Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: CHDN) announced Monday that Gary Palmisano, Jr. has been promoted to Executive Director of Racing. In this role, Palmisano will support and enhance the Company's commitment to the U.S. Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry as well as focus on the implementation of standards and processes outlined in the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act (“HISA”) across all CDI racing properties.
“Gary brings a wealth of varied industry experience that ideally positions him for success in this role,” said Bill Mudd, President and Chief Operating Officer at CDI. “In addition to strong relationships with key stakeholders, his unparalleled passion and vision for this sport will ensure that Churchill Downs and its racing assets remain progressive leaders in a rapidly-evolving industry.”
Palmisano brings over 15 years of industry experience. Prior to this promotion, he served in multiple roles at Churchill Downs Racetrack including Special Assistant to Track President, VIP Player Services Manager and, most recently, Director of Race Day Operations. Palmisano started his professional career in racing in Louisiana where he gained experience at Fair Grounds Race Course and with the Louisiana State Racing Commission.
“This opportunity is a lifelong dream realized for me,” said Palmisano. “Having grown up in the barn area of Fair Grounds Race Course with my dad, the late Gary Palmisano, Sr., being a longtime trainer and racing official, I quickly knew that racing would be my life's passion. Ever since moving to Louisville to pursue an Equine Business Degree at the University of Louisville and beginning my work as an intern at Churchill Downs Racetrack, I've maintained a focus on amassing as much knowledge as I could so I could serve the industry I love in a capacity like this.”
Palmisano's appointment as Executive Director of Racing will be effective immediately.
About Churchill Downs Incorporated
Churchill Downs Incorporated is an industry-leading racing, online wagering and gaming entertainment company anchored by our iconic flagship event, the Kentucky Derby. We own and operate four gaming entertainment venues with approximately 3,900 historical racing machines in Kentucky. We also own and operate TwinSpires, one of the largest and most profitable online wagering platforms for horse racing in the U.S. and we have eight retail sportsbooks. We are a leader in brick-and-mortar casino gaming in eight states with approximately 11,800 slot machines and video lottery terminals and 250 table games. www.churchilldownsincorporated.com
Stephanie Hronis of Hronis Racing chairs the planning committee for the inaugural Horse Racing Women's Summit, to be held Sept. 28-30 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Hronis is joined on the committee by Jordyn Egan, executive director of Thoroughbred Owners of California; Kellie Hill of MedWest Realty and Stay Classy Horse Racing; Jodie Vella-Gregory, director, of 1/ST Racing's office of innovation; Shona Rotondo, co-founder of Grand Slam Social; and Equestricon co-founder Kathryn Sharp, a Thoroughbred owner and breeder. Amy Zimmerman, Santa Anita's senior vice president and executive producer for the track's broadcasts, served as a special advisor to the committee. University of Southern California Marshall School of Business student Sophia Eggert was summer intern.
The event begins Sept. 28 with a 4:30 p.m. PT welcome reception at the 100-1 Club at Santa Anita overlooking the San Gabriel Mountains, with broadcaster Michelle Yu serving as MC.
Thursday morning's keynote from Susan Packard – the first woman to join the Churchill Downs Inc. board and co-founder of HGTV and other networks and interactive platforms – begins a full day of activities. Following Packard will be a discussion on “thriving through challenges,” with afternoon panels focusing on “looking ahead – opportunities for the industry,” and “integrity – a brighter future.” A closing reception that evening will be followed the morning of Sept. 30 with a handicapping seminar led by FanDuel/TVG analyst Christina Blacker.
Hronis took time out of her busy schedule of putting on the finishing touches for the gathering to explain the origin, purpose, and goals of the Horse Racing Women's Summit and touch on some of what she anticipates will be the highlights for attendees.
Questions for Hronis were submitted in writing by Paulick Report publisher Ray Paulick.
Stephanie Hronis
What are the goals for the Horse Racing Women's Summit?
Early on in this process, the committee came together and established five pillars to guide the Horse Racing Women's Summit planning process. The pillars are: remove barriers, empower, build inclusivity and leadership, mentor, and develop and grow the sport.
With those pillars in mind, the goal for this summit is to connect and empower women in horse racing. We have worked hard to create an event where women can network, be inspired, and formulate strategies to achieve their goals.
Finally, we expect attendees to actively do the following things at the event and beyond:
Engage – with those familiar to them and new
Innovate – think big! Personally and professionally
Invest – in themselves, their careers, and the sport
Is this designed more for people who want to find careers in the racing and breeding industry or who already are involved?
The Horse Racing Women's Summit is designed for people currently in the industry and those interested in engaging in the industry. The attendee list includes well-established professionals from all facets of the industry – horsemen, racetrack executives, regulators, media, aftercare professionals. Additionally, we have executives from other industries that are planning to attend for the high quality professional development and networking opportunities. Our keynote speaker and panelists were thoughtfully chosen to speak to growth opportunities for women and the industry as a whole; those messages resonate beyond horse racing.
Who should attend?
