Tag: People

The Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association has hired Alex Foley as its new executive director. The life-long Louisvillian takes over the permanent position filled by Marty Maline for almost 47 years until his retirement at the end of 2022.

The 32-year-old Foley, who started on the job Monday, is the younger son of veteran trainer Greg Foley and the grandson of the late owner-trainer-breeder Dravo Foley. Alex Foley graduated from Bellarmine University with a degree in business management (and four years on the golf team) and from the University of Louisville's Brandeis School of Law with his Juris Doctor.

“He was interviewed by our search committee, and they were impressed by him and his credentials,” said Kentucky HBPA President Rick Hiles. “He's a young man, he's got a history in racing from his dad and grandpa. He knows everybody on the backside. He has a law degree. We thought he could get in that position and have some longevity.”

Foley had been serving as an assistant trainer to his dad, including overseeing the stable's Ellis Park division throughout the spring, summer and into the fall. His brother, Travis, is also an assistant trainer to their father and their aunt Vickie Foley is a trainer.

Foley said the combination of being part of a racing family and his law degree made the Kentucky HBPA executive directorship appealing.

“The horse-racing industry and my legal background, I've always wanted to do both but didn't have the avenue,” he said. “This job provides that. The connections I have on the backside — whether it's horse trainers, gallop boys, assistants — I've known so many people that it was a perfect fit and something I'm passionate about.”

Asked if he thought he'd make 47 years like Maline, Foley laughed and said, “I know I have some pretty big shoes to fill.

“Marty said he'd mentor me. Rick Hiles has been great in the transition. I think we make a good team. I think being younger brings a different light to everything.”

Foley graduated from North Oldham High School, where he played basketball and golf.

The post Alex Foley Named Executive Director For Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Applications for The Jockey Club's paid internship program for college students and recent college graduates and its five academic scholarships opened Tuesday.

The internship program will accommodate up to three interns and is now available in the summer or fall based on the intern's preference. Interns will gain exposure to all companies and departments within the organization, and they will have the opportunity to spend additional time in areas that they find to be of particular interest. The program will last eight weeks.

The internships will take place in The Jockey Club's offices located in Lexington, Ky. For more information and to view the application, interested candidates should visit bit.ly/tjcinternships. Applications are being accepted through January 5, 2024. Selected interns will be notified in February 2024.

The Jockey Club scholarships will apply to the 2024-2025 academic year and are as follows:

• The Jockey Club Scholarship ($15,000; $7,500 per semester) is for those enrolled full time as an undergraduate or graduate student at a college or university in academic pursuit of majors for future employment in the equine industry. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.
• The Jockey Club Advancement of Women in Racing Scholarship ($20,000; $10,000 per semester) is open to women pursuing a career in the equine industry who are enrolled full time as an undergraduate student at a college or university. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.
• The Jockey Club Vision Scholarship ($20,000; $10,000 per semester) is open to students from a minority racial or ethnic group who are pursuing a career in the equine industry. Applicants must be enrolled full time as an undergraduate student at a college or university. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.
• The Jockey Club Benevolence Scholarship ($15,000; $7,500 per semester) is a need-based award to enable a student to attend a full-time program at a college, university, or trade program. Preference will be given to backstretch and horse farm employees and their family members. Applicants are not required to be pursuing a career in the equine or Thoroughbred industries.
• The Jockey Club Jack Goodman Scholarship ($6,000; $3,000 per semester) is open to students enrolled in the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP). Goodman was a resident of Tucson, a longtime member of The Jockey Club, and one of three founders of the RTIP.

Applications for all five scholarships are open through January 5, 2024. More information and links to applications for the scholarships can be found here: bit.ly/tjcscholarships24. The recipients of each scholarship will be announced in the spring of 2024 in advance of the initial distribution of funds for the fall 2024 semester.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

The post Applications Open For The Jockey Club’s Internship Program, Academic Scholarships appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Harry Hernandez moved into the top four among the riders' colony at Remington Park on the first Monday of racing this meet, recording a four-bagger on the day at the Oklahoma City, Okla., track.

His victories moved Hernandez into sole possession of fourth place in the jockey standings with 32, one ahead of Richard Eramia's 31 wins for the season. Stewart Elliott leads the way with 66 victories, followed by Lindey Wade with 35, and Floyd Wethey, Jr., capturing 33 wins.

In the training standings, the all-time winningest trainer in North America racing history, Steve Asmussen, is firmly on top with 38 trips to the winner's circle this meet. He is followed by Karl Broberg, last meet's top trainer, in second with 24; Ronnie Cravens III in third with 21 wins; Mindy Willis, fourth, 18, and Austin Gustafson rounding out the top five with 16 wins.

Hernandez got things started in the third race of the day, scoring on Scarlet Position, the heavy 4-5 wagering favorite. That 7-year-old mare by Well Positioned (Awesome Again), out of the Powerscourt (GB) mare Scarlet Power, drew off by 5 3/4 lengths against $5,000 claiming fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older. Owners Colleen Davidson and Martin Riley of Grant, Okla., along with trainer Brent Davidson, had the mare claimed from them as Scott Corderman pounced for new owner Jerry Skinner.

Scarlet Position raced away from runner-up La Morena (3-1), who was another half-length in front of third-place finisher Diva de Kela (25-1). The winner paid $3.80 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show. She finished the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:05.39 on a fast track. She set every early fraction except the half-mile. The first quarter-mile was :22.62 and then Chive Up (5-2 second favorite) hit the half-mile in front at :46.37 before Scarlet Position took over and went five-eighths in :58.78. She was bred in Illinois by William Stiritz.

