Todd Gralla, principal at Populous, will be the keynote speaker at the 72nd annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, which will be held Aug. 1 at the Excelsior Springs Event Center in Saratoga Springs. Populous is a global design firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, from stadiums and arenas to event spaces and urban environments. Gralla will discuss cutting-edge racetrack projects around the globe and he will provide a look into the redesign of Belmont Park, which attempts to integrate modern technology into racetrack operations, while retaining the traditions of Thoroughbred racing.
Joe Asher, the chair of the board of the Wilson Center and the former CEO of William Hill US and president of IGT's PlaySports business, will present on the intersection of horse racing and sports betting, and Meghan Rodgers, senior vice president of Public Affairs, National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), will give an overview of the NTRA's Safety Runs First campaign.
Gary Fenton, managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing, and a member of The Jockey Club, will cover the present and future of California racing, and Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer, 1/ST Racing, will share how California has improved the safety of its athletes, including the use of cutting-edge technology at the track.
The presentations will begin with an update on The Jockey Club and its companies by president and COO, James L. Gagliano.
Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club, will preside over the conference, which begins at 10 a.m. ET. It will be livestreamed on The Jockey Club's website at jockeyclub.com. The website will also post a full agenda and bios of speakers in advance of the conference.
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