Individuals from any and all aspects of the racing and breeding industries should attend the Horse Racing Women's Summit. This is a very inclusive event and prime opportunity to network with others within and outside of existing roles. In our daily roles, we do not often have the opportunity to connect beyond a 3-5 minute chat in the paddock, at a meeting, etc. This multi-day event is the perfect opportunity to establish long-lasting, valuable relationships. It is important that people from all facets of the industry (and beyond) attend in order to ensure maximum productivity in the areas of individual and industry growth.
Where are the greatest growth opportunities for women in racing (i.e., racetrack management, trainers/hands-on work with horses, associations, bloodstock and auctions, regulatory, veterinary, aftercare, etc.)?
The opportunities are equal between each of all sectors of racing; but we all know, growth takes effort and support. Potential for growth is exponentially increased by mindfully attending the events such as the Horse Racing Women's Summit. The act of purchasing a ticket and taking time to attend is a commitment, and we have built an event that will honor that commitment.
The concentration of talented professionals will be second-to-none and the summit format will facilitate meaningful connections that will go far beyond September. We are cognizant that thriving and engaged individuals in all facets of the horse racing industry improve the health of the industry as a whole.
Is this exclusively for women, or should men also consider attending?
Men are encouraged and invited to attend the summit and any subsequent events. This is a great opportunity for men to step outside of their comfort zone and hear about the contributions and experiences of our women panelists. There will be honest discussion about the challenges women experience in the workplace and it will be an opportunity for men to gain a glimpse of what it is like to be in an industry that is dominated by the opposite gender. The Horse Racing Women's Summit will be a safe and welcoming event; it is an ideal opportunity for men to honestly consider their own biases and actions regarding women in the industry and/or workplace.
What would you say are the “don't miss” speakers or panels?
All of them! Susan Packard, our keynote speaker, is an author, co-founder of HGTV, and served on the board of Churchill Downs, Inc. for several years; that's just the start. We have three incredible panels and Amy Howe (CEO of FanDuel) is the luncheon speaker. Each panelist has important and compelling experiences and wisdom to share.
Our topics were designed to facilitate relevant and thought-provoking conversations – catalysts for broad discussion that will address issues pertaining to women and the industry as a whole. Our team is working with panelists to be sure we meaningfully address key issues – human and equine welfare, growth opportunities for the industry, personal development, mentorship.
What led to its creation?
The summit concept started after a Thoroughbred Owners of California's women's luncheon at Del Mar last summer. The sold out attendance, gratitude, and positive responses after that gathering led the committee to discuss what should be next. Our first thought was to do a similar social event at Santa Anita Park in the spring, but a luncheon series didn't seem robust enough to address the need we were sensing.
Discussion continued and we sent out a survey to all of our connections in the industry to gather more information. The survey results showed a strong desire to gather on a larger scale in an impactful way – connecting women across the country from all facets of racing to share experiences and grow. The committee has been working on this event in earnest since May, and we are committed to answering the call.
How will you judge whether or not the Summit is a success?
Measuring the success of the Horse Racing Women's Summit will be a multi-faceted, long-term process. To begin, we have been intentional about distributing surveys about the needs and wants of our audience. We will solicit feedback from participants immediately after the summit to gauge whether or not we met those needs. Beyond that traditional feedback, mid-term success will be measured by engagement in our follow up events through the country and additional activities that arise from those. We are aware that one small committee can only do so much, so we plan to connect and empower women in the industry that will carry the torch far beyond Santa Anita Park.
Will the Summit be an annual or semi-regular event?
We are planning nationwide pop-up events throughout the year to keep the momentum and networking going. After the inaugural summit we will solicit feedback from attendees to determine whether it should be annual or every couple of years.
Hers is a story about longshots and an aspiring young trainer taking a shot at the big time. The epitome of a small time conditioner and her fledgling Thoroughbred operation.
Thirty-two-year-old Rachael Keithan is from Maryland. She gave Del Mar a try this summer. While it wasn't all champagne and roses, she didn't leave without some success.
“I'm just trying tracks out right now,” Keithan says. “We're going to Remington next. New Mexico is one I'm never going back to. They're too fast out there for me. Everything wants to sprint and I have a lot of horses that like to go long.”
One of those is R Doc, a 3-year-old gelded son of Gio Ponti who gave Keithan her one and only win at the meet at 35-1.
“He's a thousand dollar no bid,” Keithan said. “That's the bottom bid in Kentucky for Fasig-Tipton. Nobody wanted him. When I got him as a yearling I originally retired him but he wanted to run so I put him back in training. This horse has been against everybody's odds everywhere. He's bred for the turf top and bottom but he doesn't want to run on the turf. First time off turf, he wins.”
That was a maiden race at Aqueduct in January. After trips to Sunland Park and Lone Star, he went out Aug. 18 and won a $32,000 claimer locally giving Keithan her first trip to the Del Mar winner's circle. She says the fact she's at Del Mar this year is all coincidence.
“Relentless Racing and myself, we didn't start out with a lot of capital,” Keithan says. “I couldn't work for anybody else because I had a broken ankle for a very long time and nobody's going to hire somebody with a broken ankle. So we took a little bit of money and went to the sale. I realized nobody would want to train these no-bid horses, so I put my two cents in and here we are.”