Hernandez won his second of the night in the fifth race aboard Sandy Creek for owners Mike Grossman and Francisco Bravo of Sulphur, Okla. Bravo also trains the 3-year-old filly sired by Wilburn (Bernardini), out of the Forestry mare Run Forestry Run. She scored in a maiden claiming $10,000 race at seven furlongs for Oklahoma-bred fillies and mares that were 3,4,5-year-olds.

The 3-year-old Sandy Creek was a winner for the first time after tries of fourth, seventh and seventh against a tougher class of maidens every time. Hernandez booted her home a winner in gate-to-wire fashion, making every pole a winning one. She set interior fractions of :23.29 for the first quarter-mile, :47.13 for the half, and 1:12.97 for six furlongs until she hit the wire in front by a half-length at 1:26.70.

Sandy Creek was sent off at 7-2 odds and paid $9.40 to win, $5.20 to place and $3 to show. Seattle Wildcat (9-5 favorite) checked in second, 4-1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Gospel Spear (6-1).

Hernandez's third victory of the night came in the saddle of odds-on favorite Northwind (3-5) in the eighth race for owner Silva Racing (Miguel Silva) of Shakopee, Minn. Silva also trains the 3-year-old gelding by Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper), out of the Any Given Saturday mare Half Past Midnight. The winner paid $3.20 to win, $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show, hanging on for a three-quarter length victory over runner-up Dr Vinnie Boombatz (7-2), who ran better today with his blinkers taken off. Let Me Love You was one length back of him in third at 3-1 odds.

Northwind beat maiden claiming $7,500 non-winners, 3,4,5-year-old age, going 1-mile-70-yards. Northwind won in 1:46.09. Tahkodha Knight stopped the timer for the first quarter-mile in :24.37 before Northwind took over, going :49.36 for the half, 1:14.62 for three-quarters and 1:41.41 for the mile. He was bred in Kentucky by V. Gail Ray.

The fourth win was in the final race on the card, the 10^th, aboard first-time starter Mo Winning living up to his name. Robertino Diodoro sent this first-timer by Mo Town (Uncle Mo), out of the Tapizar mare Infinite Grace, to the track following sharp workouts at a half-mile and five furlongs. Mo Winning breezed :48.27, the third fastest of 20 horses the morning of Nov. 8 and prior to that 1:01.58 handily from the gate on Nov. 1, the third-fastest of 14 that morning.

Mo Winning is owned by John Holleman and Randy Howg of Little Rock, Ark., and was bred in Kentucky by Reece Racing. The colt was a $50,000 purchase for Brookstone Farm in the Keeneland Breeders' Stock Sale of November 2021, and that owner pinhooked him for the current owner for $100,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale in Kentucky. The colt earned $20,400 from his career debut. The colt took control of the six-furlongs race in the lone turn.

Mo Winning was 5-2 in the wagering and paid $7.20 for the win.

Remington racing continues Tuesday, Nov. 14 with a nine-race program that starts at 2:30 p.m. Central.

The post Harry Hernandez Moves Up In Remington Jockey Standings With Four-Win Day appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 2023 recipient of the Racetrack Superintendent's Innovator Award was announced as Roy Smith on Monday, Nov. 13. Roy Smith will be  recognized for his decades-long commitment to communication and continuing education for racetrack superintendents, with an award presentation scheduled to occur during the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program's (RTIP) Global Symposium on Racing on Monday, Dec. 4, 2023.

Smith is a second-generation racetracker who chose the career of superintendent over the many other racing careers pursued by his family. Starting in 1977 as an assistant to Blackie Chobanian at Suffolk Downs, Smith took over after Chobanian's passing in 1981. Smith then moved to Philadelphia Park (now Parx) in 1984 to work for 31 years, and finally moved to Indiana Grand in 2014.

Smith was selected for the 2023 superintendent's innovator award for his work in professionalizing the career of racetrack superintendent and introducing the concept of continuing education to the community. Smith was a regular attendee at what used to be called the “dirt panel” at the RTIP Symposium, but when the dirt panel was dropped from the RTIP symposium's schedule, Smith took over and launched the racetrack superintendent field day in 2001.

Initially supported by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and more recently led by Equine Discounts, Smith has been the one constant who developed the idea and has kept it going during many changes in the industry. Smith's passion for communication and continuing education for racetrack superintendents did not allow him to let it falter. His efforts have had a profound effect on research and practice in the maintenance and construction of racetrack surfaces.

The idea of continuing education, introduced by Smith, is now part of the Regulations of the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority. His vision of a collaborative profession focused on the safety of the horse and rider is embodied in the Superintendent's Field Day and more recently with the new version of the Dirt Panel that has been held at RTIP since 2021.

The Racetrack Superintendent's Innovator Award is given to recognize the critical professionals who maintain the racing surfaces for safety and fairness. Previous recipients include Joe King, for his introduction of quantitative testing for dirt racing surfaces, Leif Dickinson for his use of fiber to reinforce turf racing surfaces, and Dennis Moore for maintenance and innovation of synthetic racing surfaces. In 2024, a wall of fame will be designated where recipients will be recognized as a part of formally recognizing the critical role played by racetrack superintendents in safety of the horse and rider.

The post Founder Of Field Day, Roy Smith Named 2023 Recipient of Racetrack Superintendent’s Innovator Award appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post