Tag: People

The Secretariat Center announced Thursday that Shelley Mann will be stepping down from her role as Executive Director effective December 29, 2023. The Secretariat Center expresses its gratitude for Mann's exemplary leadership during her tenure.

Mann joined The Secretariat Center in 2020 and has played a pivotal role in advancing the organization's mission to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for happy, healthy, and successful post-track careers. Under her guidance, the Secretariat Center has set the gold standard in Thoroughbred rehabilitation, by providing its adoptees a comprehensive foundation of skills to enable them to transition smoothly into their post-track lives. Some significant milestones Mann has led The Secretariat Center to achieve include hosting a series of major fundraising events in 2021, 2022, and 2023, all while orchestrating exemplary aftercare practices, and overseeing a thriving and professional staff.

During Mann's tenure, the organization experienced growth in both reach and impact, attaining greater magnitude in education and community engagement. Her dedication and vision have greatly contributed to The Secretariat Center's positive standing within the community and the broader equine industry.

The Board of Directors expresses its sincere appreciation for Mann's unwavering commitment to the organization's values and goals. The transition process has been carefully planned to ensure continuity and maintain the momentum achieved under her leadership.

Outgoing president, Holly Schmitt, DVM, shared the board's sentiment, stating, “We are immensely grateful for the tremendous impact Shelley has had on The Secretariat Center. Her passion has left an indelible mark on our organization, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

The Secretariat Center is now actively searching for a new Executive Director to build on the organization's successes and lead it into the next chapter. The Board is actively pursuing an innovative and forward-thinking leader who not only aligns with The Secretariat Center's mission but also boasts a compelling history of executive leadership and remarkable success in securing significant charitable contributions. Lewis Prewitt, President at Prewitt Management Consultants, LLC, is assisting the Secretariat Center with its search. Please contact Lewis Prewitt for additional information pertaining to the search: (lewis.prewitt@prewittconsultants.com; (502) 320-2499).

The Secretariat Center remains steadfast in its commitment to its mission, and the Board of Directors is optimistic about the future as the organization continues to make a positive impact on the sport horse community.

For more information contact Secretariat Center at (859) 246-3080 or info@secretariatcenter.org

About The Secretariat Center:

The Secretariat Center's mission is to prepare off-track Thoroughbreds for happy, healthy, and successful post-track careers by rehabilitating and giving them a broad-based foundation of skills to ensure a harmonious match with their adopters.  We advocate for the athleticism and versatility of the Thoroughbred and provide educational opportunities through horsemanship. https://www.secretariatcenter.org/

The post The Secretariat Center: Shelley Mann Stepping Down As Executive Director appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Just four live race days remain in 2023 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. To celebrate the season, the NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of trainers, owners, jockeys and racing personalities to get their reflections on the memorable year.

On June 10, trainer Jena Antonucci achieved the important milestone of becoming the first female conditioner to train the winner of a Triple Crown race when Blue Rose Farm's Arcangelo stormed home to a 1 1/2-length triumph in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Belmont Park. A little more than two months later, Arcangelo and his conditioner's talents were once again put on full display when the son of Arrogate captured the Grade 1 Travers by one length at Saratoga Race Course.

With her accomplishments, Antonucci became a celebrated role model for women to excel and break barriers not just in horse racing, but across all walks of life, garnering national media attention for her words of advice shortly after her Belmont victory: “Never give up, and if you can't find a seat at the table, make your own table.”

Arcangelo retired at the end of October to Lane's End Farm where he will take up stud duty in 2024. Antonucci reflected on the stellar career of Arcangelo, and what her achievements mean for women and the sport.

Q: What did it mean to you personally to win the Belmont and Travers?

“It opened the window for people to see what we've been doing. I've chuckled a little bit at the people who say, 'Oh, she's only ever had one horse.' No, we've actually had a lot, and have won stakes beforehand. Yes, these are our first Grade 1s, but our goal is to continue doing us. If it has afforded us to have a better quality of horses, then we will just continue to do all of that the best possible way we can. We'll just continue to be true to who we are.

