vince gabbert | Horse Racing Free Tips

Nine New Members Added To Kentucky Equine Education Project Board

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), Kentucky's equine economic advocate, announced additions to its Board of Directors.

Nine new individuals were added to the KEEP Board of Directors: Shannon Cobb, Michelle Fischer, Vince Gabbert, Jeff Hall, Katie LaMonica, Jamie MacLeod, James Miller, Bret Shultz and Donnie Snellings.

Cobb is the COO/CFO of The Red Mile. Fischer is the President of Darting Star, LLC. Gabbert is Vice President and COO of Keeneland. Hall is the General Manger of Ellis Park. LaMonica is the Manager of Marketing at Darley Stud Management. MacLeod is a professor at the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center. Miller is co-owner of Saddlebred farm Hillcroft. Shultz is Director of Racing at Standardbred racing facility Oak Grove. Snellings is the Sales and Yearling Manager at Denali Stud and is the current President of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club.

New officers for the KEEP Board of Directors will be elected at the Board's January meeting.

Elisabeth Jensen, KEEP's executive vice president who oversees the daily operations of the organization, commented, “Given the hurdles the horse industry faces in the coming year, KEEP may be more necessary now than at any other point in its history. The Kentucky Supreme Court's ruling that jeopardizes historical horse racing and its contribution to the success of Kentucky's horse industry presents an immense challenge as we will work to convince the legislature to address the issue. The addition of these board members and the work they have already engaged in on behalf of KEEP and the horse industry is a critical part of the battle ahead.”

The chairman of KEEP's Board of Directors, Doug Cauthen, added, “KEEP has always maintained a Board of Directors that truly represents a cross-section of Kentucky's all breed horse industry and provides all stakeholders with a seat at the table. These new board members further that diverse industry representation and will strengthen KEEP as it faces new challenges and fights to preserve historical horse racing.”

In December, the KEEP Board of Directors will host an industry-wide webinar to discuss the year ahead for KEEP, the advocacy issues the organization will take on, and the strategies and approaches the organization will undertake to emerge successful. More details will be included in a future announcement.

The Kentucky Equine Education Project 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 $50 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.

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Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton Lobbying For Overseas Buyers

Overseas buyers are an ever-increasing fixture of the American yearling sales. It is not only the big-spending Maktoum family and Coolmore partners who are vital to the health of the market; an international presence stimulates spending at all levels of trade, fueled by visitors from all across Europe-not least the pinhookers who have enjoyed so much success with their buys at the breeze-ups-and Asia, Australasia and the Middle East.

Global travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have, naturally, caused some unrest in the minds of sellers as they put the finishing touches on their yearlings ahead of Fasig-Tipton’s Selected Yearling Showcase in Lexington on Sept. 9 and 10 and Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale from Sept. 13 to 25. Foreign nationals traveling from Europe-as well as Brazil, Iran and China– are currently not permitted to enter the U.S., but Keeneland Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vince Gabbert said that Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton are together working with government officials on an effort to allow foreign buyers to gain entry for the sales. Gabbert said he is “cautiously optimistic” that they will reach an agreement.

“The way we’ve approached this has been a combination between what we’re seeing with the sports leagues and what we know from a business interest side,” Gabbert said. “We’ve been working very closely with homeland security and we’ve essentially engaged every person we can get a hold of to help us with this, from Congressman [Andy] Barr, who has been extremely helpful from the outset-Senator [Mitch] McConnell, Ambassador [Kelly] Craft and Commissioner [Ryan] Quarles through his relationships with the USDA and Secretary [Sonny] Perdue [of the USDA]. All of them have been really willing to help us and to foster these conversations with homeland security because there are specific waivers that we will have to fill out for our customers who want to travel to make sure they’re able to get over here. All of our conversations with them have been, ‘tell us what protocols you need us to follow for you to have confidence that we’re not going to create an issue, and we’ll do that.’ All of those folks have been extremely helpful, and each individual I’ve mentioned has assigned a specific staffer to our issue so we have specific folks in each of those offices that we’re working with to make sure we get as many people over here as possible.”

Gabbert said ensuring government has an understanding of the importance and economic impact of the Thoroughbred industry is a priority for the Keeneland staff even during normal times, and so the foundation was already laid.

