KEEP

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation is celebrating the fifth anniversary of its specialty Seattle Slew license plate. Since its release on May 1, 2017, the number of Kentuckians who have chosen to use the plate has continued to increase annually. From each purchase and renewal of the plate, $10 is donated to the KEEP Foundation to be used for educational initiatives related to the state's horse industry. To date, funding from the license plate has totaled nearly $140,000. The KEEP Foundation's Seattle Slew specialty license plate would not...

The Commonwealth Racing Challenge kicks off Friday, Apr. 8 with the opening of the Keeneland spring race meet. The new initiative is designed to encourage Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) members to visit all of Kentucky's racetracks during the 2022 Kentucky horse racing circuit. KEEP members who successfully scan a unique QR code and tag KEEP in a social media post at each of the six participating Kentucky racetracks during their 2022 racing meets will be entered to win four VIP tickets the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland Nov....

Amplify Horse Racing and MyRacehorse are launching "Amplify Junior, Sponsored by MyRacehorse"--a partnership that will deliver a children's educational tour series to Kentucky. The new initiative will teach young children and their parents and guardians about the Thoroughbred horse racing industry. The new junior program for children 12 and under will feature monthly educational tours from April through October at iconic locations in Kentucky, including Keeneland Race Course, Fasig-Tipton Sales Company, and Taylor Made Farm. Each of the seven destinations will include a tour of the facility and hands-on engaging...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation has announced the hiring of Alexandra Harper as its new executive director. "I'm excited about taking the reins as Executive Director," Harper said. "I look forward to taking the KEEP Foundation to the next level through enhanced fundraising efforts and educational events, continued workforce development initiative, and expanding the efforts toward making the industry more accessible. I've spent my entire professional and personal life in this industry and I can't wait to see what we can accomplish as we work together toward the...

A special legislative committee charged with studying the taxes and rates paid by Kentucky racetracks, including the tax rates on profits from Historical Horse Racing (HHR) machines, seems set on recommending the status quo rather than a tax increase. That's good news for the state's racing and breeding industries, which have flourished since HHR machines were introduced in the state some ten years ago. The Pari-Mutuel Wagering Taxation Task Force met Monday and the meeting turned into something of a cheerleading session for the sport, its economic impact and the...

The Equine Workforce Development Initiative, a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation Workforce Center, has launched a Thoroughbred industry workforce data collection effort for the state of Kentucky to better identify employer needs and fill staff shortages. The goal of the initiative is to understand the needs of employers andy use that information to better inform educational and community partners who can assist with filling gaps in the equine industry's workforce. In a 2019 study conducted by the Thoroughbred Farm...

A Pari-Mutuel Wagering Taxation Task Force has been established in the Kentucky General Assembly to "study the taxes and rates related to horse racing, the impact that changing the rates would have, and the funds relating to the horse industry which receive historical horse racing tax receipts [and] determine if any changes should be made." The task force will be co-chaired by Kentucky State Senator Damon Thayer and House of Representatives member Adam Koenig. The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) issued a statement in support of the action Tuesday: "The...

Edited Press Release Officials at the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), Kentucky's equine economic advocate, have announced the new leadership of KEEP's Board of Directors. The Board of Directors unanimously approved the promotion of Case Clay to become the Board's Chairman, while Kentucky horseman David Ingordo was unanimously approved to become the Board's Vice Chairman. Clay and Ingordo replace Doug Cauthen and Ken Jackson, respectively, who will both continue serving on the KEEP Board. Additionally, Courtney Schneider was added to the Board of Directors. Clay is the Chief Commercial Officer...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), Kentucky's equine economic advocate, released the following statement Thursday evening regarding the U.S. House of Representatives passage of H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021: "KEEP commends the U.S. House of Representatives for its the passage of H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021, which addresses the labor crisis facing many agriculture operations across the country by reforming the H-2A visa process, providing a path to legal status for farm workers, and implementing a nationwide E-Verify system. "While this bipartisan...

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed a bill on Historical Horse Racing (Senate Bill 120) Monday, which would assure that betting on historical machines is legal. The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), Kentucky's equine economic advocate, released the following statement in response: "We thank Governor Beshear for signing Senate Bill 120 into law, which ensures the future of our equine industry while protecting thousands of local jobs. Kentuckians and the legislators who represent them have made clear that they support historical horse racing and the many benefits it brings to our...

Kentucky State Senator John Schickel and Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers introduced Senate Bill 120 into the Kentucky State legislature late Tuesday with the goal of keeping historical horse racing in Kentucky and ensuring the future of Kentucky's signature equine industry. "KEEP applauds Senator Schickel and Senate President Stivers for Introducing Senate Bill 120, Legislation to Keep Historical Horse Racing in Kentucky," read a KEEP press release issued late yesterday. "In response to the Supreme Court's ruling on historical horse racing, the legislation will define pari-mutuel wagering to be consistent...

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) Foundation, in conjunction with the Race for Education, announced scholarships totaling $20,000 for students pursuing equine studies, animal science, or a related agricultural field within the state of Kentucky. The scholarships will be broken into 10 separate $2,000 increments and awarded to students from any state who will study in Kentucky, as well as to individuals with family working in Kentucky's equine, animal science, or agricultural industries. "Young people are the lifeblood of our industry," said KEEP's Elisabeth Jensen. "I am continually excited to...