Keithan has a string of nine horses, all of which she rides and trains in the morning.
“I can tell you when they're ready,” Keithan says. “I can tell you if they feel good.”
While being on the back of your own horses can be a certain advantage, there are drawbacks to having such a small operation.
“You have to train for the condition book and if the race comes up before you're ready sometimes you just gotta go,” she says. “Cross your fingers because you don't have time to get one more work in. We have to run. We're a barn where they (the horses) have to pay their own bills or we'll go under.”
Keithan says the Del Mar meet has been quite an eye opener.
“It was a sharp learning curve,” she notes. “This is my first time out west. I'm an east coaster. I assisted people in New York and went from New York to Kentucky to Florida. When we were in New York we ran all the smaller circuits too. If we had something that wouldn't do at Belmont, we'd ship it to Maryland, to Delaware, to Pennsylvania. I've won races for trainers at Monmouth. You're very open when you're in that area. Here, there's California tracks and everything else is a big haul. East coast I've got it down, West Coast, you guys are fast out here.”
She says she'll return to Del Mar under one condition.
“I need different stock,” Keithan says. “I know when I'm outmatched.”
Keithan has taken her horses to Oklahoma City where she's going to give Remington Park a try.
Elisabeth Jensen, Executive Vice President of the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), announced that she will retire from her position at the end of the year.
Case Clay, Chairman of KEEP's Board of Directors, commented on Jensen's announcement, “Elisabeth has been an incredible asset to the horse industry and we are grateful to have had her at the helm during some of the industry's most serious challenges. Without her leadership at KEEP, the industry would not be on the solid footing that it is today. There are many challenges and tasks ahead and that is why we are grateful that Elisabeth has agreed to join the KEEP Board of Directors. Her continued input will be immensely valuable to the organization.”
Clay continued, “It will be a challenge to replace Elisabeth in all that she has done for the horse industry, but the Board knows that whoever holds the position next will benefit incredibly by having the opportunity to build on the solid foundation of KEEP and all of the success for which Elisabeth is responsible.”
During Jensen's tenure overseeing the daily operations of the organization, KEEP reached many milestones and greatly advanced the goal of preserving and promoting the horse industry's role as Kentucky's signature industry.
Jensen's leadership, beginning in 2018, saw the organization expand to address new issues facing the industry. With labor shortages constantly hampering many of the equine businesses around the Commonwealth, KEEP became a vocal advocate in Frankfort and Washington for both expanding the number of visas available to the industry for immigrant labor, as well as building the infrastructure for creating a home-grown workforce.
In partnership with the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center, KEEP created the Equine Talent Pipeline initiative, which has promoted career opportunities in the horse industry to students, targeted second-chance populations for job opportunities, created a horseman's apprenticeship recognized by the Kentucky and federal Departments of Labor, and worked with KET to create an In-Demand video and resource website on horse industry jobs.
Several threats to the horse industry arose related to tax rates and exemptions that protect Kentucky's competitive edge when it comes to the national and global horse industry. KEEP was able to fend off these attempts and, as a result, Kentucky's horse industry has seen consistent growth over this time.
On issues related to land-use policy, Jensen led KEEP's advocacy to ensure that land-use decisions are made locally to protect the irreplaceable farmland across Central Kentucky.
The greatest challenge for KEEP and the horse industry came under Jensen's leadership in 2021 when the Kentucky Legislature debated the continued operation of historical horse racing. Jensen united the entire industry and worked closely with the legislature to secure the passage of legislation that maintained historical horse racing as a revenue stream for the industry, resulting in increased purses, greater field sizes, and more equine businesses relocating to Kentucky.
Elisabeth Jensen commented, “A major career and lifestyle change brought me to Kentucky to work in the horse industry for over 20 years. It has been a dream to come to work every day in an industry I love and it has been an honor to be an advocate for the horse in Kentucky and across the US. I look forward to the opportunity to focus more time and energy on my and my husband's cattle farm and being more involved in family businesses.”
The KEEP Board of Directors is currently performing a search to hire Jensen's replacement and Jensen will serve on the KEEP Board following her retirement. Resumes can be sent to info@horseswork.com.
About KEEP
The Kentucky Equine Education Project, Kentucky's equine economic advocate, is a not-for-profit grassroots organization created in 2004 to preserve, promote and protect Kentucky's signature multi-breed horse industry. KEEP is committed to ensuring Kentucky remains the horse capital of the world, including educating Kentuckians and elected officials of the importance of the horse industry to the state. KEEP was the driving force in the establishment of the Kentucky Breeders Incentive Fund, which has paid out more than $177 million to Kentucky breeders since its inception in 2006, and pari-mutuel wagering on historical horse racing, which has been responsible for more than $40 million to purses and more than $24 million to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund.
KEEP works to strengthen the horse economy in Kentucky through our statewide network of citizen advocates. To learn more about how you can become a member or support our work, please visit www.horseswork.com.