“It's honestly most gratifying watching the team. When you take those little moments during an event and look at a team member's face and see how proud they are – to watch that and to see the people accomplish career and lifetime goals and dreams, it's literally the most gratifying part.

“I will forever be grateful for the horse and what he gave us, and him believing in us, but to watch your team check boxes in a way that maybe they never thought would happen and to potentially make that happen for them is by far and above the most rewarding and gratifying.”

Q: You've said before that you would need some time to think about exactly what this means for women in this sport. How have your thoughts come together with time?

“I think it's resonated more hearing it from other people and what it means to them. Hearing how it made women who have watched the journey feel and to make people excited about our sport and what we have accomplished is such a gift.

“Recently, I was able to speak to an all-girls school from fifth graders to seniors, and did a talk with the group of almost 700 young ladies. To see where their questions fell and what they got excited about, and to be able to speak about what we've accomplished in our sport, it definitely resonates. To be able to look at young girls and say, 'This hadn't happened in 155 years,' and to see how they receive that is special.

“You watch other women accomplish things in other sports and careers, but to watch it from the front row is very interesting and a gift that I will absolutely carry with much regard for a very long time to make sure it is meaningful and we can push the ball forward to encourage a young girl to rock on and to do her.”

Q: One of your most repeated and applauded comments about your accomplishments was your metaphor of making your own seat at the table. What does it mean to you that it resonated so well with so many?

“There was a space that was missing something, and that filled that space for people. I like to be behind the scenes making things happen, and we have created what we did because of what we've built. Being able to organize that into something that was short and concise for people is flattering. I hope it helps anybody, any gender or any age, fulfill something and understand that sometimes you've got to do it a different way.”

Q: Patience and working on the horse's schedule were always central to your plans with Arcangelo and each of your trainees. How does your training program revolve around that model?

“Fiona [Goodwin, assistant] and I talk non-stop about every single horse. It's just making sure we are doing our best to tend to each individual horse specifically. If it's a colt or filly that needs a little more time, or something that we need to be a little tighter on and they need to be on a more stringent schedule – we just really try to give the breathing room to each horse.

“I greatly understand owners get a little impatient, so I just try to be respectful and mindful of, 'Yes, we need to be running, but here are these things and here is why.' Allowing the owner to be part of the process instead of just, 'No, we're not ready.' I've found over my career that trying to explain it to them and allowing them to be part of the 'whys' is important.”

Q: After winning two of racing's most prestigious events, what are some other goals you hope to achieve?

“We're just going to stay present. We have a handful we really like in the barn and the ones we are hopefully getting as 2-year-olds for the coming season, and we're going to let them tell their story like we let Arcangelo tell his. To put a burden on anyone in the team – as far as expectations – I don't think is fair. We'll let them run their races and tell their story.”

Q: With Arcangelo now retired, what will you remember most about him and his career?

“His personality. He's such a cool guy, and his personality was bigger than the stall or the barn. We were able to get him to focus for the two minutes of his races and put that big personality to work. His desire to win and to want to be a Champion is something that you can't bottle.

“He still has a ton of personality. I keep in touch with the farm [Lane's End], and the stallion manager and I have some chuckles. His personality is in full effect. He's doing awesome and they're very much enjoying having him there. It will be wild and cool to train some of the kiddos one day.”

The post Jena Antonucci Hopes Big Year Will ‘Encourage A Young Girl To Rock On And To Do Her’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

An Arkansan leads the Oaklawn owner's standings through the first five days of the 2023-2024 meeting, but it's not record-setting John Ed Anthony or 2022-2023 champions Heath and Sheena Campbell.

It's Staton Flurry of Hot Springs.

Flurry's scattered operation has already produced four victories from 11 starters. Anthony, Oaklawn's all-time winningest owner, is second with three victories.

“I'm thinking of this meet kind of as a car race, a NASCAR race,” Flurry, 33, said Sunday. “These first two weeks are like fall. Hopefully, we can start up front and have a little lead going into the rest of the season. We've been aggressive on some of these. They're winning, but they're not blowing the fields away. So, we're kind of in the right spots.”

