(from Gulfstream Park news release) At the age of 79, Frank Russo is enjoying his time in the sun. That doesn’t mean he’s content to just watch the time go by. Far from it. The Brooklyn native is in his 46th year training Thoroughbreds, a career that has touched parts of six decades dating back [...]
Jennie Rees (Photo courtesy Kentucky HBPA) Lucky 7 Stable’s Mike Mackin, horse owner/celebrity bettor Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale and Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer are among the guests as Kentucky Racing Spotlight presented by the Kentucky HBPA debuts Friday. The weekly radio program will air 6-7 p.m. ET Fridays through March [...]
A trio of thirty-something trainers has been elected as newcomers to the Kentucky HBPA board with the addition of Jason Barkley, Norm Casse and Bentley Combs. Rick Hiles was re-elected as Kentucky HBPA president, with Frank Jones re-elected as the owner vice president and Dale Romans as the trainer vice president. Also re-elected to the [...]
Photo by Jennie Rees D. Wayne Lukas — the most transformative horse trainer in the modern era — will be the keynote speaker at the National HBPA’s annual conference in March in Hot Springs, Ark. “When we seek out our keynote speaker, we look for inspiration and passion,” said Eric Hamelback, chief [...]
Expanding purse supplements for Kentucky-breds to include claiming races would shore up the state’s year-round horse-racing circuit, keeping horses and jobs in Kentucky, the leading horsemen’s association told a legislative committee Friday. Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (KHBPA), said that while Kentucky’s racing industry is thriving on many [...]
(from Illinois HBPA news release) The organization representing owners and trainers at FanDuel Sportsbook and Horse Racing (formerly known as Fairmount Park) is withholding consent for the TwinSpires betting platform to accept wagers from Illinois residents. The board of the Illinois Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents horsemen at the southern Illinois track 15 [...]
Photo courtesy Churchill Downs (from Churchill Downs news release) Miguel Mena, one of the winningest jockeys in Churchill Downs history and a two-time winner of the prestigious Stephen Foster Stakes, was killed in a pedestrian accident on westbound I-64 between Blakenbaker Parkway and Hurstbourne Lane in Louisville on Sunday night. He was 34, [...]
The interactive, electronic version of The Horsemen’s Journal’s Fall 2021 issue is now available online. It is an enhanced version of the printed magazine, which is currently being mailed. To view it, click here. Features in the issue include: One Lucky Filly Thanks to some caring horsemen, 2-year-old Bold and Bossy is safe after first running [...]
Photo by Coady Photography Another successful Colonial Downs race meet was highlighted by a dedication to Thoroughbred Aftercare. After the sixth race on the Virginia Derby card Aug. 31 at Colonial Downs, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accepted a check for $50,000 from Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Initiated [...]
The finalists for the 2021 Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards have been announced, including three finalists in six of the seven categories, as well as the winner and runner-up of the Thoroughbred Industry Community Award. This year’s Community Award winner is Nick Caras of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy, with Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association’s Diana Pinones [...]