Kentucky

What do an award-winning chef, a rising young country music star and a reigning champion trainer have in common? All three are featured in the Common Wealth of Kentucky Project, an exhibit going on now through Oct. 1 at LexArts Gallery in Lexington, Kentucky. Along with chef Ouita Michel and singer Walker Montgomery, trainer Brad Cox is one of 70 Kentuckians who shared their life story for the collection, which is the culmination of a year-long project for impressionist painter Kelly Brewer and partner Beth Pride, a writer and digital...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. With the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) having gone into effect on July 1, the TDN will also post a roundup of the relevant HISA-related rulings from the same week. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 09/16/2022 Licensee: Victor Espinoza, jockey Penalty: $500 fine Violation: Excessive use of...

This weekend the baton will be handed off from our traditional summer focal points of Del Mar and Saratoga to Franklin Kentucky and the Kentucky Downs meet. Full fields, big crowds, and a vibrant atmosphere made possible by Historic Horse Racing (HHR) machines, and an ownership group willing to invest in its potential. Kentucky Downs embodies great hope for Kentucky racing and our industry's future, and it was almost taken away Feb. 10, 2021. It was a cold, nasty February evening in Kentucky, when the Kentucky House of Representatives took...

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...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where. California Track: Los Alamitos Date: 06/24/2022 Licensee: Peter Miller, owner Penalty: $5,000 fine Violation: Disorderly conduct Explainer: Pursuant to a Stipulated Agreement and Mutual Release with the California Horse Racing Board, Owner Peter Miller is fined $5,000.00 for violation of California Horse...

In this new TDN column, Christie DeBernardis will tell the stories of popular and/or accomplished former racehorses who are now enjoying second careers as show horses, track ponies, etc. The first two foals out of the mighty Zenyatta, Cozmic One (Bernardini) and Ziconic (Tapit), never reached the winner's circle during their brief careers on the racetrack, but they are both thriving in their second careers as jumpers and ambassadors for off-track Thoroughbreds. The elder brother, Cozmic One's second career has been well documented in these pages (Cozmic One: Shining New...

Marc Guilfoil, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horseracing Commission, has joined the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) as Director of State Racing Commission Relations. In the role, Guilfoil will direct outreach to and collaboration with state racing commissions on the implementation of HISA's Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control Programs. Tom DiPasquale, a HISA consultant, has been performing in the role on an interim basis and will continue to do so until July 15 to facilitate a smooth transition. "Marc is a respected leader in the racing industry...

Adena Springs Farm in central Kentucky, comprised of 2,300 acres, 20 barns and over 250 stalls, has been listed at $55 million. Previously owned by Frank Stronach, the land was home to stallions such as Ghostzapper and Awesome Again for years. Icon Global and Justice Real Estate are handling the sale.

Midway University, through an article in the Lane Report, has announced that the Board of Trustees has approved an additional new degree program within the School of Business, Equine, and Sports Studies: a fully remote, and set to begin immediately, Bachelor of Science in Equine Business and Sales. Course work in the program will cover broad topics including equine anatomy and equine healthcare management, as well as courses focused on the marketing, legal, and financial aspects of buying and selling horses, regardless of breed. Students will also cover concepts focused...

House Bill 606, which would legalize sports betting in Kentucky, passed by a margin of 58 to 30 Friday in the Kentucky House and will now be sent to the Senate. The bill will also legalize fantasy sports and on-line poker. The revenue will be used to support the state pension fund. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger), a longtime supporter of sports betting in the Blue Grass State. Koening estimates that sports betting will generate at least $22.5 million in new state tax revenue each year....

Kentucky House Bill 607, which contains a provision to greatly benefit horseplayers by effectively eliminating breakage, was overwhelmingly approved Wednesday morning by a Kentucky House of Representatives committee. HB 607 also standardizes the tax rate on all pari-mutuel wagers placed in Kentucky and also makes claiming races eligible for Kentucky-bred purse subsidies. The bill must still be approved by the full House before being sent to the Senate. Representative Adam Koenig, whose district in Northern Kentucky is near Turfway Park, is a primary sponsor of the bill, which also has...

LEXINGTON, KY--The majority of the trophies that were stolen just over a month ago from trainer Wesley Ward's home in Versailles, Kentucky have been recovered. According to the Versailles Police Department's Assistant Chief Rob Young, one individual was charged with receiving stolen property and is now in custody. On the morning of Feb. 8, 2022, a thief walked off with 14 trophies, including many that Ward received from the Royal Ascot meet, but they did not take any other valuables from the home such as electronics and several other trophies...