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Elevating Horse Racing: Hieronymous Took Keeneland’s Broadcasting From The Bottom To The Top

In the early 2000s, hosting the Breeders' Cup seemed an unattainable ambition for Keeneland. Like many racetracks, they lagged behind in broadcast quality and needed to improve venue infrastructure. But in a dramatic turnaround in 2005, Keeneland won the first of seven International Simulcast Awards for outstanding simulcast signal. In 2015, Keeneland became the home of what's widely acknowledged as the best Breeders' Cup ever.

The year 2000, when G.D. Hieronymus joined Keeneland as Director of Broadcast Services, marked a turning point for the racetrack's broadcast department. Under Hieronymus' leadership, Keeneland became the most technology-advanced broadcast facility in horse racing across the US.

Leading the broadcast signal innovation

Keeneland's broadcast signal struggled with average standard definition (SD) quality. In 2000, Keeneland approached Hieronymus, then Vice President of Production at Hammond Communications, and tasked him with transforming its simulcast broadcast to stand out from the crowd.

Hieronymus believed in the power of delivering a compelling fan experience both on-track and in-broadcast, and was committed to upping Keeneland's game.

“Compared to other sports, horse racing has been miles off delivering great broadcast coverage and an engaging at-venue and off-track viewing experience. At Keeneland, we were determined to change that with the right technology,” Hieronymus said.

Keeneland was ahead of its time in recognizing that network air time relied on the racetracks delivering a high-quality broadcast signal. To meet this goal, Hieronymus concentrated on making Keeneland the first full-HD racetrack in North America. The Keeneland team upgraded the camera equipment and control room, dramatically improving the racetrack's simulcast signal and distribution. They were also one of the first racetracks to include a TVG-dedicated position in the control room, helping increase their TVG air time.

“We were committed to making the networks' job easier and delivering the signal quality they needed to make Keeneland look good. We've built our control room on this premise,” Hieronymus said.

The Breeders' Cup milestone

During Hieronymus' service, Keeneland hosted the Breeders' Cup World Championships in 2015 and 2020. The horse racing industry still praises the 2015 competition for its great planning and execution despite difficult weather conditions at the time.

In 2020, the Breeders' Cup returned to Keeneland under even more challenging conditions. With COVID-19 protocols limiting at-venue audience attendance, the virtual viewing experience became even more important. This was the perfect opportunity for Hieronymus and his team to revolutionize fan engagement at Keeneland.

“As a horse racing fan and wagerer, I've always felt the viewers were at the mercy of technical directors, who typically only focused on the top horses in the race,” he said. “This meant we hardly got the chance to see other horses during pre-race. I wanted to change that.”

Keeneland, NBC, and Breeders' Cup deployed over 80 television cameras covering the event, but Hieronymus wanted to take the fan experience a step further. Together with the Breeders' Cup and LTN Global, he delivered the Contender Cam, the ISO coverage of every horse in every race. The Contender Cam provided 14 individual views of each horse, from when the horse entered the paddock to when it entered the starting gate. This footage of individual horses, available on the Breederscup.com app, Player Show, and NBC, enabled fans and bettors to see their preferred horses up close before placing their bets — replicating and enhancing the in-person fan experience.

HD TV Renovation/Upgrade. Photo Left to right Lauren Warren, Philp Richardson, GD Hieronymus, and Curt Toumanian from Pegasus Communications, Inc.

The Breeders' Cup also featured 360° VR technology, providing an immersive live fan experience of the walking ring and Winner's Circle, and jockey cams allowing fans to experience live view from up to two jockeys in each race. In addition, the Breeders' Cup deployed a 100-miles-per-hour BatCam that provided dynamic aerial views of the races.

Becoming a world-class technology-driven leader for Thoroughbred sales

Aside from a top racetrack, Keeneland is also the Thoroughbred industry's leading auction house, with the most bloodstock going through auctions. Hieronymus and his team introduced a technology infrastructure to optimize the sales operation and buyer interaction and attract more interest worldwide. From a new control room to touchscreen devices that share data and information when horses come in and are integrated with the sales systems, Keeneland has led sales innovation.

