Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Handed Out At Keeneland Tuesday Night

Winners were named across seven categories with a total of $122,000 awarded at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, now in its eighth year in the United States, which concluded Tuesday evening at Keeneland Racecourse's Entertainment Center, Godolphin said in a press release after the event.

For the first time this year, in addition to the three finalists in each category, two alternates were also chosen and received monetary rewards. Todd Schrupp, FanDuel TV analyst, served as the master of ceremonies.

Tom Law, Saratoga Special Managing Editor and this year's judging panels chair, commented, “The winners and finalists honored at this year's ceremony, along with the alternates, are truly great representatives of the hard-working individuals in our industry. It's been said many times that they are the backbone of the industry that we all love; and it's absolutely true. And speaking for myself, as well as my fellow judges, we'd like to express our admiration for all the nominees and what they do for our sport.”

The Awards are primarily sponsored by Godolphin in partnership with the National HBPA, TOBA, The Jockey Club, and Breeders' Cup. Media partners are the TDN, BloodHorse Publications, Daily Racing Form, The Paulick Report, Fox Sports, Real Players Inside the Backstretch and FanDuel.

This year the awards received additional monetary and collateral support from category sponsors NYRA, 1/ST Racing, Keeneland, Hallway Feeds, NTRA, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Churchill Downs.

The winners of the Leadership, Breeding and Racing, the Support Services, as well as the Administration category, will receive a prize of $7,500 to the winner, and their farm/stable also receives $1,000. Two finalists are each awarded $2,500, and their respective farms/stables receive $1,000. Separate from the winner and two finalists, two runners-up receive $2,000 each.

The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive $5,000 and $1,000 to their farm/stable. Two finalists are each awarded $2,500. Two alternates receive $1,000 each.

The winner of the Community Award will receive a prize of $7,500 with an additional prize of $2,500 going to the charity of their choice. The runner-up will receive $2,500. Two alternates will receive $1,500 each.

The full list of winners, finalists and alternates are:
Newcomer Award, sponsored by NYRA
Winner: Dominick Merritt, Exercise Rider, Todd Pletcher
Finalists: Deja Robinson, Ed Brown Society and Nursing Staff Technician with Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital; Sara Gordon, Social Media Manager, Thoroughbred Daily News
Alternates: Adrianne Devaux, Cherie Devaux Racing Stable; Susan Kemper, Coolmore America/Ashford Stud

Support Services Award, sponsored by 1/ST Racing
Winner: Bill Vest, Backside Security Manager, Churchill Downs
Finalists: Rita Cutler, Security Guard, New York Racing Association; Tracy Attfield, Owner, TLore Management
Alternates: Raul Gutierrez, Santa Anita Park; Julie Adair, Farm Owner

Katherine McKee Administration Award, sponsored by Keeneland
Winner: Kelly Danner, Racing Operations Manager, Churchill Downs
Finalists: Jamie Bradley, Office Manager, Steve Asmussen Racing Stable; Samantha McGreevy, Sales Manager, Taylor Made Sales Agency
Alternates: Gwenn Pierce, WB Payson Park, LLC; Eleanor Poppe, New York Race Track Chaplaincy

Dedication to Breeding Award, sponsored by Hallway Feeds
Winner: Jimmy Tate, Assistant Broodmare Manager, WinStar Farm
Finalists: Phillip Hampton, Stallion Groom, Godolphin; Rafael Zambrano, Farm Manager, War Horse Place
Alternates: Harmon Sullivan, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption; Abel Garcia, Four Pillars Holding, LLC

Dedication to Racing Award, sponsored by the NTRA
Winner: Myra “Mickey” Hall, Groom, Herringswell Stables
Finalists: Kathy Sanchez, Assistant Trainer, Tom Amoss Racing Stable; Laura “Tils” Tilbury, Hotwalker, Todd Pletcher Racing Stables
Alternates: Carlos Davila, Craig Wheeler Racing Stable; Moises Morales, Groom

Leadership Award, sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
Winner: Manuel Hernandez, Farm Manager, Walmac Farm
Finalists: Gene Guy, Farm Manager, Glencrest Farm; Loretta Lusteg, Assistant Trainer, John C. Kimmel Racing Stable
Alternates: Juan Aguilar, Indian Creek Farm; Christine Jones, Pleasant Acres Stallions

Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, sponsored by Churchill Downs
Winner: Linda Doane, Lifestyle Program Director, The Healing Place/Churchill Downs
Runner-up: Francisco Barrera, Backstretch Employee Service Team
Alternates: Merlin Cano, Backside Learning Center; Diana Varon, Keeneland Racetrack Chaplaincy

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Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Noms Close Aug. 14

Nominations for the 2023 Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards, sponsored by Godolphin, will close on Monday, Aug. 14 at 5:00 p.m. The awards recognize and showcase the skills, experience and dedication of men and women in the Irish thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. Anyone working in any role in the industry can be nominated by a friend or colleague.

