The Jockey Club and the OSAF, which promotes Thoroughbred breeding and racing in nine Latin and South American countries, announced Oct. 7 that The Jockey Club will host a Pan American Conference in the New York metropolitan area June 3-6, 2015.
The announcement was made at the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities in Paris by Jockey Club president James Gagliano and OSAF president Marcel Zarour.
The conference, coinciding with the 2015 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), will be held on a biannual basis in the future. The organization and agenda for this conference will fall under the direction of Horacio Esposito, the president of the Latin American Racing Channel.
Among the prospective topics are simulcasting, medication, harmonization of rules, international ratings and classifications, marketing, stud book issues, the importing and exporting of bloodstock, and Thoroughbred ownership.
"The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities was built and thrives on communication and collaboration among racing nations, and we are very pleased to see the Pan American countries come together to share opportunities, challenges, and best practices that will enhance Thoroughbred breeding and racing," said IFHA chairman Louis Romanet. "We eagerly look forward to the Pan American Conference in New York in 2015."
"Thoroughbreds from South American countries continue to compete successfully throughout the world, and this conference will be educational not only for our various constituents but also for those from breeding and racing organizations from other parts of the world," said Zarour.
"The Jockey Club has been an active member of the international community on many fronts for many years, and we are proud to help organize and co-host this important event," said Gagliano. "And just as the annual IFHA international conference features a world class race with the Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), the Pan Am Conference will conclude with the Belmont Stakes, the oldest race in the Triple Crown series."
OSAF is the South American Association for the promotion of Thoroughbred Race Horse Breeding in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