In 2020, Keeneland introduced remote bidding to compensate for the pandemic-induced travel restrictions and enable more buyers from across the world to take part in digital auction services. The sales team offered sellers video opportunities to show their horses well in advance and increase bids.

Every racetrack can champion horse racing experience

Keeneland's journey has demonstrated that nothing is impossible when a track's broadcast department is determined to innovate to deliver an outstanding fan experience. Starting with switching to HD and dramatically improving the signal quality, Hieronymus and his team made Keeneland the most innovative racetrack in the country — winning broadcast awards and setting the bar for Breeders' Cup production.

Hieronymus believes in driving fan engagement and creating new revenue opportunities through innovation. With the rest of the sports industry moving fast to 4K, 8K, and rich content formats, racetracks need to deliver a high-quality broadcast signal to compete. To claim a bigger share of the fast-growing sports wagering market, racetracks should create more opportunities for fan and player engagement — and data is a good way to achieve it.

Despite his retirement from Keeneland earlier this year, Hieronymus is still involved in numerous projects across the horse racing industry. Above all, he is on a mission.

“I really want to support all racetracks in raising the quality of their broadcast signal and help our industry compete with other sports head-on,” he said.

Rich Rosa is the Vice President of Business Development for Wagering and Simulcasting at LTN Global Communications. As LTN's horse racing industry lead, Rich partners with tracks across the country to help them create high-quality productions and find new distribution outlets to raise their profile — and ultimately their wagering handle. LTN offers centralized production and IP-based transport services to help tracks produce and/or distribute high-quality HD and 4K content.

About LTN Global

LTN® Global is a worldwide leader in video technology solutions for producers and distributors of broadcast-quality content. Built on the world's fastest and most reliable IP multicast network, LTN's universal media ecosystem unites modular services and integrates with other leading technologies to bring full-video-chain workflows, driving scale from creation and acquisition to monetization and delivery.

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Full Seating Capacity for Keeneland’s Fall Meet

Keeneland will open at full capacity for the upcoming Fall Meet, which will be held Oct. 8-30. Tickets will go on sale beginning at 9 a.m. ET Monday, Aug. 16. Prospective purchasers should visit tickets.keeneland.com in advance for information on available ticket options and the process to purchase. Keeneland's e-ticketing platform will enable fans to add tickets to their mobile wallets for scanning at the admission gates.

“Keeneland is thrilled to welcome greater numbers of fans back to the track for what promises to be a terrific Fall Meet,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We look forward to being together again as a community and watching great Thoroughbred racing in this beautiful surrounding. As we look ahead to Keeneland's 85th anniversary this fall, we know reconnecting with those people and places that are special to us will be even more meaningful.”

Ticket pricing and packages for general admission, reserved seating, and dining for the Fall Meet have been restructured. Advance-purchase general admission tickets are $7, with day-of general admission tickets (both online and through walk-up gate purchase) at $10. Free general admission is available for members of Keeneland Select, Keeneland's online wagering platform. Grandstand reserved seats and dining tickets will be sold online in advance at various prices. Fall Meet general admission season passes will be available for $40. In addition, tailgating will continue on The Hill with the option of customized tailgate packages.

General admission may be capped, so fans are encouraged to purchase in advance.

“We appreciate the loyalty of our horsemen, horseplayers and fans, and we are committed to delivering the most memorable race-day experience possible,” Arvin said. “While challenging, this past year provided us the opportunity to review every facet of our operations and experiences for our guests. From expanding our advance-purchase ticketing options to providing new concession and dining offerings and better leveraging technology, we are excited to roll out these enhancements while remaining one of the region's best values for world-class entertainment.”

The 17-day Fall Meet offers a record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. Keeneland's signature Fall Stars Weekend will take place on opening weekend and the meet features 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races.