“I feel good about the conversations we’ve had,” he said. “I feel really good about the effort that our government officials are putting in on our behalf. A lot of it is just working through that bureaucracy that just automatically exists within government. I’m cautiously optimistic; we feel like we have a good plan in place for the entirety of the sale and we’re working in concert with Fasig-Tipton as well so we have the same protocols in both places and we’re working together with them on this request as well, so this has been a joint request on behalf of both sales companies. We have an unprecedented partnership with how we’re working together and I feel good about the request and what we’ve put in place. We just have to continue to navigate it and make sure we’re talking to the right folks.”

While overseas visitors may be faced with quarantines upon returning to their home countries, Gabbert said that doesn’t seem to have dampened enthusiasm.

“A lot of our international buyers, especially the Europeans, have expressed a strong, strong interest in coming over here regardless of what happens when they get back,” he said. “We are very excited about the amount of enthusiasm that people are showing in wanting to be here. We’re doing everything we can and we’re fortunate there are still a number of countries that are not on that prohibition. Japan, Australia, and a number of the South American countries that are our markets as well, people are free to travel to and from. They may have different requirements when they return to their home countries, but we are going to do everything we can from a protocol standpoint and everything we can to provide a safe and secure facility so people can come over here with confidence and return home with confidence.”

Gabbert said at this stage that it doesn’t look as if visitors will be required to quarantine when arriving in Kentucky, but COVID testing may be a part of the process.

“We don’t have everything finalized but we’re working very closely with our local health department and both us and Fasig-Tipton are working very closely with local health professionals to make sure that we’re following all the recommendations from the CDC and the local health department,” he said. “Right now we would not anticipate any need for a quarantine or for people to isolate once they get here, but we are looking at what might be available from a testing standpoint, how we monitor that-our goal is to give everybody the confidence that they’re coming onto the grounds in a safe and secure manner, and what all does that entail? Testing is part of that, enforcing social distancing and requiring a mask, reducing capacity in the sales pavilion but still providing other opportunities for people to bid on horses; those are the things we’re working through.”

Gabbert acknowledged that the presence of overseas buyers is “extremely important” and that the Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton teams will continue to lobby for their presence and update their customers along the way.

“I can’t emphasize enough how much we need and want everybody that can get here to get here,” he said. “Especially when you look throughout the sale, each book essentially has a really different feel to it and it’s imperative that we maintain that strength and that buying bench throughout the entire sale, and the international presence is a tremendous part of that. We’re going to keep working on it until we get definition and we’ll be communicating out to our customers and if there is paperwork they have to fill out we’ll be in a spot to assist them to navigate that process.”

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$63 Million Wagered During Five-Day Summer Meet At Keeneland

Keeneland successfully closed its unprecedented five-day Summer Meet on Sunday with all-sources wagering of more than $63 million at the Lexington, Ky., track. Driving robust wagering were top-quality race fields representing the nation's top stables and jockeys, and the enthusiastic support of fans who were watching and wagering remotely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

All-sources wagering on the Summer Meet, held July 8-12, totaled $63,299,331. Average daily all-sources handle was $12,659,866.

Wagering was boosted by a single-day all-sources handle for the 10-race card on Toyota Blue Grass Day, Saturday, July 11, of $23,834,972, second only to the record $25,809,200 set for last year's 11-race Toyota Blue Grass Day card. The All-Stakes Pick Five on Saturday handled $1,395,051, well above the former record of $1,079,197 set on Toyota Blue Grass Day last year.

On-track handle, which includes wagering conducted at Keeneland and Red Mile, totaled $674,310, for an average daily on-track handle of $134,862.

“Horsemen and fans alike highly anticipated the Summer Meet, and their expectations were exceeded by the breathtaking level of racing we enjoyed here this week,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “I can't express how much we missed our fans at Keeneland, and we thank them for their strong support from afar. This pandemic created a number of operational and logistical challenges for us to make this season a reality. I am so proud of the collaboration between state and local health officials, our horsemen, our corporate partners and our Keeneland team, all of whom worked tirelessly to create a safe environment on track and deliver such incredible racing.”

