Hettel Named Judge for Gulfstream Park Meet

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Bernie Hettel, a former executive director of and chief steward for the Kentucky Racing Commission, will serve as a judge during the upcoming Gulfstream Park meet.

Hettel, a 56-year-old Louisville, Ky., native and graduate of the University of Lousiville, became a Kentucky steward at the age of 29. His first colleagues were Jack Goode and Keene Daingerfield, widely regarded as two of the finest stewards in the history of the sport.

"Integrity at Gulfstream Park has been a constant, and Bernie Hettel's reputation is impeccable," said Bill Murphy, vice president and general manager of racing at Gulfstream.

Hettel said he has been on hand at Churchill Downs for every Kentucky Derby (gr. I) since 1964.

Hettel has a national reputation as a racing authority. After leaving the stewards' stand a few years ago, he spent seven months as a consultant for Magna Entertainment Corp., owner of Gulfstream, and remained busy running his own consultancy.

"About 90% of my business is referral," he said. "Keene Daingerfield and Jack Goode taught me the necessity of learning administration regulations and applicable statutes and applying them with fairness and common sense."

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