The exhibit, a permanent display inside the Museum since 1993, documents the stories and contributions of Black horsemen in the sport of Thoroughbred racing. With support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Black Heritage in Racing exhibit has moved from the second floor to a larger and more prominent location on the first floor of the Museum.

The new exhibit space is just under 930 square feet, which is more than 20 times larger than the previous exhibit space. This increased footprint allows the Museum to display more of its collection of artifacts pertaining to Black History in the sport, add new components such as oral history interviews and artwork, and provide visitors the best experience possible. The exhibit walks guests through Black Heritage in horse racing history, from the early days when Black horsemen dominated the sport, to the Jim Crow era that led to the exclusion of Black jockeys, and to modern times.

“We're excited to invite the public to see this beautiful exhibit. It is really striking, with a bold red theme throughout, and larger than life images of these horsemen,” said Patrick Armstrong, President & CEO of Kentucky Derby Museum. “It was our team's intent when designing this exhibit to give these individuals their time to shine, by making them stand out in these oversized pictures throughout the space. It is our hope that when exploring this exhibit, people will walk away with a greater appreciation of the Black Heritage that is woven through horse racing. It is a distinct honor for us to be the keepers and tellers of their stories for years to come.”

Guests can explore the stories of history-makers like Oliver Lewis, the first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby aboard Aristides in 1875. The story of Ansel Williamson, the trainer of Aristides, is also featured.

Visitors can also learn about the career of one of the greatest jockeys of all time, Isaac Murphy. Born an enslaved person, he went on to win three Kentucky Derbys, and won an estimated 44% of his races, compared to the average jockey today winning around 20%. Many more stories are shared, including names from the modern era, like hip-hop star MC Hammer, who had a 3rd place finisher in the 1992 Kentucky Derby and won the Kentucky Oaks in 1991 with Lite Light.

Additionally, guests will learn about Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, the owners of Necker Island, a horse who contended for Kentucky Derby 146. Harbut's great-grandfather was the groom to the legendary horse Man o' War.

Black Heritage in Racing Collection

The Black Heritage in Racing Collection at the Museum features several components, including the expanded exhibit, a new tour that launched in December, and Proud of My Calling, a monthly, 60-minute live acting performance that brings the stories of Black horsemen to life. Proud of My Calling, supported by UPS, launches Saturday, March 27. Still to come, a Black Heritage in Racing traveling exhibit will be created over the next several months to travel to museums, community centers, visitor centers and churches. Additionally, the Museum's Education Team teaches thousands of students each year through two programs focusing on Black Heritage in Racing during field trips, in-school teaching and virtual learning.

The post Black Heritage In Racing Exhibit Opens Monday At The Kentucky Derby Museum appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Black Soil KY Co-Founder and COO Ashley Smith and Keeneland Hospitality Executive Chef and Managing Director Marc Therrien lead the culinary-centric collaboration.

Black Soil KY Meal Kits in Partnership with Keeneland Hospitality

Inspired by Keeneland Hospitality's belief in using high-quality, simple ingredients to craft timeless dishes, the Black Soil KY Skillet Frittata Meal Kit includes a selection of thoughtful ingredients grown and harvested by local farmers. Each meal kit can serve up to four people and is available for pre-order via shopblacksoilky.com or in person at the Julietta Market at Greyline Station in downtown Lexington starting Sunday, March 21 from noon to 4 p.m.

Watch a video of Black Soil KY's Ashley Smith and Keeneland Hospitality's Chef Marc Therrien creating the Black Soil Skillet Frittata here.

Keeneland Spring Meet to Feature Black Soil KY Produce

During the upcoming Spring Meet (April 2-23), Keeneland Hospitality will incorporate local produce from Black Soil KY farmers and producers into Keeneland's rotating dining menus. This Spring's featured offering, the Kentucky Farm to Table Salad will include lettuces grown by Black Soil KY farmers.

“Keeneland was founded with the mission to continuously reinvest in the community and that vision extends to our culinary program,” Therrien said. “We take pride in using locally sourced ingredients in our culinary offerings and it is a privilege to be able to collaborate with Black Soil KY on this initiative. We look forward to growing this partnership and showcasing the expertise of these talented Kentucky farmers and artisans.”

“This collaboration is a celebration of a shared history found within the farming and equine sectors,” said Smith. “We're thrilled to partner with Keeneland in supporting Kentucky farmers throughout our 31 county service area.”

Since 2017, Black Soil KY has invested over $300,000 in grants, institutional contracts and procurement opportunities for Kentucky farmers. Representing less than 1.4% of Kentucky producers, Black farmers achieve greater market share and opportunity through partnering with Black Soil KY.

About Black Soil KY

A statewide social enterprise with a charitable fund, Black Soil KY fuels rural leadership development and entrepreneurship through intentional economic investment into over 60 Kentucky-based Black-owned farm, culinary and food entrepreneurs and artisans. An award winning and nationally recognized agribusiness, Black Soil KY presents programming dedicated to education, economic development and empowerment. Its mission of reconnecting Black Kentuckians to their legacy and heritage in agriculture has been realized by hundreds since its launch in August 2017 through Farm Tours, Farm to Table Dinners, Education and Outreach Initiatives, and Off Season Workshops.

The post Keeneland To Partner With Black Soil KY For Meal Kits, Spring Meet Produce appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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“I'm sad to let everybody in the Twitter and racing world know that I lost my dad Daryl E Parker last night,” DeShawn Parker posted on Twitter Friday morning. “He fought a long battle with cancer that took his life.. he's going to be missed but never forgotten!! He was loved by everybody that knew him.”

