At the first Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing since the April death of Ogden “Dinny” Phipps, the legacy of the the long-time chairman of The Jockey Club was invoked in chairman Stuart Janney’s opening remarks. “[Dinny] wanted [The Jockey Club] to help the industry more than it had in the past,…
The racing world was well represented April 12 for the funeral of Ogden Mills “Dinny” Phipps, held at St. James’ Church on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Phipps died of pancreatic cancer April 6. Nearly filling the church, which accommodates 1,200 people, Phipps’ friends and family celebrated his life and mourned his death in an Episcopal…
At a meeting of the NYRA board of directors on Wednesday, August 12, board chair Michael Del Giudice announced that the last vacancy on the board had been filled by Chris Mara, the senior vice president of the New York Giants and a Thoroughbred owner. Over the last year, three board members have resigned, including…
On Sunday afternoon at the Gideon Putnam, The Jockey Club held its 63rd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing. The event was presided over by Stuart Janney, newly elected as chair of the organization following the resignation of Ogden Mills Phipps, who had served as chair since 1983. The man at the…
If you follow me on Twitter, you’re going to get – in addition to tweets about New York City, politics, feminism, and the New York Rangers – lots of tweets about cats. And cat rescue. And the treatment of animals in factory farms. And cruelty-free products of various sorts. You’re also going to get a…
At the New York offices of The Jockey Club in the heart of midtown Manhattan, president and CEO James Gagliano hails, as one would expect, from the corner office. Not as commodious or luxuriously appointed as those of other Manhattan high-flyers, the modest space nonetheless occupies a highly coveted bit of New York City real…
Advocates for change in horse racing didn’t find much reason for optimism in the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s legislative update held in Saratoga Springs Aug. 7. The presentation from lobbyist Greg Means, founder and principal of The Alpine Group in Washington, D.C., reviewed current legislation or proposals that pertain to racing. Included were bills covering…
Next week in Lexington, Kentucky, The Jockey Club will hold its fifth Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit. Inaugurated in 2006 and held bi-annually, these summits are designed to improve the safety and soundness of Thoroughbred horses and bring together racetrack operators, trainers, veterinarians, and scientists. Among those presenting at the summit, which will…
The International Conference for the Health, Safety, and Welfare of Jockeys held at Monmouth Park last September lived up to its name, and featured presentations about racing in England, Ireland, France, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Germany, Uruguay, and the United States. The program highlighted one of the major differences between the U.S. and many international…
Last week, the Breeders’ Cup announced that for the first time since 2007, its headline race for fillies and mares will once again be called the Distaff, rightly consigning to the rubbish bin the Ladies’ Classic. It’s unfortunate that there will be five winners of the race who will forever be saddled with that name…
Brooklyn Backstretch 