The first phase facilitated the development of the Racing Home Portal, an online platform that provides the horse racing community information, advice and support about rights and entitlements regarding pregnancy, maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, flexible working, self-employment and statutory pay. Phase Two of the Racing Home project includes further development of the online portal. Input will be collected from stud and stable staff, as well as the corporate side of the industry to ensure the information is relevant in order to enhance the user experience.

“Supporting and retaining working parents and carers is a vital component in ensuring a sustainable workforce for British racing,” Tansy Challis, Chief Executive of the Racing Foundation said. “The Racing Foundation is proud to fund Phase Two of the Racing Home
project and looks forward to seeing the impact it makes while building on the success of the initial phase.”

All resources currently available can be found online.

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Born and raised in Colorado, Reed moved to Lexington to pursue a career in the Thoroughbred industry. While working in the yearling division at Three Chimneys Farm, she was sent to pick something up from the stallion barn. Peeking into the breeding shed to scope out who was in charge, she quickly noticed that a woman was in command. She was petite–at least, compared to the powerful studs she handled–with a blond braid and a sharp eye that took in every detail of the session.

From that moment, Reed had a goal. She too would be a stallion manager one day.

This year, that dream came to fruition as Reed has taken over as stallion manager at Three Chimneys. As stallion manager emeritus, Hatfield is still a fixture in the barn–at least for this year's breeding season–but Reed is now at the helm.

When Reed first approached Hatfield about working for her almost 20 years ago, Hatfield told her to gain a bit more hands-on experience and come back. Reed did just that, working with the yearlings at Three Chimneys while attending Midway University, before eventually joining the stallion team. When Reed graduated college in 2008, Hatfield asked her to escort Point Given to Brazil.

The job came with many challenges, but Reed enjoyed the adventure of going to a new country where the only thing familiar to her was the stallion on the other end of the shank. She spent several years shuttling stallions between hemispheres, including a five-year stint going back and forth between the U.S. and Darley Australia.

Of course, whenever she arrived at a farm, she was not exactly what her new co-workers were expecting.

“The first time I moved to a Southern Hemisphere location was Argentina,” Reed recalled. “It was not only a new culture, but it was a new language and new people. So when they saw a girl come off the airplane, they were as confused as I was. But the best part about it was after working sessions and showing that I was there every day, I earned their trust in the shed. I think you just have to give people time to realize that, yes she's a girl, but she can do it too. I think it was a lot of just being a good person and working hard, and in the end they don't care what gender you are.”

Reed's predecessor was a pioneer of the industry as she pursued a career in a very male-dominated stallion business in the 1980s.

Sandy and Will Take Charge at Three Chimneys | Sarah Andrew

“When I first came to town, there were a lot of breeding sheds that wouldn't let a woman in the breeding shed to watch,” Hatfield recalled. “I mean if you took your mare to the breeding shed, they made you stand outside. There were a lot of times that people came and walked right past me and went to the first guy they saw. Once people realized that I knew what I was doing and could take care of their mares in the breeding shed and make sure they got a good cover, I think they understood.”

Hatfield acquired a love of horses from her father while working on their ranch and racing Quarter Horses in Oklahoma. She moved to Kentucky when she received a scholarship from Murray State University's equine program. She spent a summer prepping yearlings at Spendthrift Farm and instantly fell in love with the industry. After graduating, Hatfield moved back to Lexington to pursue a career as a yearling manager. She was working at North Ridge Farm when the farm's general manager Dan Elliott asked her to go to the stallion barn and pull manes. It wasn't long before she was back in the stud barn for every breeding session and Elliott was asking her if she would be the farm's stallion manager.

“I had asked him, 'Are you sure? You're going to catch a lot of flak for this.' But he told me that they knew I could do it. So they gave me a great opportunity and I was stallion manager there for two years.”

Hatfield would go on to be the yearling and broodmare manager at Calumet Farm and the stallion manager at Gainsborough Farm. In 2000, she was offered the opportunity to move to Three Chimneys.

“It was just the most magnificent place I could have thought of,” Hatfield explained. “Dan Rosenberg was a great manager and horseman and Robert Clay and his family were all great. It was just the epitome of what I wanted to do and it was the best decision I ever made.”

