Bret Jones is the vice president at Airdrie Stud located in Midway, KY, a 2,500-acre breeding operation founded in 1972 by his parents, Governor Brereton Jones and his wife, Elizabeth. He is a graduate of the University of the South (Suwanee) and has formally been a member of the team at Airdrie since 2006. He also serves on the Board of the Breeders' Cup, a position he's held since 2011, and was a commissioner on the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2016-2020. He currently serves on the board of trustees of the Markey Cancer Foundation. He and his wife, Tyler, live in Lexington with their three sons.
Most exciting race you watched this year that wasn't Flightline?
Zandon's win in the Blue Grass. Very special for the farm to have bred the winner of the biggest race at our hometown track and it was an awful lot of fun to start dreaming about Dad breeding a Kentucky Derby winner. We'll keep trying, Pop!
One positive change you'd like to see in racing in 2023?
Extends far beyond racing, but for those of influence to choose the greater good over individual interests.
If you could bring back one stallion from the past and stand him at Airdrie, who would it be?
Indian Charlie because I miss him and we'd be a lot smarter about keeping even more of his daughters. Northern Dancer would be fun to have in the barn as well.
Who's the best executive in racing right now—breeding or racing?|
Gatewood Bell- I think he's doing a fantastic job at Keeneland and he's the only exec that will let me kiss his sister.
If you could have dinner with one historical figure, who would it be?
Michael Jordan because there's still time to sell him a horse.
Best advice you've ever gotten?
Believe you can and you can.
What does racing look like in 10 years?
I think we all recognize the crossroads in which we stand as an industry right now. I think there is a very real scenario where ten years from now finds horse racing standing on the firmest ground it has in a very long time. There's a wonderful coolness to our sport that is evidenced by the increasingly bucket list nature of our big events and is obvious to anyone who has hosted a newcomer to the races and witnessed how much they enjoy their day. The great proliferation of syndicates and partnerships in U.S. racing gives us a tremendous opportunity to not only make owners of those that may have formerly stood outside the periphery of racing, but to turn those owners into influential ambassadors for the sport. Equally as important, there is a new generation of gamblers that have unprecedented access to online gambling and will have an equally unprecedented desire for gambling opportunities in the years to come. Horse racing, if positioned correctly, could benefit tremendously from these opportunities. Of course, if we fail to evolve technologically, become wholly reliant on subsidies from alternative gaming to build our purse structure and continue this nonsensical infighting instead of working together every second of every day to make sure our horses are treated with the compassion they all deserve, the years in front of us will not be kind.
Do we need more tracks or fewer tracks?
We need more tracks that are run with the industry's best interests at heart. I recognize that this is idealistic, but I also recognize it's been successfully done before.
Favorite horse of all time (and why)?
I'm usually a homer, so I'll go outside Airdrie with Rachel Alexandra. Just such an incredible combination of brilliance and toughness. There's a 10-minute YouTube of all her races that I watch with my kids. They usually have to tell me to stop crying afterwards.
Best race you've ever seen?
And back to being a homer: The 2008 Alabama Stakes. The stretch run between our filly Proud Spell and a great filly Music Note. The Tom Durkin call and the memories of that day with our family are very special to me.
Hardest working person you've ever known?
Real easy one. Brereton Jones.
All I want for Christmas is…
A healthy baby girl. My wife Tyler and I are expecting our fourth child in 2023. I'll be listed in the Form as a gelding after this one.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
