Stuart S. Janney, III, will step down from his position as chair of The Jockey Club, effective August 2025, the organization announced Tuesday morning. On Janney's recommendation, the board of stewards has chosen Everett Dobson to be his successor. The leadership transition will commence over the coming months, and Janney will remain on the board of stewards through his term, which will end in August 2026.
Janney, a prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder for several decades, was elected vice chair of The Jockey Club in 2010 and became chair in 2015. During his tenure, The Jockey Club expanded its commercial businesses and used those proceeds to make substantial investments in support of the sport. Janney was awarded the Eclipse Award of Merit earlier this year. He is chairman emeritus of Bessemer Trust.
“I consider it a privilege to be associated with the accomplishments The Jockey Club has achieved over the past several years, including our many initiatives to sustain and grow the sport, and of course the passage of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act,” Janney said. “These accomplishments, and so many more, are because everyone at The Jockey Club puts the horse first, and I'm proud to be a member and to have served as chair.”
A longtime Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Dobson is the owner of Candy Meadows Farm, a broodmare farm located in Lexington and he races under Cheyenne Stables. He is on his second term as a steward of The Jockey Club. He serves on the executive committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and is immediate past chairman of the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Dobson serves as a member of the Breeders' Cup, in addition to being a trustee of the Keeneland Association. A native and resident of Oklahoma, Dobson is the executive chairman of Dobson Fiber, a telecommunications company based in Oklahoma City. He is also an investor in the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team and serves on its board of directors.
“I am honored to follow Stuart as chair of The Jockey Club,” Dobson said. “I will continue to ensure that The Jockey Club remains true to its mission of being dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing.”
The other stewards of The Jockey Club are Barbara Banke, Louis A. Cella, William S. Farish Jr. (vice chair), Gary Fenton, Terry Finley, Ian D. Highet (treasurer), William M. Lear (secretary), David O'Farrell, R. Alex Rankin, and Vincent Viola.
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