Greg Harbut

Trainer Murray Rojas spent nearly a decade fighting equine drug misbranding charges stemming from a years-long federal investigation of horsemen and veterinarians at Penn National Race Course. While other similarly indicted co-defendants opted for plea-bargain deals, Rojas maintained her innocence even through an ordeal that she said "wrecked" her career. In 2021 she took her case all the way to the United States Supreme Court, where her perseverance resulted in the overturning of a 27-month prison sentence and the vacating of all charges against her. Rojas has since regained her...

The Jockey Club has become an Ed Brown Partner and under its partnership with the Ed Brown Society, will be working collaboratively to provide exposures and experiential growth opportunities to Ed Brown scholars and fellows across the various companies and initiatives it operates. "We are excited to embark upon this critical work with The Jockey Club. Because The Jockey Club's operations touch virtually every aspect of our industry, this partnership opens up many more professional opportunities for our scholars and fellows to explore. So, we salute The Jockey Club for...

The New York Racing Association will partner with the Ed Brown Society to fund the non-profit's expansion into New York State and create opportunities for young people of color to establish careers in Thoroughbred racing. Founded by Living The Dream Racing & Stables, a group of racing syndicates managed by Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, the Ed Brown Society celebrates the rich history of African-Americans in the equine industry by identifying and supporting college students of color who have demonstrated the skills necessary to become successful professionals in a variety...

The second round of 1/ST interns placed through the Ed Brown Scholars-Fellows program will be Zaharia Selman and Shaska Davis. The two will spend the next 10 weeks at Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, and Pimlico Race Course. Ed Brown Fellow Selman graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Georgia last year with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. Ed Brown Scholar Davis will graduate this summer from Kentucky State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications. "We are very excited to embark upon...

Edited Press Release The Ed Brown Society announced six new Ed Brown Scholars on Tuesday evening at the Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center during opening night of an art exhibit celebrating African American equestrians. The event was co-sponsored by the Ed Brown Society, Breeders' Cup Festival Week and Commerce Lexington. Jaida Alee, a sophomore at the University of Kentucky majoring in Equine Science and Management; Chanler Robinson, a junior at Ohio State University majoring in Animal Science; Sophia Vega, a freshman at the University of Kentucky majoring in Animal...

Keeneland is making a $50,000 contribution to the Ed Brown Society to become an official Ed Brown Partner. This multifaceted partnership will further opportunities for young people of color to gain exposure, experience and professional job placements in the Thoroughbred industry. As a cornerstone of the partnership, Ed Brown Society (EBS) will identify, recruit and place qualified minority students for paid professional internships within the Keeneland team. Upon the completion of their internships, EBS will provide ongoing direction to these interns as they progress toward permanent professional placements in the...

Edited Press Release The Lexington Black Prosperity Initiative (LBPI) and the Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF) have announced an award of $50,000 to further the mission of the Ed Brown Society. The award consists of pooled funding from LBPI, BGCF and the Walton Family Foundation, through the Better Together Grants program. The Ed Brown Society (EBS) will use these funds to provide scholarships and professional development opportunities to students of color pursuing professional careers within the equine industry. EBS Chairman Greg Harbut said, "We're excited about what this award will...

The Week In Review, by T.D. Thornton Does Kentucky need to do something to stop the outflux of horses leaving the state after being claimed? And will any attempt at corrective action by rewriting regulations result in unintended consequences that could create their own problems? Those questions were up for debate last week when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC)'s rule committee met to kick around ideas that could surface in a near-future proposal. Commissioner Frank Jones, Jr., the rules committee chair, said that last year 779 Thoroughbreds were claimed...

Churchill Downs has become an Ed Brown Partner, the organization announced during a press conference with Governor Andy Beshear in attendance Wednesday morning. The Ed Brown Partnership of $50,000 is the highest level of participation in support of the work of the society, which is named in honor of Edward Dudley Brown, who was born into enslavement in Lexington, and went on to become one of the most accomplished horsemen in the history of Thoroughbred racing. The society is dedicated to increasing  minority participation in the industry. Wednesday's press conference...

1/ST and the Ed Brown Society have teamed up to offer a paid internship program for African American students. Founded by Living the Dream Racing & Stables and led by Greg Harbut and Ray Daniels, the Ed Brown Society celebrates the rich history of African Americans in the equine industry and creates opportunities for young people of color to gain industry exposure, training and experience through internships and scholarships. The multi-year commitment of $150,000 made by 1/ST will cover all costs associated with the paid internship program which will enable...

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program (EIP), in conjunction with Horse Racing Nation, released its free Fall 2021 speaker series, which will be held in person this year on the UofL campus. The series includes panel discussions on the "Super Card" trend in racing and growing racing through diversity and inclusion. The final event in the series will be an interview with Houston business owner, philanthropist and horse owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. The events will be held from 5:30-6:45p.m., and will be broadcast live on the Horse Racing...

The Racing Biz, LLC, a media company focused on Thoroughbred racing and breeding in the mid-Atlantic region, has partnered with freelance journalist Teresa Genaro and National Thoroughbred Racing Association Director of Communications Alicia Hughes to launch a series of digital panel discussions designed to tackle issues of diversity and inclusion within the Thoroughbred industry. The series, titled "Truth to Power," will bring together various participants within the racing realm to share their perspectives on racial, gender, and social inequality and how it impacts the sport as a whole. In addition...