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Keeneland Fall Meet To Open At Full Capacity

Keeneland announced plans Thursday to open at full capacity for its 2021 Fall Meet, to be held Oct. 8-30. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 9 a.m. ET Monday, Aug. 16. Demand is anticipated to be high, and fans are strongly encouraged to visit tickets.keeneland.com in advance for information on available ticket options, pricing and the process to purchase.

Keeneland's e-ticketing platform enables patrons to complete their ticketing purchase online and to add tickets to their mobile wallets for easy scanning at the admission gates.

The 17-day Fall Meet offers a record $6 million in stakes purses and an expanded stakes schedule of 22 races. The season kicks off Oct. 8-10 with Keeneland's signature Fall Stars Weekend, and the meet features 10 Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” races. Two new 6-furlong stakes for 2-year-olds, the Bowman Mill and the Myrtlewood for fillies, and six multiple stakes race days, highlight the Fall Meet.

“The racing excitement will be elevated by record purse money, additional stakes, blockbuster days featuring multiple stakes events throughout the meet and Breeders' Cup-bound horses competing for automatic berths in the World Championships,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “The quality of racing and the high level of competition among the nation's top stables will appeal to horsemen and fans alike.”

Fans will enjoy enhanced hospitality at Keeneland this fall, including new concession items, elevated dining options featuring a la carte service and three-course dining experiences and locally sourced ingredients. Keeneland's popular tailgating tradition will continue with the return of The Hill, where fans can enjoy live music, local food trucks, wagering and more. New this year, patrons on The Hill will have the option to book a customized tailgate package in partnership with REVELxp, the nation's leader in premium tailgate and event services.

After evaluating the success of pre-sold ticket packages during the 2021 Spring Meet, Keeneland has restructured ticket pricing and packages for General Admission, Reserved Seating and dining for the Fall Meet:

· Advance-purchase General Admission tickets are $7;

· Day-of General Admission tickets still will be sold online and through walk-up purchase at the gate on race days for $10;

· Free General Admission is available for members of Keeneland Select, Keeneland's free online wagering platform;

· Grandstand Reserved Seats and dining tickets will be sold online in advance; and

· Keeneland will pre-sell Fall Meet General Admission Season Passes for $40.

Keeneland remains committed to the safety of its guests and continues to monitor local and national health guidelines. As a result, General Admission caps may be enforced, so fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

All public race-day parking is free.

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Industry Voices: Revised Schedule for KEESEP Sale

Two weeks ago, the TDN reported the news that Keeneland would offer a two-day Book One with Day One RNAs offered at the end of Day Two. Tuesday, Keeneland revealed the entire schedule for the sale, including a shift of the dark day from after Book 1 to after Book 2. We checked in with a mix of industry participants to see what their reaction to the schedule changes were.

Meg Levy, Bluewater Sales
I am very proud of the CBA, and the president, Allaire Ryan, who was instrumental in gathering consensus among consignors and telling Keeneland about it. I think Tony Lacy has been great. He has been very “boots on the ground,” and able to listen. This is something we have been wanting to happen for many years. It's great that the whole place wants to listen and wants to hear your opinion. I've been personally frustrated over how they kept changing the format over the past few years. From a momentum standpoint, this used to be the way that it was done many years ago. The most important thing, I told Allaire, was that the momentum for the buyers be preserved and the way they're doing their business is preserved. The motto of the CBA is “your seat at the table,” and it really feels that way. So, I'm proud of Allaire for doing this. It's so nice to have fresh air in the CBA and fresh air at Keeneland.

Sean Tugel, Director of Stallion Recruitment, Gainesway Farm & Board Member, Consignors and Breeders Association
I think it shows that Keeneland is being more flexible with the industry as a whole. I think it shows the commitment that Keeneland now has in working with the people who fuel the sales. As a member of the CBA board, I know that the CBA is working closely with them and they are listening to what the CBA is telling them as far as what consignors and breeders are wanting to see. So they have their ears open.

