Tag: The Biz

In honor of Black History Month the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation is proud to offer this limited edition “The Color of Silk” print.

This print commemorates the Jockey Silks Art Project featuring the racing silks worn by African American jockeys who won sixteen Kentucky Derby races held from 1875 to 1902. Nine of the jockeys were born in Kentucky. Seven of the Thoroughbreds they rode were trained by African Americans.

Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky is rich in history with African American horsemen. From grooms to trainers to the most successful jockeys of the 19th century African Americans are part of our story.

On Feb. 23, at KEEP Day at the Capitol in Frankfort, the KEEP Foundation will recognize the contribution of African American horsemen to our industry and honor their legacy by presenting our African American legislators with a 'The Color of Silk' print.

“The Color of Silk” is a product of a living and learning community at UK, LEXengaged, that brought together William Wells Brown students and UK undergraduates to learn, via art, about the contributions African Americans have made to our state's premier industry. The poster is inscribed with the rich history and the moving process that created it.

“William Wells Brown students would cheer with delight when we arrived at their school saying together, 'UK, UK,'” said Rosie Moosnick, former LEXengaged Program Director, at the University of Kentucky. “Some of my UK students saw themselves in their young mentees, including a first generation UK student who would run to William Wells Brown, on her own time, to dispense tough love to her mentee so that he would end up in college like her.”

Artist Julie Struck, worked with students from the University of Kentucky and William Wells Brown Elementary, the latter, which stands on the land that was formerly the Kentucky Association Racetrack and many of the jockeys featured in this project lived and worked in that area.

The print is available for $50.00 (postage included) with all net proceeds going to William Wells Brown Elementary.

To learn more about The Jockey Silks Project, click HERE.

To learn more about the African American jockeys that have won the Kentucky Derby, click HERE.

To order a limited edition, “The Color of Silks” print; email, brittany@horseswork.com

The post The Color Of Silk: KEEP Recognizes Historic Contribution Of African American Horsemen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The 39th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) closed in Melbourne, Australia on Friday, with Asian Racing Federation (ARF) Chairman Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges describing the conference as a “huge success.”

Praising the “exceptional job” of conference host Racing Victoria and the ARC Organising Committee, Engelbrecht-Bresges said the ARC had been a “real eye-opener” after more than 700 delegates from 35 countries attended 11 business program sessions covering a variety of topics vital to horseracing's future.

“What an inspiring and thought-provoking week we have had,” Engelbrecht Bresges, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chief Executive Officer, said at the closing ceremony crowned by the official handover of the ARC flag to the Japan Racing Association, who will host the 40th ARC in Sapporo, Hokkaido in 2024.

“On Wednesday, I spoke about racing's landscape and the nine key challenges we face as industry, ranging from industry fragmentation to ageing customer base sustainability and human resources.

“There is no doubt we have significant challenges and we have to break barriers. We have to overcome industry fragmentation, we have to collaborate more, we have to use a different perspective to become customer-centric by having an outside-in than an inside-out view to grow our sport for a sustainable future.

“Our objective for this conference was to be an eye-opener, to be thought-provoking, to be inspiring and to be engaging. We wanted to identify what we have to urgently address in the short terms, what we can do to grow the business of racing and what we have to look at which could be game changers, especially when it comes to securing our future.”

Mr Engelbrecht-Bresges said some of the conference speakers had “opened our eyes to what many of us probably never thought possible in terms of what racing can offer its fans. But now we have seen racing's future and we must embrace it. We must lean in. And we must act now,” he said.

“NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and Web 3 can be an absolute game-changer for racing. This technology could open up racing to a whole new audience of all ages, from all countries, which can only help grow the sport globally.

“It will never replace the excitement of watching a horse fly down the home straight. But it will add to the experience of racing and make it more accessible for all; especially for Gen Z it is a necessary condition to be relevant at all. And that can only be a good thing.

“Our eyes have also been opened to a world of possibilities for growing the ownership base and enhancing the experience owners receive. And while that means bringing new and younger people in to share in the thrill of racing, we shouldn't forget about our existing owners who will be our sport's biggest promoters to future generations.”

Addressing mental health issues, Engelbrect-Bresges said: “Much like our thinking on horse welfare being a lifetime proposition, racing must also change its approach to looking after its people.

“Glen Boss gave us a harrowing example of what can happen if we don't get it right. We must all make a commitment to improve in this space – to ensure the mental and emotional wellbeing of our participants at all stages of their careers.”

Marking the first ARC since Cape Town in 2020, the conference featured a string of world-class speakers and panelists over the past three days, drawing praise from Engelbrecht-Bresges for conference host Racing Victoria and the ARC Organizing Committee.

“Having talked to many of you, this conference has been a huge success and has been seen as extremely important in the eyes of the participants. None of this would have been possible without the exceptional work done by our host, Racing Victoria (and) the ARC Organizing Committee,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

“I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of our 50 speakers. They have given us their time and shared with us such fascinating and thought-provoking insights. Now we must run with them,” Engelbrecht-Bresges said.

“And I am sure you will join with me in expressing our collective appreciation to David Eades for his skilful and good-humoured moderation of the conference over the last three days.

“It has been a great pleasure to see you all here in Melbourne, and to be part of this extraordinary Asian Racing Conference.”

The post Asian Racing Conference Concludes: ‘We Have Seen Racing’s Future And We Must Embrace It’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack, & Hotel has announced the release of condition book #1 with a Quarter Horse preview section, stakes schedules for Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse breeds, and additional information for owners, trainers, jockeys, and industry participants planning to race in Iowa.

