Tag: tom law

Blue Grass Stakes Exhibit Opens at Keeneland Library in April

A Rite of Spring: the 100th Running of the Blue Grass Stakes will open at the Keeneland Library Apr. 1. The exhibit features photographs that capture race highlights over the decades, as well as memorabilia from notable jockeys Bill Shoemaker, Mike Manganello and Chris Antley and celebrated runners such as Whirlaway, Riva Ridge, Spectacular Bid and Strike the Gold. The exhibit's photographs, curated from Keeneland Library collections and public submissions from professional and amateur photographers, spotlight some of the greatest moments of the time-honored spring stakes.

“We are fortunate to have rich resources in the Library's collections to celebrate this historic running,” Keeneland Library Director Roda Ferraro said. “The exhibit features never-before-published photographs alongside iconic shots that capture some of racing's greatest equine athletes and their connections spanning more than 100 years. The public submission call for photographs was a welcomed boon to the exhibit's curation process, and we are pleased to spotlight the work of photographers in concert with images from the Library's collections.”

The free exhibit is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Library.

The 100th GI Toyota Blue Grass S. will be run Apr. 6.

Other Spring events at the Keeneland Library include tours titled, “From Keeneland to the Kentucky Derby” the week of Apr. 29. Each tour will include a visit to the track to watch racehorses train, spotlight Keeneland sales graduates who made their mark in the Kentucky Derby and provide an exclusive tour of Keeneland Library's latest exhibit.

Turf writer Tom Law will be at the library for a night of handicapping the 2024 Kentucky Derby May 1 and, beginning May 11, Starting Gate Storytime will combine a reading of a children's book centered on horses with a literacy, art, history, industry awareness or STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activity. Keeneland Kids Club mascot Buckles will be on hand to brush up on his reading and spend time with young racing fans and horse lovers. The series is ideal for learners ages four through eight.

For information on all the spring events at the Keeneland Library, visit keeneland.com/library.

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National Museum Of Racing Updates Hall Of Fame Historic Review Committee Process

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame's Executive Committee has approved changes regarding the institution's Historic Review committee process based on feedback received from the chair and members, the institution said in a Friday release.

Beginning this year, the Historic Review Committee will start an annual rotation to examine a specific era of American racing history. Only candidates from within the designated era will be considered for Hall of Fame induction during that year's review process.

Previously, the Historic Review Committee met three out of every four years and considered all candidates from throughout history dating back to the colonial days as a collective exercise (as long as they have been out of competition more than 25 years).

In 2024, the Historic Review Committee will consider only pre-1900 horses, jockeys, and trainers. In 2025, the Committee will review candidates from the era of 1900 through 1959. In 2026, it will examine the years of 1960 through 2000. The process will cycle back to pre-1900 candidates in 2027. All qualified candidates active within the past 25 years are eligible to be considered through the separate annual contemporary nomination and election process.

The Historic Review Committee can select a maximum of three Hall of Fame inductees per year–any combination of horses, jockeys, and trainers–and requires each of those choices to receive 75 percent approval from the committee for election.

“I believe these changes will make for a more effective evaluation process for historic candidates being considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Brien Bouyea, the Museum's Hall of Fame and Communications Director. “Evaluating the achievements of a horse or human from before 1900 alongside one from perhaps a century later is an apples vs. oranges exercise that we wanted to improve upon.”

Chaired by author and racing historian Michael Veitch, the Pre-1900 Historic Review Committee will also include Edward L. Bowen, Ken Grayson, Jennifer Kelly, Dorothy Ours, Josh Pons, Mary Simon and Gary West.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class, which will also include the contemporary electees and selections made by the Pillars of the Turf Committee, will be announced in late April.

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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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Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Finalists And Runners-Up Named, TDN’s Sara Gordon A Finalist

The finalists and runners-up for the 2023 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards (TIEA), set for Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Keeneland, were named in a release by Godolphin late Thursday.

Sara Gordon, TDN's Social Media Manager, is a finalist for the Newcomer Award. Gordon, a native of Woodbine, Maryland, is a lifelong equestrian who parlayed her love of horses into a career in turf writing. She is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

With finalists in six categories, the winner and runner-up of the seventh category, the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, have already been decided with Linda Doane of The Healing Place in Louisville, Kentucky awarded the top prize, and Francisco Torres, with the Backstretch Employee Service Team, placing second.