There are seven Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards and a Newcomer Award, and all eight winners are eligible for the Irish Racing Excellence Award, which will be announced at the awards ceremony. The Racecourse Award winner, chosen by the Irish Stable Staff Association, will also be revealed on the awards night. A total of €62,000 in prize-money will be awarded, along with beautifully crafted Ani Mollereau bronzes for each category.

“The nomination deadline for the Irish Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards is fast approaching,” CEO of the Irish Stable Staff Association, Bernard Caldwell said. “I would encourage everyone in the industry to nominate and recognize the amazing people we have working behind the scenes in our wonderful sport.”

Nominations can be made online. The awards ceremony will take place in the Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, County Kildare, on Monday, Oct. 16.

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Beck Edmunds Named Employee of the Year at the 2021 GSSS Awards

Rebecca 'Beck' Edmunds of Bryan Smart Racing was named the 2021 Employee of the Year at the virtual Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards on Monday evening. The free-to-air broadcast was hosted by ITV Racing's Ed Chamberlin on Racing TV, while the GSSS Awards were organised by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) in conjunction with the Racing Post and Racing TV.

Edmunds, Head Girl of Bryan Smart Racing and married to Smart's assistant trainer Kevin Edmunds, has worked at the yard for 17 years. She will receive £10,000 for herself and a further £10,000 will be shared among her colleagues at Bryan Smart racing. She also won the Leadership Award, which is another £5,000 for herself and £5,000 split between her fellow employees. Edmunds was viewed as a mentor and role model by her peers. Her ability to think outside the box and her empathy for her equine charges has made her a superb ambassador both inside her yard and for the sport as a whole.

The other category winners on the night were:

  • Newcomer: Alice Price – Ben Pauling
  • Leadership: Rebecca 'Beck' Edmunds – Bryan Smart
  • Rider/Groom: Joanna Lacisz – Sir Michael Stoute
  • Stud Staff: Elody Swann – Newsells Park Stud
  • Dedication: Joline Saunders – Richard Phillips

There was also a special Community Award which was presented to Richard Phillips in recognition of the wonderful work Rory MacDonald achieved at The British Racing School. All told, £128,500 was awarded to the dedicated stud and stable staff of British racing. A celebratory event is being planned for the summer of 2021 to honour the evening's winners and nominees. For the full results, please visit: www.studandstablestaffawards.co.uk.

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Aaron West of Bradley Thoroughbreds Named Finalist for Newcomer Award

Congratulations to Aaron West, one of three finalists in the Newcomer Award category of the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), presented by Godolphin. Currently the racing operations manager at Bradley Thoroughbreds LLC, West originally hails from Arkansas, where he was bitten by the Thoroughbred bug at Oaklawn Park. A move to Kentucky followed, as did a graduation from the North American Racing Academy (NARA) after focusing on ground skills and barn management. First a yearling groom at Lane’s End Farm, West landed at Bradley Thoroughbreds. He coordinates with owners–making sure everyone is licensed, ensuring silks and papers are in the right spots, and organizing seating on race days; provides updates on breezes; works with trainers on horses’ targets; and more.

“Aaron comes to work every day with a can-do attitude,” said Pete Bradley.

Click for the video feature on West done by TIEA.

Other finalists for the Newcomer Award are Robert Cole of FTBOA and Alexis Kolasa of Denali Stud. The Newcomer Award is presented annually to an individual who has been in racing or breeding for under five years and has shown ambition to continue a career in some facet of the Thoroughbred industry while also improving his or her skills and knowledge.

A total of seven award categories will be honored by TIEA for 2020. Maria Cristina Silva of New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) has already been announced as the winner of the Community Award, while the winners in the other categories will be announced live in a virtual ceremony hosted by Jill Byrne and streamed at the TDN homepage Thursday, Nov. 5, at 12:00 p.m. ET. All finalists will be spotlighted in TDN in the days leading up to the ceremony.

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