Prairie Meadows' 2023 live racing season will begin on Friday, May 12, and will conclude on Saturday, Sept. 30. The final race day of the season will feature the Iowa Classic event with an all-Iowa bred race card. A total of 80 racing days will be scheduled with both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing offered. The season begins with 20 days of Thoroughbred-only racing from May 12 – June 17 and continues with a mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule of 60 race days from June 18 – September 30.

Live racing will be offered on a Friday – Monday schedule except for opening week of racing which will feature racing on Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13, only. Standard post times for Friday and Saturday programs will be 6:00 p.m. while post times for Sunday and Monday programs will begin at 4:00 p.m. As of release date of this communication, the only post time exception is Saturday, Sept. 30, with a special post time of 4:00 p.m. for the Iowa Classic.

Prairie Meadows Condition Book #1 is now available online and features the first 14 days of racing for Thoroughbreds only along with a preview section starting on page 66 for Quarter Horses with the first 10 days of racing from June 18 – July 3.

“Overnight purses on the Thoroughbred side have been increased by $1,000 across the board for the upcoming 2023 season,” noted Quarter Horse Racing Secretary Chad Keller. “The Quarter Horse purse structure for the most part remains similar to last year with minor adjustments, however we should reach nearly $13,000 for an average open overnight purse in 2023 – our highest level since 2008,” Keller explained.

Stakes schedules for both breeds have also been released for 2023.

“The Thoroughbred stakes schedule will follow a similar format to last year with the only change being four Iowa-bred stakes receiving purse increases from $65,000 to $75,000,” Keller stated. “The Quarter Horse stakes schedule has a few minor changes for 2023. We have dropped the Prairie Sprint stakes race and moved the Keokuk and Prairie Dash to different times on the schedule. We've also reallocated monies to a few stakes, shortened the Two Rivers distance to 400 yards, and added a few more days between trial and final dates for 400-yard Derbies.”

Additional information released by Prairie Meadows Racing Department:

• Barn Area Opens for Horses on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 8:00 a.m.
• Training begins on Sunday, April 16, 2023 (weather permitting)
• Stall applications for both breeds are due to the Racing Office by Tuesday, April 4, 2023
• Quarter Horse Futurity & Derby nomination forms are available online at Prairie Meadows website https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info/quarter-horse-racing and payment schedules start March 1 for some races.
• Horse health requirements for both breeds and ponies are available online, on the stall application form, or on page 6 in the condition book.
• Seasonal jobs are available. Apply online here https://www.prairiemeadows.com/about-us/careers Click on Job Openings and search for General Application (2023 Live Racing) to view all positions available in Racing.

Any additional details on the 2023 live racing season will be posted at https://www.prairiemeadows.com/racing as they become available.

The post Prairie Meadows Purses Increased $1,000 Across The Board; First Condition Book, Stakes Schedule Released appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A U.S. District Court judge in Louisville, Ky., on Friday ruled against trainer Bob Baffert's motion for injunctive relief against Churchill Downs Inc., which banned the Hall of Fame trainer from all of its racetracks for two years following a positive drug test for betamethasone in Medina Spirit, the first-place finisher in the 2021 Kentucky Derby who was subsequently disqualified.

Barring success in appellate court, the order from Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings will prevent Baffert from participating in the Kentucky Derby for the second year in a row despite the fact he trains several horses considered to be leading contenders for America's most famous horse race – one he has won a record-tying six times. According to the conditions of the Derby, horses trained by anyone banned by Churchill Downs are not eligible to earn qualifying points in Road to the Kentucky Derby races at any track.

In 2022, prior to the final round of qualifying races, Baffert transferred two horses to trainer Tim  Yakteen that then would earn points and run in the Kentucky Derby. Churchill Downs altered its nomination form language for the 2023 Derby, stating that horses must be transferred by banned trainers before March 1 in order to earn points and run in the Derby.

In a separate ruling, Jennings denied a motion from Baffert's attorneys asking that the judge recuse herself from the proceedings because she is married to a lobbyist whose clients have included The Jockey Club and The Stronach Group – two horse racing entities not directly involved in the case.

Baffert attorneys contended  in evidentiary hearings on Feb. 2-3  that Churchill Downs is a “state actor” because of “pervasive entwinement” between the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. They also argued that the track denied him due process.  Jennings ruled against Baffert on the state actor contention and said the relationship between Baffert and Churchill Downs  is governed by contract in the form of two documents the trainer signed: “Rules and Conditions for Racing and Training,” and a “Stall Application.”

Language in the stall application states “violations of the rules or regulations of the KHRC or the conditions, rules and regulations of Churchill or the creation, in whole or in part, by trainer of any condition that may interfere with the safe and efficient operation of its business … shall, in each case, subject this license to immediate revocation exercised at Churchill's sole and exclusive discretion, without any prior notice.”

“Based on the Rules and Conditions for Racing and Training and the Stall Application,” Jennings wrote, “plaintiffs were not entitled to process before CDI could impose a suspension. …

“Accordingly, Baffert has failed to demonstrate two of the three elements required for a due process violation,” she continued. “Because plaintiffs have failed to show that CDI's suspension was state action, and because plaintiffs have failed to prove a violation of due process, the court finds that plaintiffs cannot demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim. This factor weighs against injunctive relief.”

Jennings ruled in favor of defendant Churchill Downs seeking dismissal of the case with the exception of one count, that alleging the trainer was denied his due process rights under the U.S. Constitution.

The post Judge Denies Baffert Motion Seeking Injunction Against Churchill Ban appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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