From her early days with Seattle Slew, Dynaformer, Rahy and Wild Again, then later to Big Brown and Smarty Jones, and on to today's headliner Gun Runner, Hatfield has been at Three Chimneys for them all.

Hatfield hesitates to pick an all-time favorite stallion, but ultimately coins Silver Charm as a special one. She even adopted one of his offspring, Silver Indy, who resides at her own farm today.

“I've been here long enough that I've had a few gravestones go out there,” Hatfield reflected. “There are so many of them that you make friends with, especially as they get older and you spend more time with them. You get to know them and appreciate them.”

Hatfield has always made a point to participate in many of the tours at Three Chimneys. While most visitors have little idea of just how unique Hatfield and her prominent position might be, or the significance of her contributions to the breeding industry, Hatfield said her goal is to leave them with a positive impression of the business.

“People have a different perspective when they first come here and you try to explain to them about how much we really love our horses and how we take care of them. I think I've changed some attitudes about the horse industry.”

The horses are the easy part, according to Hatfield. Where stallions are black and white, she said that humans' personalities can be every shade of grey. But the horsewoman who was named 2011 Kentucky Farm Manager of the Year excels at overseeing every type of charge, both human and equine.

“I've never asked anyone to do anything that I haven't done or wouldn't do,” she said. “I think that's important. Treating people like people. I remember when I was a groom, the manager would pull up in his truck and honk the horn and expect us to drop what we were doing and come outside. That always made me a little irritable, that they couldn't take the time to come inside and talk to us. So I've always tried to remember that and remember how excited I was the first time I got to lead a yearling to the sale ring or the first time I got to bring a stallion into the breeding shed.”

Sandy's own small farm is home to a pony named Sugar and Silver Indy, a doppelganger of his sire Silver Charm | photo courtesy Sandy Hatfield

Hatfield has mentored countless young people who have gone on to succeed in the industry, including several women who now work in stallion barns throughout Kentucky.

“I have two-legged kids and four-legged kids down there,” she said, pointing toward the stud barn. “I've watched a lot of people grow up and do great things in this business. It's a feeling of accomplishment that I've watched those people go on to run their own divisions or become farm managers. I mean look at Veronica. She was a young girl, just going to college, and now she's managing stallions at Three Chimneys Farm.”

“She's a good horsewoman,” Hatfield said of her mentee. “She is also good with people and she speaks fluent Spanish. She knows her horses, which I think is one of the most important things.”

Reed, who served as assistant stallion manager at WinStar Farm for four years before joining Hatfield back at Three Chimneys, speaks just as highly of her mentor. She said that no matter the continent, whenever Hatfield's name is mentioned, “basically the red carpet is rolled out.”

“Her reputation in this industry is amazing,” Reed said. “Not only is she a great horsewoman and very dedicated to what she does, but she also gives a great voice to the industry–a voice for everybody, not just females.”

Hatfield's incredible attention to detail, Reed said, is something that she could not have learned from anyone else.

“I've never seen a stallion manager the way that she writes on her sheet. This mare did this or this mare was like that. When you go back to breeding that same mare the next year, you've got tons of information from all the years that she's been here so you can warn the guys that this mare is difficult or this mare is really sweet. Her horses receive some of the best management I've ever seen around the world.”

Yet even today, Hatfield and Reed face opposition from people who doubt their abilities in a male-dominated profession.

“There are a lot of people I talk to today who tell me that women can't work with stallions,” Hatfield said. “I've been managing stallions for 35 years, so I know women can do it.”

Asked about her greatest accomplishments, Hatfield said that she is proud to serve as an example for young women in the industry and that she enjoys following the achievements of the people she has mentored.

“Those are great accomplishments,” she reflected. “And being around a horse like Gun Runner is a great accomplishment. To be able to watch him grow and develop and become a great stallion is pretty spectacular.”

Sandy welcomes Palace Malice to Three Chimneys | Gayle Ewadinger

Hatfield was present for many of the 2017 Horse of the Year's shining moments on the racetrack, including his career finale in the GI Pegasus World Cup where she flew home to Kentucky with him afterwards.