The Summer Meet was the first in Keeneland history and accommodated a portion of the 16-day Spring Meet that Keeneland canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Because of strict health and safety protocols, the Summer Meet was conducted without fans, who watched and wagered remotely via the track's Keeneland at Home Presented by Central Bank campaign. Each race day, Keeneland provided enhanced racing coverage streamed live through YouTube, Facebook and Twitter; a new pre-race show, “Keeneland at Home presented by Central Bank,” and complimentary digital race- day programs available on keeneland.com to download.

The Summer Meet featured 10 graded stakes worth $2,575,000 with four Grade 1 stakes, four Grade 2 races and two Grade 3 events. Keeneland paid total purses of $4,744,435, for average daily purse levels of $948,887. Starters per race averaged 9.4.

“We thank our horsemen for their support of the Summer Meet and for always bringing their 'A Game' to Keeneland,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. “These stakes races are important targets on the racing calendar, representing significant income for horsemen and important black type for breeders. We appreciate the cooperation of Ellis Park and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in helping us make this opportunity possible.”

Keeneland permitted a limited number of owners to be at the track on the day their horses raced.

“We particularly thank the owners that attended for their patience and adherence to the Healthy at Work protocols,” Keeneland Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vince Gabbert said. “We know the race day did not look or feel like those you are used to enjoying at Keeneland. We appreciate your assistance as we navigate this unusual landscape.”

Summer Meet Highlights
The Summer Meet was headlined by Toyota Blue Grass Day on Saturday, when Keeneland presented six graded stakes anchored by the $600,000 Toyota Blue Grass (G2) and $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), preps for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), respectively; $350,000 Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1) and $250,000 Madison (G1).

Among the Summer Meet highlights:

Art Collector roared past the filly Swiss Skydiver to win the Toyota Blue Grass and establish himself as a favorite for the $3 million Kentucky Derby to be run Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Speech won the Central Bank Ashland to earn 100 points and move into second place on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 160 points.
Rushing Fall successfully defended her title in the Coolmore Jenny Wiley to win her fifth Keeneland stakes, a total that trails only the record seven owned by Wise Dan. She becomes the third horse since 1976 to win Grade 1 stakes as age 2, 3, 4 and 5, joining Lady Eli and Beholder.
Guarana gamely fought back after being passed in midstretch by Mia Mischief to win the Madison and give trainer Chad Brown his 100^th Grade 1 victory.
2019 Preakness (G1) winner War of Will won the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) on July 10 to become a Grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt.

On Saturday, Keeneland hosted the first online Summer Handicapping Challenge, with 208 entrants paying the $3,000 entry fee and playing through XpressBet and TVG. Stephen Thompson won the event with a bankroll of $41,076 from a beginning stake of $2,000. Thompson takes home, in addition to his bankroll, $40,000 in prize money, a $10,000 Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge entry and a National Horseplayers Championship entry. In all, six players won BCBC spots and 10 players won NHC spots.

Summer Meet Leaders
The abbreviated meet did not dampen competition for leading owner, trainer and jockey titles.

Three owners tied for leading honors with two wins each: Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Larry Best's OXO Equine and Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm. The Ramseys increased their record number of Keeneland titles to 22. Best earned his first leading owner title. Wycoff won the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3) with Field Pass to secure his second leading owner title.

Wesley Ward and Ian Wilkes each recorded five wins to tie for leading trainer honors. It was the sixth Keeneland title for Ward, following titles in the Spring of 2019, 2018 (tie), 2017 and 2012 and in the Fall of 2012. It is the first Keeneland title for Wilkes, who won the Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select with Four Graces.

Trainer Mike Maker swept both closing-day stakes, the TVG Elkhorn (G2) with Zulu Alpha and the Transylvania with Field Pass.

Tyler Gaffalione won the final race of the meet, the TVG Elkhorn, to secure his second Keeneland riding title. His first title came in the 2018 Fall Meet. Gaffalione accounted for two other stakes during the meet: the Maker's Mark Mile aboard War of Will and the Shakertown (G2) with Leinster.

Brian Hernandez Jr. finished second in the jockey standings with six wins. Hernandez won the Toyota Blue Grass with Art Collector.

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