Liz Crow, BSW-Crow and Elite Sales
I think it's great. I think Keeneland would have preferred a three-day Book 1, but that's a hard balancing act, getting the right amount of horses between Book 1 and 2. We'll see how it goes. I think they're doing the best they can. I love the dark day being moved between Book 2 and 3, because it goes from around 200 a day to 400 a day really quickly. You get really backed up because it's ship in, show, sell from Book 2 on. As an agent or owner, you only have one day to look at a horse before you have to decide if you're going to buy them the following day. So moving the dark day is a really good idea. A new set of buyers come in after Book 2, so having that dark day makes sense. It's like a shift of one sale to the next. It's a totally different vibe from Books 1 and 2 and Books 3 to 6. It feels really good from my perspective to feel like we're all in this together to make this sale as good as it can be from a buying and selling standpoint. So that they're willing to listen and pivot is really important. I think they want to get to the point where we get a totally set format, but we're not there yet, and I think it's great that they're tinkering. Ideas like the RNAs from Day 1 at the end of Day 2 were tossed around at the CBA meetings, and they took that idea and ran with it. So props to Keeneland for listening and trying. It's so nice to see collaboration between consignors, buyers and the sales company.

Chad Schumer, Schumer Bloodstock
While always happy to see forward thinking and innovation, I'm somewhat unsure about the RNA resale move. I wonder if it would be better to offer these horses late afternoon on the dark day, after buyers have finished looking at Book 3 horses for the day.

Lesley Campion, Paramount Sales
We are very pleased with the new schedule for the Keeneland September Sale. Having the dark day after Book 2 makes complete sense and we welcome it. We would love to see consistency going forward and will do all within our means to make this format work for everyone. We recognize that Keeneland has an arduous task each year with placement, but consistency will help sellers better place and target their horses for their optimal book. We look forward to a strong market this year and can't wait to get started.

Conrad Bandoroff, Denali Stud
As far as the format goes, I have to tip my hat and give Keeneland credit. When they announced they were consolidating a three-day Book 1 into a two-day Book 1, there was a lot of feedback from sellers and buyers about having a dark day after only selling two days. I think buyers were pretty vocal about putting more horses in front of them before taking a break and letting them crack on with it. It affects us because we sell in the first session of Book 2. It affects people in Book 1 and the first part of Book 2. You still have a very important group of horses and you don't have that much time to be with those horses in the barn. We're fortunate that we can divide and conquer, whether it's my dad with one group and me with the other, and I think at the end of the day, even though it puts a little strain on you, it's the right thing to do and it's going to establish some momentum for the sale and keep it going. They listened to the feedback from their customers, both their sellers and their buyers, they took our opinion on board and they made a change after they heard that feedback. We all have the same goal–to put on the best show when you're selling and if we feel this is a change that will establish momentum and help commerce, we're all trying. The fact that they were willing to make that change is a positive sign.

Allaire Ryan, Lane's End
I'm pleased with the schedule for this year's September sale. I know I am not alone when I say I appreciate being able to put our best horses in front of buyers for four consecutive days before a break takes place in the sale. This momentum is vital to everyone involved in the sale process including sellers, purchasers and the auction company. The delayed start times of these four sessions are equally as valuable in my mind. This allows consignors, like us, who sell in back-to-back sessions to effectively manage multiple barn setups and it ensures that potential buyers have time to inspect and vet a range of horses on the sales grounds. I hope that it also translates to longer stays for those buyers, be they domestic or international, who intend to travel to the sale.

Marette Farrell
I am in favor of the new format because it allows people to see more horses over the four days. There are many good horsemen out there who don't need to be shown what Keeneland thinks are the best horses, because as we all know, good horses come from anywhere and everywhere. It is my belief that the more horses we put in the front of the book the better. Therefore, I am a big believer in thinking about a week one and a week two, like in England. The trainers/owners can go home and race their horses on the weekend or attend to their various affairs. Training horses is seven days a week and it's hard to get away for an extended period of time. This move is definitely a step in the right direction.

The post Industry Voices: Revised Schedule for KEESEP Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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