“He's very smart and personable,” she said of the young sire sensation. “He's not a mean horse, but he will let you know that he is the man. He loves to go out and show off when we have tours. He's a magnificent horse, to think about what he did on the racetrack and see what he's doing as a stallion. He's going to be one of the ones that people will remember his name.”

It was Gun Runner's auspicious start at stud that led to the careful changing of the guard in the Three Chimneys stallion barn.

“With Gun Runner's presence and who he is making himself out to be as an important stallion, we really felt a responsibility to him to make this transition as smooth as possible,” explained the farm's COO Chris Baker. “In 2023, we have the benefit of both Sandy and Veronica here. How that changes or when it's 100% Veronica, time will tell. That's up to Sandy. She has earned the right to plot her own course through this.”

“Sandy has done a fantastic job over decades, operating at a very high standard and retiring champions from the racetrack and introducing them to the breeding shed,” he continued. “Three Chimneys has been the beneficiary of Sandy's professionalism and experience. Both Sandy and Veronica are driven by a passion for and a love of the horse. That's really what makes them so good at what they do.”

The love of the horse is where it starts and ends for Hatfield. Even now, as she is supposedly in the early stages of retirement, Hatfield is up before the sun every morning, layering on coats for another breeding session. After 24 years at Three Chimneys, her love for the stallions she cares for and her passion for the industry keeps her coming back.

“I mean, it's what I love,” she said. “I love getting to know the horses. I love the excitement of the breeding shed. I love talking to people about our industry and explaining to people what we do, how much we love our horses and how good of care we give all of them. It has been a great opportunity, a great learning experience, and hopefully I've done a good job.”

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“We are thrilled with the diversity of ticket sales so far; attendees include horsemen, racetrack executives, aftercare professionals, media representatives, lawyers, accountants, regulators, and more,” said committee chair Stephanie Hronis. “That being said, there is still room at the table. Our mission is to connect and empower women in racing and beyond. We can achieve this when companies and individuals sponsor tickets which will be instrumental in facilitating a long-term impact for those who would benefit from the Pay it Forward initiative.”

To participate, when clicking on the tickets tab at womeninracingsummit.com, simply fill out the information and select “Yes, please list this as a Pay it Forward Ticket.” After completing the checkout process, you will be contacted by a member of the planning committee.

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“The Horse Racing Women's Summit is designed to empower, connect and remove barriers in leadership in racing,” said Jodie Vella-Gregory, a member of the planning committee and the Director of the Office of Innovation at 1/ST Racing. “It's really for anyone who is interested in pushing the industry forward and is ready to discuss not only how to overcome challenges, but also how we can identify growth opportunities. We see it as a place for leaders, future leaders and any industry participants and we see it as a catalyst to start a conversation and bring people together.”

The summit will be held September 28-30 at Santa Anita Park. Susan Packard, the first woman to join the Churchill Downs Inc. Board of Directors and a key player in the launch and development of CNBC, HGTV and HBO, will be the keynote speaker. Thursday's session will include three panels called Thriving Through Challenges, Looking Ahead–Opportunities for the Industry and Industry Integrity–A Brighter Future. Each panel will feature notable industry participants from various aspects of the sport and will end with a Q and A session.

The event will conclude on Friday, which is also opening day of Santa Anita's fall meet, with a handicapping seminar from TVG's Christina Blacker. HRWS attendees will have access to reserved box seats throughout the weekend of racing at Santa Anita, which will be highlighted by two Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' races.

Committee Chair Stephanie Hronis of Hronis Racing was the visionary behind the event. She explained how the idea formed last summer after a Thoroughbred Owners of California women's luncheon at Del Mar was a smashing success.

“Seeing women come together with the opportunity to network there was such a good energy,” Hronis said.

From there, Hronis formed a team and started putting out feelers on how a national summit would be received by the industry.

“It was kind of like tapping into a sleeping giant,” Hronis explained. “The wave of interest was huge. What started out as a vision for bringing women together has really grown into this movement of a summit and bringing people both from within the industry and outside of the industry, which you will see with our panelists and our keynote speaker Susan Packard.”

HRWS committee member Jordyn Egan, who is also the Executive Director for the Thoroughbred Owners of California, said that they received immediate interest from a vast array of women in the industry.

