Tom VanMeter

Keeneland will refuse to accept entries for sales or racing from Tom VanMeter following his racist comments on social media earlier this week. Keeneland released the following statement Wednesday morning: "Effective immediately, Tom VanMeter will be excluded from the Keeneland premises, including participation by VanMeter and VanMeter-Gentry Sales in sales and racing activities, while Keeneland further reviews the circumstances related to the recent reprehensible comments VanMeter made on social media. "Keeneland takes its role in advancing inclusion and diversity seriously. But we know that we as a company, an industry...

Like everyone else, Gabby Gaudet is looking forward to Keeneland's special summer meet, which kicks off Wednesday. With 10 graded stakes races packed into a five-day schedule, she knows the meet will be special, but also different. Keeneland has never run in the summer before, and, for this meet, no spectators will be allowed to attend. As one of the hosts of the track's simulcast feed, Gaudet's job will be to deliver the "Keeneland experience" to people's living rooms. "I know people will miss Keeneland and miss being on track,"...

'Condemning' Tom Van Meter's mind-numbingly horrible racist comments is next to worthless, an example of empty industry PR. The only worthwhile response from anyone in the thoroughbred industry is an outright refusal to conduct any business with him, period. As owner Robert Masiello stated "If you buy a horse from Tom VanMeter in September, you are part of the problem. End of story,". The same goes for sales companies, racetracks, farms, owners, vets, jockeys, agents, etc. If you work with this man in any fashion, you share in his guilt...

One day after his racist comments on social media were made public, Tom VanMeter sent the Thoroughbred Daily News a statement which he asked be published in the Tuesday night edition. "Over the weekend, comments I made on a private page of a social media platform surfaced which have since come under scrutiny due to their racist nature. I will not attempt to deny that I wrote the comments, nor will I attempt to justify my actions. Certainly, I am frustrated with the current social situation in our country, however,...

Dozens of angry industry members took to social media Monday morning after a racially charged social media post by a prominent Thoroughbred consignor surfaced on Twitter. By the end of the day, The Jockey Club, Keeneland, Fasig-Tipton, the Stronach Group and the NTRA had issued statements denouncing the posts. Tom VanMeter, who owns and operates VanMeter Sales, a leading consignor based in Lexington, Kentucky, posted two comments in response to a question posted on Facebook by farm manager Donnie Snellings, asking people to repost his post if they planned to...