Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Gallop And Graze’: Keeneland Leads Blue Grass Farms Charities’ Gift Matching Campaign

Beginning in July, Blue Grass Farms Charities (BGFC) will launch its inaugural matching gift campaign, “Gallop and Graze,” to further the mission of the charity.

Founded in 2003, Blue Grass Farm Charities' purpose is to provide health and human services to those working in the Thoroughbred racing community. With a commitment to this mission, BGFC is proud to announce Gallop and Graze, a matching campaign to provide continued services and assistance to our vital backstretch and farm community.

We are thrilled to announce that Keeneland has kicked off this campaign with a $20,000 gift and that the Mary K. Oxley Foundation has stepped forward with a $10,000 gift. With a goal of $200,000 to be reached by the close of 2020, BGFC is requesting individuals and businesses who benefit from the horse industry to consider making a $10,000 contribution to help meet this goal.

On behalf of Blue Grass Farm Charities, Keeneland and the other partners who have joined this campaign, we are grateful for your support of the racing industry and the mission of BGFC.

“Our partnership with Keeneland has strengthened considerably during the Nourish the Backstretch program,” said Julie Berry, BGFC Executive Director. “Both entities see a great need for assistance to support the horsemen and their families. Besides food insecurity, other benevolent services such as housing and medical assistance, are needed. The Nourish the Backstretch program has ended, but we are still dealing with a pandemic and the financial burden brought on by it.”

Blue Grass Farms Charities has been selected as Keeneland's industry charity during its Summer Meet scheduled July 8-12. Please consider making a monetary contribution by clicking the Donate button at www.bgfcky.org.

“Keeneland is proud of our partnership with Blue Grass Farms Charities and the needs we are able to address, first through Nourish the Backstretch and now Gallop and Graze,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “Backstretch and farm employees are racing's front-line heroes and we are grateful for their commitment to show up every day to care for the horses. In appreciation for their hard work and dedication, the horse industry must do all we can to support and provide for this community.”

We hope we can count on you to support this community when it is needed most. Building this strong foundation will bring more security and assistance to the essential worker who is caring for the Thoroughbred during this time and will be for years to come.

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Racist Comment By Kentucky Horseman Tom VanMeter Condemned

The Thoroughbred industry's two largest sales companies, Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, swiftly condemned a racist post on social media by Kentucky horseman Tom VanMeter, but both companies stopped short of saying it would affect VanMeter's ability to conduct future business at their auctions.

Three organizations, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, said they were disassociating themselves from VanMeter.

VanMeter, an owner and breeder who is a longtime consignor to both Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, is the owner of VanMeter Sales and Stockplace Farm, birthplace of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

Two offensive comments on Facebook attributed to him began to circulate on Monday.

In response to a Facebook thread concerning a boycott of the National Football League, the following was posted on his account: “Defund the N– Football League.” The N-word used was the first three letters of a reprehensible term used by racists about African Americans.

Later in the thread, VanMeter added: “Put 'em back in their cage.”

In a joint statement, The Jockey Club and Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association said it was deleting VanMeter from its listing in the consignor section of OwnerView, a resource for existing and prospective Thoroughbred owners.

“OwnerView, jointed owned by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, has suspended the account privileges of Tom VanMeter pending further review, based upon offensive content posted on social media under the same name,” the joint statement read. “There is no place in racing or our society for racially hateful language.”

Alex Waldrop, CEO of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, posted the following statement on Twitter: “The racist remarks and views posted on social media on an account belonging to Tom VanMeter have no place in society, let alone the horse racing industry. The NTRA no longer will accept financial contributions of any kind from him or others who share his views.”

Boyd Browning, president of Fasig-Tipton, released the following statement: “Fasig-Tipton does not generally comment on social media postings made by third parties, other than to make clear that this comment was not made by an employee or representative of Fasig-Tipton and does not reflect Fasig-Tipton's values. We do not condone or support any statements or actions that do not promote a more diverse and inclusive environment for industry participants.”

