to Lexington for a horse show a few weeks later, she met up with Alessandroni to shadow her for a day.

“We went to the track in the morning because one of their horses was training and then we went to her farm and I got to see what she does there,” Hayes recalled.

After her experience working the sales, Hayes said she is most interested in the management side of the industry.

“But I'm still figuring it out,” she added.

“It has been immensely gratifying to watch this group of mentees grow and progress,” said Amplify Horse Racing's President and Co-Founder Annise Montplaisir. “For most of them, the Thoroughbred industry was very new and felt daunting to be involved with on a more in-depth level than simply going to the races as a fan. Over these past couple of months, I have met and corresponded regularly with all 12, and have received nothing but positive feedback about all they have learned from their mentors and the respect they have for the time their mentors are sharing with them. Many mentees are already starting to make next-step plans about pursuing jobs in the industry and looking at other ways to gain more experience.”

Montplaisir, who in conjunction with her work through Amplify is also the equine education coordinator for the Kentucky Equine Education Project, explained that before the pilot program launched, potential mentees went through an application and interview process. The goal was to prioritize young adults who were interested in pursuing a career in the Thoroughbred industry, but had minimal exposure to the sport and didn't know how to get started.

Mentors and mentees were paired based on interests, commonalities and proximity. After an initial introduction to their mentors via Zoom by Amplify, mentees were tasked with organizing meetings with their mentors on their own. While they were required to have one meeting per month over the three-month program, Montplaisir said that many pairs met as often as once per week.

Mentors assisted their mentees by sharing their personal career experiences, answering questions and giving advice on the skill set their mentee might need in order to get involved in certain sectors of the industry.

“I love talking about the Thoroughbred industry and I'm really passionate about it, so it's easy for me to talk about,” Castagnola said when asked why she decided to join the mentorship program. “I think the stigma is that we've all spent 20 years learning this business, and so for somebody who is coming in knowing nothing, they're having to start from scratch. I was telling Matt yesterday, I spend every day learning something new even now and that's the best thing about this business: every day you learn something new.”

“For me, it's really simple,” Alessandroni said of why she become a mentor. “I didn't come from a family that was involved in racing and when I was coming through the ranks, there were so many people that mentored me and gave me opportunities, so I felt like it was an obligation for me to essentially pay it forward.”

“The experience has been really great so far,” she continued. “I've enjoyed chatting with Carol and it has kind of renewed my excitement in the industry. We do this as a daily grind and sometimes we get caught up in it, but to see it through the enthusiasm of someone like Carol, I honestly think it has been equally rewarding from both sides. Through this Amplify program, it's critical to stress the importance of what they're doing to educate young people about the opportunities that are here for them in the industry and to let them know that you don't have to have the secret handshake to get in the door, you just have to work hard.”

The first round of mentorships will concluded at the end of October. A virtual mentorship assembly will be held over Zoom to bring all the mentors and mentees together to widen each of the mentees' networks to industry professionals.

In the future, Amplify's goal is to have a rolling application where prospective mentees can apply any time from January through August to be paired with a mentor for that year. Mentees who apply beyond the middle of August will be considered for the program the following year.

Industry members interested in mentoring can apply now at amplifyhorseracing.org/mentorship. The mentee application will reopen on January 7, 2022.

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Co-hosted by Emanuel Aguilar, Annise Montplaisir, Roberto Rodriguez, Claudia Spadaro, and Darwin Vizcaya, the six shows will be streamed live across both America's Best Racing and Breeders' Cup's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels. The following tracks and races will be covered by Breeders' Cup En Vivo:

• Aug. 28 – Del Mar: GII Pat O'Brien S.
• Sept. 11 – Kentucky Downs: GIII FanDuel Turf Sprint and Calumet Turf Cup
• Sept. 19 – Woodbine: GI Natalma S. and GI Summer S.
• Oct. 1 – Santa Anita: GI American Pharoah S., GII Chandelier S. and Speakeasy S.
• Oct. 9 – Keeneland: GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, GI Keeneland Turf Mile and GII Thoroughbred Club of America S.
• Oct. 10 – Keeneland: GII Bourbon S. and GI Juddmonte Spinster S.

The first episode, which will air Aug. 28, can be viewed here. Start time for the Pat O'Brien S. show will be announced later this week. Viewers can set a reminder to watch and will be notified once Breeders' Cup En Vivo is streaming live.

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The initial pilot program will pair 10 mentors with mentees through two mentorship approaches. The first is in person, with five mentees based in Kentucky paired with mentors who are also in the state. The second, designed to limit geographic barriers, is virtual with five mentees from anywhere in the U.S. paired with suitable mentors.

“Ever since Amplify Horse Racing started in 2019, the goal of its founders and early supporters has been to offer a mentorship program,” said Annise Montplaisir, president of Amplify. “Throughout Amplify's growth and assessment of how best to recruit newcomers, it has become evident that mentorship has had an important role in getting many young professionals and industry leaders involved in the sport. We hope that through the creation of a formal program, we can make that process easier for others.”

The pilot program will take place from August through October. Mentorship program applications are available at amplifyhorseracing.org/mentorship. For more information or to learn how you can become a mentor, contact Annise Montplaisir at info@amplifyhorseracing.org.

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