Daryl Parker also served as an exercise rider, pony boy, and jockey's agent before his tenure as a steward began in 1986.

“If you look up the definition of 'class act' in the dictionary, Daryl's photo would be there,” wrote John Engelhardt. “He always went about his business in a professional manner and lived his life surrounded by a positive outlook. In DeShawn, you can see that the apple did not fall far from the tree.”

My idol my best friend and a great father!! He meant so much to my life and my career I can only hope to be as great as he was ..

— DeShawn Parker (@JockDeShawn) March 5, 2021

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 talking up a storm!! Until we meet again… I LOVE YOU DADDY!!!

— DeShawn Parker (@JockDeShawn) March 5, 2021

The post Cancer Claims Life Of Daryl Parker; ‘Class Act’ First Black Racing Official, Father Of Jockey DeShawn appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The exhibit, a permanent display inside the Museum since 1993, documents the stories and contributions of Black horsemen in the sport of horse racing. With support from Churchill Downs and the James Graham Brown Foundation, the Black Heritage in Racing exhibit will move from the second floor to a larger and more prominent location on the first floor of the Museum.

The new exhibit space is just under 930 square feet, which is 20 times larger than the current exhibit space. This increased footprint will allow the Museum to display more of its collection of artifacts pertaining to Black History in the sport, add new components such as oral history interviews and artwork, and provide visitors the best experience possible. The exhibit walks guests through Black Heritage in horse racing history, from the early days when Black horsemen dominated the sport, to the Jim Crow era that led to the exclusion of Black jockeys, and to modern times.

Black Heritage in Racing Collection

The Black Heritage in Racing Collection at the Museum features several components, including the expanded exhibit, a new tour, and “Proud of My Calling,” a monthly, 60-minute live acting performance that brings the stories of Black horsemen to life. A Black Heritage in Racing traveling exhibit will be created to travel to museums, community centers, visitor centers and churches. Additionally, the Museum's Education Team teaches thousands of students each year through two programs focusing on Black Heritage in Racing during field trips, in-school teaching and virtual learning.

The post Kentucky Derby Museum Begins Construction On Expanded Black Heritage In Racing Exhibit appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The two owners are drawing attention for more than their easy-going, kind attitudes: People magazine reports they're serving as role models for Black students who dream of a career in veterinary medicine. Black vets make up just 2 percent of practicing vets in the United States, but Drs. Hodges and Ferguson are working diligently to change that statistic. 

The team has grown their influence as mentors by taking time to talk on the phone with students beyond their local area. The Critter Fixers also speak in schools and on Zoom calls for career and professional days. 

The second season of Critter Fixers: Country Vets premieres Saturday, May 22, at 9 p.m. EST on Nat Geo Wild. Previous episodes are streaming on Disney+.

Read more at People.com 

The post ‘Critter Fixers’ Stars Dedicated To Mentoring Black Veterinarians appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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One of Until Freedom's co-founders, Linda Sarsour, was among those arrested.

Protesters met around 2:00 p.m. at South Central Park, then marched to the Louisville Metro Police Department Training Academy where they changed letters on the marquee to read “I see murderers.” From there, the protesters marched toward Churchill Downs, crossing the bridge on Central Avenue near Cardinal Stadium.

Arrests were made when protesters blocked the street, and Until Freedom march coordinators urged those who didn't wish to be arrested to stick to the sidewalks. Those protesters arriving at the frontside of Churchill Downs chanted “F*ck your Derby,” and hung a sign with Breonna Taylor's name on it near the front gate.

The Justice and Freedom Coalition is one of four groups now calling for a boycott of the Kentucky Derby – joined by No Justice No Peace Louisville, the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter, and the national group Until Freedom – who say it an inappropriate time to hold the event while there is unrest in Louisville.

“You can understand people's frustration,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in his daily news briefing Tuesday. “Certainly, those that hold the Kentucky Derby have absolutely no control over the timing of the [Breonna Taylor] investigation, or when we will have any type of results. I hope there can at least be a positive dialogue there. That's certainly a large facility in an area of Louisville where a lot of good could be done together.”

LMPD units have been stationed outside the Churchill Downs stable gate for the past several days, according to multiple sources, and that presence is expected to continue as the ramp up to Sept. 5 continues. Churchill officials are taking other extra precautions for this year's spectatorless Kentucky Derby, including a hard perimeter, which is not usually part of the day's security plan.

Sources inside Churchill told the Paulick Report that the track is ready to go and that there are multiple plans in place which can be implemented to respond to rising levels of unrest around the area.

As protesters block the street on Central Ave., @LMPD has arrived and is squaring off with protesters in front of @ChurchillDowns.

Protesters chant, “f**k your Derby!” pic.twitter.com/321scJz5Th

— Dalton Godbey (@DaltonTVNews) August 25, 2020

RIGHT NOW: Protestors marching past Churchill Downs being told to get out of the street or be arrested. pic.twitter.com/ahPB95vUBx

— Drew Gardner (@WLKYDrew) August 25, 2020

#BreonnaTaylor protestors now outside Churchill Downs. pic.twitter.com/Rj623yKCUR

— Matt Stone (@mattstonephotog) August 25, 2020

Hundreds of protesters march through neighborhoods surrounding Churchill Downs in honor of #BreonnaTaylor.https://t.co/Jgp8c13IJF pic.twitter.com/g9bailSYu4

— Sam Upshaw Jr. (@CJ_Upshot) August 25, 2020

Late today @ChurchillDowns @KentuckyDerby pic.twitter.com/utxMrvbGnH

— Greg Schuler (@gschuler422) August 25, 2020

The post Protesters March Outside Churchill Downs, Demand Justice For Breonna Taylor appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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