Out-of-town finalists and a guest will be provided with travel and accommodations, while those named will tour a local horse farm and attend a ceremony dinner before an afternoon of racing the following day at Keeneland.

The shortlist judging panel, the first of two, met on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to determine the finalists and runners-up in each category as well as the Community Award winner and finalist. Their meeting was hosted by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. The second and final stage of judging will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 17, when finalists will meet with the judges for in-person interviews.

Panel Chair Tom Law commented, “It's hard to put into words what it means to be involved with these awards. Everyone in our industry knows someone that works tirelessly, day-in and day-out, to take care of our magnificent two-legged and four-legged friends because they love what they do. The nominees, year-on-year, are a tremendous group, and while we wish we could reward them all, I do hope they feel honored that someone thought enough about them to submit a nomination.

“I'd also like to thank the National HBPA, TOBA, The Jockey Club, Breeders' Cup, and Godolphin, without whose underwriting and support these awards would not be possible to implement. Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to our media partners--The Thoroughbred Daily News, BloodHorse Publications, Daily Racing Form, FanDuel, Paulick Report and America's Day at the Races–for helping to spread the reach of the awards.”

Sponsors of the awards include Hallway Feeds, NTRA, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Keeneland, NYRA and Churchill Downs, and first-time sponsor 1/ST Racing.

The winners of the Katherine McKee Administration, Dedication to Breeding, Dedication to Racing, Leadership and Support Services Awards will receive a prize of $7,500, with an additional $1,000 to their farm, stable or organization, with two finalists receiving $2,500 each and $1,000 to their farm, stable or organization as well. For the first time in 2023, separate from the winners and two finalists, two runners-up will receive $2,000 each.

The winner of the Newcomer Award will receive $5,000 with $1,000 going to their farm, stable, or organization. Two finalists will receive $2,500 each, and separate from the winners and two finalists, two runners-up receive $1,000 each.

As the winner of the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award, Linda Doane will receive a prize of $7,500 and an additional prize of $2,500 will be donated to the charity of her choice. Francisco Torres will receive $2,500 as the other finalist in this category, and separate from the winners and finalist, two runners-up receive $1,500 each.

The 2023 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards finalists are:
Katherine McKee Administration Award sponsored by Keeneland

  • Kelly Danner, Churchill Downs
  • Samantha McGreevy, Taylor Made Sales Agency
  • Jamie Bradley, Asmussen Racing

Runners-up

  • Gwenn Pierce, WB Payson Park LLC
  • Eleanor Poppe, NY Race Track Chaplaincy

Support Services Award sponsored by 1/ST Racing

  • Bill Vest, Churchill Downs
  • Tracy Attfield, Tlore
  • Rita Cutler, NYRA

Runners-up

  • Raul Gutierrez, Santa Anita Park
  • Julie Adair, Self

Dedication to Breeding Award sponsored by Hallway Feeds

  • Jimmy Tate, Winstar Farm
  • Phillip Hampton, Godolphin
  • Rafael Zambrano, War Horse Place

Runners-up

  • Harmon Sullivan, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program
  • Abel Garibay, Four Pillars Holdings LLC

Dedication to Racing Award sponsored by National Thoroughbred Racing Association

  • Laura Tilbury, Todd Pletcher
  • Kathy Sanchez, Tom Amoss Racing Stable
  • Moises Morales, Gustavo Delgado

Runners-up

  • Myra Hall, Herringswell Stables
  • Carlos Davila, Craig Wheeler

Leadership Award sponsored by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

  • Lorretta Lusteg, John C. Kimmel
  • Gene Guy, Glencrest Farm
  • Manuel Hernandez, Walmac Farm, LLC

Runners-up

  • Juan Aguilar, Indian Creek
  • Christine Jones, Pleasant Acres Stallions

Newcomer Award sponsored by New York Racing Association

  • Deja Robinson, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital
  • Sara Gordon, Thoroughbred Daily News
  • Dominick Merrit, Todd Pletcher

Runners-up

  • Adrianne DeVaux, Cherie Devaux Racing Stable
  • Susan Kemper, Coolmore America, Ashford Stud

Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award sponsored by Churchill Downs

  • Linda Doane, The Healing Place (Winner)
  • Francisco Torres, Backstretch Employee Service Team (Runner-up)

Runners-Up

  • Merlin Cano, Backside Learning Center
  • Diana Varon, Keeneland

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