“The feedback was very diverse,” she said. “It was everything from, 'I want to become an owner but I'm intimidated' to 'I've been working in this industry for 20 years and I don't know what to do next.' We had to really think about what we are going to do with this event that will help address, connect and empower all women in racing so that regardless of where you are, this is a great professional and personal development opportunity.”

The HRWS planning team laid out the five core pillars that they hope will be accomplished through the event: to remove barriers, to empower, to build inclusivity and leadership, to mentor, and to develop and grow the sport.

Committee member Kellie Hill, who is involved in the industry as the CEO of Stay Classy Horse Racing and who also works outside of the sport as the Sr. Vice President of MedWest Realty, talked about how the concept of removing barriers will benefit horse racing as a whole.

“What they have found with so many different studies, from Harvard Business Review to the London Business School, is that the more you have gender equality, the profits go up, the innovation goes up and the efficiency goes up,” Hill explained. “So when we're saying that we want to remove barriers, it's so that we can get equal representation across the board in order to propel the whole industry up.”

1/ST Racing and FanDuel TV will be the presenting sponsors for the event with over a dozen other organizations also backing the summit. Hill said the support they have received from the industry through sponsorship has been overwhelming.

“I can't tell you how shocked I have been by the level of sponsorship that has come in and embraced this event,” she explained. “Most of our sponsors pretty much immediately said, 'Yes, no problem' and they have made a bigger leap than we anticipated. I think that put the wind in our sails when we first started this so that we knew that we were headed in the right direction and that this is absolutely needed.”

Shona Rotondo, the Head of Marketing at MyRacehorse, serves as the unofficial East Coast representative of the HRWS committee. She said their team does not shy from the fact that they must receive support from organizations outside of California in order to properly represent women in racing from all across the country.

“This is not just a West Coast Thing,” she said. “We understand that the travel and investment in getting people from the East Coast to the West Coast is a little tricky, but it's also an opportunity to challenge your company to invest in women.”

“I would not take the location as an excuse not to go out there or not to push your company to give the opportunity,” Rotondo continued. “I have said to a lot of businesses, including my own, to invest in your women, send leaders in your organization who are smart and capable and passionate, and let's all get together and come up with some really actionable ideas.”

To learn more about the Horse Racing Women's Summit and to purchase tickets, visit womeninracingsummit.com.

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Tickets can be purchased at www.WomeninRacingSummit.com. Sales will be limited in order to maximize the experience for all participants.

“Our planning committee is small but mighty and has been working intently to provide an impactful experience,” said Stephanie Hronis, HRWS chair. “We are awestruck by the outpouring of support and enthusiasm from generous sponsors, compelling speakers, and individuals ready to volunteer. The HRWS is designed for women (and men) from all facets of the industry and we look forward to engaging in a meaningful way in September and at follow up events in the future.”

Thursday kicks off with a keynote address from Susan Packard, author, speaker, former board member of Churchill Downs, Inc., and media entrepreneur. The day
will continue with three panels addressing current events and offering meaningful takeaways for attendees. Each panel will end with a Q&A session allowing for audience engagement.

Friday morning, which also is the opening day of Santa Anita's 2022 Autumn meeting, attendees are invited to a handicapping seminar with TVG's Christina Blacker and will also have the opportunity to attend the charitable Safety Net Foundation's Fashionable Fillies luncheon event in the Chandelier Room (discounted luncheon tickets available for HRWS attendees).

Additionally, HRWS attendees will have access to a reserved section of box seats for the opening weekend of racing at Santa Anita, featuring two Breeders' Cup Win and You're In races.

“I am immensely grateful to be included in the Inaugural Horse Racing Women's Summit taking place this September,” said Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President, Chief Racing Officer, Breeders' Cup Limited and HRWS panelist. “Being able to connect and share experiences among women of all facets of horse racing will not only empower those attending but will serve as a model going forward for fostering engagement, building networks and inspiring others to reach their goals.”

View the full schedule and purchase tickets at www.WomeninRacingSummit.com.

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The post ‘Racing Home’ To Launch On July 6 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The inaugural Horse Racing Women's Summit (HRWS) has been confirmed for Sept. 28-30 at Santa Anita Park. The multi-day event aims to bring together people from all facets of the horse racing industry with the mission of connecting and empowering women in horse racing. To that tune, Susan Packard, an entrepreneur and co-founder of popular TV channels like CNBC, HGTV and Food Network, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the event.