Flurry said he has approximately 20 horses in training. Most are at Oaklawn with five trainers – Brad Cox, Cipriano Contreras, Dan Ward, Matt Shirer and Kevin Martin. Flurry also has a handful of horses with trainer Jonas B. Gibson, who is based at Louisiana Downs.

Flurry has already teamed for two victories at the meeting with Gibson (Therideofalifetime and Fightn' Ready) and Contreras (Captain Jack and Oh My Gawd). All were short-priced winners and competing at dramatically lower class levels than when Flurry claimed them earlier in 2023.

For example, Flurry claimed Oh My Gawd for $50,000 Oct. 12 at Keeneland. Oh My Gawd ($2.80) broke her maiden Sunday for a $12,500 claiming price.

“I hate that we are dropping them like we are,” Flurry said. “But when they're winning by a length, length and a half, instead of running off the screen, that tells you they're in the right spot.”

Flurry's hot start is much different than last season's meeting,, when he made his initial push to secure an owner's title at his home track for the first time. Through the first 38 days of racing, he generated only three victories from 35 starts. Flurry closed strongly, tying for fourth with 10 victories from 61 starts, a single-season Oaklawn personal best. That momentum has continued in 2023-2024.

“We've gotten off to a good start,” Flurry said.

Raised in the historic Trivista neighborhood that borders Oaklawn's north parking lot, Flurry recorded his first career victory as an owner Feb. 17, 2013, at Oaklawn with the Cox-trained Full Steam Ahead. Flurry said winning an Oaklawn owner's title is a “bucket-list item.”

“If it happens this year, I'll never do it again,” Flurry said. “It's one of those that I want to say I did. Knock it off the list and never chase again because it's time consuming. It's stressful.”

Flurry has 114 career victories as a sole owner, including 41 at Oaklawn, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Oh My Gawd represented Flurry's career-best 20th victory overall this year. He won 19 races as a sole owner in 2015.

Flurry is best known for campaigning millionaire multiple Grade 1 winner Shedaresthedevil in partnership.

The post ‘We’ve Been Aggressive’: Staton Flurry Chasing ‘Bucket-List’ Oaklawn Owner Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

After taking a seven week break from riding during the summer for personal reasons, Kyle Frey returned to ride in late September at Los Alamitos's September meet and the fall meet at Santa Anita before finishing sixth at the very competitive Del Mar Bing Crosby meet. Frey rode that momentum into the Los Alamitos Winter Thoroughbred meet and won their premier race for 2-year-olds, the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity aboard the unheralded Wynstock. He also finished in a tie for second in the standings.

The panel of racing experts voted Frey Jockey of the Week for December 11 through December 17.

The honor recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Riding for Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, Frey was aboard Wynstock for the second time after piloting the colt to his maiden win on October 15 at Santa Anita. Wynstock was the longest priced entrant of the trio Baffert saddled in the Los Alamitos Futurity which included race favorite Coach Prime who finished third and second betting choice, Wine Me Up who finished fourth in the field of five.

Off at odds of 13-1, Frey sent Wynstock to the front from the inside and led the field by a length to the top of the stretch. He was confronted by Stronghold midway in the stretch but bravely dug in and fought past that rival to win by a half-length in 1:43.53 for 1 1/16 miles, paying $29.40. The win was Frey's first graded stakes in Southern California.

“Relaxing isn't an issue for this horse,” said Frey. “Just getting out of the gate is and he did that perfectly today. He has the heart of a lion. He's a lot of fun to ride, that's for sure.”

Frey, who will turn 32 Jan. 3, is a native of Northern California and was the Eclipse Award winner as the nation's top apprentice in 2011. He won three consecutive riding titles at Golden Gate before moving to Southern California. He recorded his 1,000 career win on Nov. 19, 2021 at Del Mar and is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Paul Frey, who was a talented jockey who rode in California and Washington State.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano who won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Manny Franco who also won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Juan J. Hernandez with two stakes victories at Los Alamitos, and Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won 10 races for the week to lead all riders.

The post Kyle Frey Named Jockey Of The Week After Los Al Futurity Triumph appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post