A statement from Keeneland read: “Keeneland condemns Tom VanMeter's post. There is no place for racism in our sport or our society and his words are antithetical to Keeneland's values of respect, community and equality.

“Our industry must deal honestly and directly with our lack of diversity and look hard at its underlying causes. It is not only the right thing to do, it is critical for the future of the sport we love.

“At Keeneland, we have begun the process of reviewing our internal culture, structures and practices to try and build a better, more diverse and equitable Keeneland family. We do not believe there are easy answers to these complex and systemic challenges and everything is on the table as we move forward.”

VanMeter did not respond to phone calls or messages left on his cell phone.

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Keeneland, UK Athletics Team to Deliver Racing Coverage

Keeneland and University of Kentucky Athletics will broadcast “A Day at Keeneland Presented by Toyota” to help deliver Keeneland’s Summer Meet to the Big Blue Nation. The four-hour program, which airs Saturday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. EST on the UK Sports Network, will feature continuous coverage of Keeneland’s Saturday card that includes six graded stakes races and the GII Toyota Blue Grass S.

Tom Leach, “The Voice of the Wildcats” and an Eclipse Award winner who serves as a Keeneland racing analyst, will anchor the program live from the Lexington oval.

The program will air on 630 WLAP in Central Kentucky, WLAP.com/listen and WLAP via the iHeartRadio app and also be streamed live on ukathletics.com and the UK Athletics app.

“We are excited about this new venture with UK Sports Network to showcase our biggest day of this unprecedented Summer Meet,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “This radio broadcast enhances the Keeneland at Home experience for our fans who cannot join us at the track, and it celebrates the long connection between Keeneland and the UK Wildcats. We know Big Blue Nation eagerly anticipates the chance to hopefully enjoy more UK football-Keeneland racing doubleheaders this fall.”

“Keeneland is a signature Bluegrass tradition and a shared passion for both UK Athletics and the Big Blue Nation,” Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “It’s an honor for us to share in that tradition and to participate in this one-of-a-kind Summer Meet.”

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Joseph Sophomores Tune Up

A pair of sophomores from trainer Saffie Joseph’s barn tuned up for graded stakes engagements with five-furlong works at Gulfstream Park Sunday.

Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), currently seventh in the Sept. 5 GI Kentucky Derby qualifying-points standings, breezed five furlongs in :58.64 (1/12) in preparation for a likely start in the July 18 GI Haskell S. at Monmouth Park.

“I worked him Monday last week, so he came back in six days. I wanted to get a good work into him and he worked super. He finished up really good. He ran the last quarter in :22 4/5 and galloped out strong,” Joseph said. “After that work today, I’d say we’re probably going to run him in the Haskell, 95% sure.”

Ny Traffic, third in the GII Risen Star S. in February, was runner-up in both the Mar. 25 GII Louisiana Derby and the May 23 GIII Matt Winn S.

Joseph also sent Tonalist’s Shape (Tonalist) out to work Sunday at Gulfstream. The filly went five furlongs in :59.43 (3/12) after turning in a four-furlong work in :45.35 (2/60) last Monday.

“Last week’s work was a little quicker than ideal, so we just tried to slow her down a little. Once again, she worked super. We’re very happy with where we are with her,” said Joseph.

Of the filly’s next start, Joseph said, “We still haven’t decided. It’ll be either [Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile GI] Ashland S. [at Keeneland] or the [July 18 1 1/8-mile GI] Coaching Club American Oaks [at Saratoga]. We’ll probably decide [Monday].”

Tonalist’s Shape, winner of the GIII Forward Gal S. in February and GII Davona Dale S. Feb. 29, was a well-beaten seventh while trying a route for the first time in the Mar. 28 GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, but rebounded to win the 1 1/16-mile Hollywood Wildcat S. May 15 at Gulfstream in her most recent start. She currently ranks seventh in qualifying points for the Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks.

Math Wizard (Algorithms), who gave Joseph his first Grade I success in last year’s Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, breezed a half-mile in :49.14 (16/58) in preparation for the GIII Monmouth Cup on the Haskell undercard.

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