Originally a vision of Stephanie Hronis, the Committee Chair for the Horse Racing Women's Summit, the event started out as an idea to connect women in California, but when it quickly gathered national attention, the decision was made to expand the summit's reach. The HRWS planning committee now has bi-coastal representation and is being designed to embrace a national group of participants.

“On behalf of our Horse Racing Women's Summit planning team, we are excited to offer this summit and honored to have Susan Packard as our keynote speaker for this inaugural event,” Hronis said. “As an internationally recognized business power player and author, Packard embodies all that is being offered to our HRWS participants. We look forward to having her inspire attendees to be trailblazers, build networks, meet new friends, foster deep discussions, and ultimately Engage, Innovate, and Invest. If you are currently or interested in becoming a racehorse owner, bloodstock agent, executive, young professional or a veteran of the sport, this event is for you.”

Packard is no stranger to horse racing as she served from 2004 – 2010 on the Board of Directors of Churchill Downs Incorporated, where she made significant contributions in guiding their television strategy to expand and enhance its performance and attract a more female audience. She has also been on the ground floor of building major media brands like HBO, CNBC, and HGTV. She was the co-founder of Scripps Networks Interactive and former chief operating officer of HGTV. Under Packard's guidance, HGTV became one of the fastest-growing cable networks in television history.

In addition to the keynote, the HRWS will include opportunities for participants to network, learn and enjoy. Speakers, topics and related opportunities will be released as they are confirmed. To sign up for announcements regarding future details, visit www.womeninracingsummit.com.

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Women in Racing Chair, Tallulah Lewis, said, “Women in Racing are incredible proud to be launching the Racing Home Project with three key initiatives which aim to have immediate impact on the lives of all working parents. The work we have been undertaking has identified some serious challenges faced by mothers and parents working in the horseracing industry and two years of research and webinars have led to Women in Racing in tandem with Simply Racing and the industry stakeholders developing meaningful solutions that will positively impact the working lives of many, enhancing, wellbeing, resilience and quality of life.”

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Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance supporters Shannon Arvin, Keeneland Association president & chief executive officer, and Dora Delgado, Breeders' Cup World Championships executive vice president & chief racing officer, are among the panelists for the symposium.

Fans can purchase tickets in the brand-new Homestretch Club at Churchill Downs in support of Thoroughbred aftercare or online here. Tickets are $110 and all-inclusive of food, beverage, and alcoholic beverages. $10 of each of these tickets will be donated to Thoroughbred aftercare organizations, including the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

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– The Jockey Club Scholarship ($15,000; $7,500 per semester) is for students in academic pursuit of majors for future employment in the equine industry. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.

– The Jockey Club Advancement of Women in Racing Scholarship ($20,000; $10,000 per semester) is open to women pursuing a career in the equine industry who are enrolled full time as an undergraduate or graduate student at a college or university. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.

– The Jockey Club Vision Scholarship ($20,000; $10,000 per semester) is open to students from a minority racial or ethnic group who are pursuing a career in the equine industry. Applicants must be enrolled full time as an undergraduate or graduate student at a college or university. Open to any equine breed or discipline; preference will be given to candidates with the expressed desire to secure employment in the Thoroughbred industry.

– The Jockey Club Benevolence Scholarship ($15,000; $7,500 per semester) is a need-based award to enable a student to attend a full-time program at a college, university, or trade program. Preference will be given to backstretch and horse farm employees and their family members. Applicants are not required to be pursuing a career in the equine or Thoroughbred industries.

– The Jockey Club Jack Goodman Scholarship ($6,000; $3,000 per semester) is open to students enrolled in the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP). Goodman was a resident of Tucson, a longtime member of The Jockey Club, and one of three founders of the RTIP.

Applications for all five scholarships are open now through Feb. 1, 2022. More information and links to applications for the scholarships can be found here: jockeyclub.com/Default.asp?section=Initiatives&area=15.

The recipients of each scholarship will be announced in the spring of 2022 in advance of the initial distribution of funds for the fall 2022 semester.

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