BloodHorse.com | Horse Racing News

A Friend Lost - By Eric Mitchell

Jim Hurst's connections with the industry were genuine and strong

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It Pays to Advertise - By Jim Benton

Just study what advertising has done for basketball, football, baseball, and, yes, professional wrestling

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Distribution Plan Has Potential, Some Bumps

A transition of simulcast signals to the DISH Network offers long-term positives for the horse racing industry -- including the possibility of new revenue -- but in the short term, the road has been a bit bumpy.

Special Section: Boarding (November 2010)

Care, Safety Key in Selecting Right Boarding Outfit

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Jockeys Pass on Preakness Advertising

The Jockeys' Guild will not pursue sponsorship opportunities for riders participating in the 2010 Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Guild national manager Terry Meyocks confirmed May 13.

Jockey Derby Advertising Again at Issue

The annual controversy over advertising on jockeys' pants at the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) resurfaced May 11 during two meetings of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

NYRA Nixes Hooters Deal

Kent Desormeaux will not wear the Hooters patch on his pants when he rides Big Brown postward in the June 7 Belmont Stakes (gr. I). The New York Racing Association refused to approve the endorsement deal June 6, citing a "conflict of interest" between Belmont Park sponsors, which include UPS and NetJets.

A Satisfying Ride

Mike Eckman says there will always be a place in his heart for horse racing.

Rose Sues KHRA Over Advertising

An attorney for jockey Jeremy Rose is petitioning a judge in Kentucky to strike down an amended regulation, enacted prior to the 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I), that control whether riders can wear advertising on their pants. Rose and Kent Desormeaux were both penalized by the state's racing authority for wearing advertising during the 2005 Derby.

Suffolk Downs Launches Local Marketing Campaign

Suffolk Downs has launched a comprehensive advertising campaign, including television and radio featuring local and national celebrities, as part of a significantly increased effort to market the Thoroughbred racetrack in Boston.

New NTRA Ads: 'Who Do You Like Today?'

The latest National Thoroughbred Racing Association advertising campaign will draw upon the basics that make up a fun outing at the racetrack--picking horses and socializing--in an attempt to invite newcomers to the sport.

NTRA Scores Radio Award at Cannes

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's co-op radio advertising campaign won a Gold Lion Award at this past week's 52nd International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France. The award is one of the highest honors handed out at the international awards competition.

Valenzuela's Offshore Ad Deal Finished

Just one day after jockey Patrick Valenzuela announced he had sold a two-month advertising deal to the offshore gambling Web site Betcris.com for $15,000, Santa Anita Park stewards informed the rider he'd be unable to wear the ads on his pants and his collar. Valenzuela, meanwhile, has terminated the deal.

Marketing Guru: Racing Not Keeping Up With the Joneses

Horse racing might be better served by shifting its focus from advertising to public relations to better develop a product consumers will want, a marketing strategy specialist said during the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Annual Meeting and Marketing Summit in Las Vegas.

TOBA Forms Committee to Study Jockey Ads

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association has formed a committee that will study the use of jockey advertising in live races and try and come up with a plan "that benefits the entire sport."

Hearing Set on Whether to Allow Jockey Ads in Derby

A federal judge is expected to rule this week on whether jockeys competing in this year's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) would be allowed to wear corporate advertising on their pants.

Report: MJC to Promote Industry Through TV Ads

The Maryland Jockey Club March 12 will begin broadcasting television advertisements designed to promote horse racing and the importance of racing and breeding to the Maryland economy.

King Lou

By Harry Miller -- For more than 22 years, the first ad in the Classified Advertising section each and every week was always for Lou Salerno's Questroyal Farm. Lou has now decided to devote all his energies to another of his passions, fine art. He has passed the torch to Chris Bernhard, who calls his farm Hidden Lake.

NTRA Radio Campaign Recognized by Team Marketing Report

The NTRA's 2002 radio spots won the Ad It Up Award in a national competition.

NTRA's 2003 Co-op Advertising Directed at 'Casual Fans'

The 2003 co-op advertising campaign from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association targets horseracing's nearly 30 million casual fans -- who attend the races only occasionally -- and is the product of intensive consumer research as well as feedback from racing industry marketing executives.

NTRA 2002 Ad Campaign to Debut in April

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's 2002 advertising campaign will be visible in some markets the weekend of April 6, and in full gear by the time the Kentucky Derby rolls around May 4.

Godolphin and Emirates Airlines Strike Sponsorship Deal

Godolphin silks will soon sport the a "Fly Emirates" logo as part of a multi-million dollar sponsorship agreement.

CHRB to Regulate Jockey Advertising

The California Horse Racing Board and racetrack stewards are developing procedures for a regulation that received final state approval this week permitting advertising on jockey attire, owner silks, and track saddlecloths during a race.

Sex Sells, But Ad Campaign Was a Quickie

A British Columbia Standardbred track piqued the community's interest with radio advertisements that parodied phone sex, but the campaign won't be back next season. That's not to say the campaign wasn't successful, though.

Racing Part of Visa's Super Bowl Ads

Thoroughbred racing will make a rare Super Bowl appearance Feb. 3 during FOX's telecast of football's championship game.

Calif. Company Packages Jockeys to Attract Advertisers

A former NFL player turned sports marketing agent is hoping to make jockey advertising in California lucrative through collective bargaining.

CHRB Approves Guidelines For Ads on Jockeys' Attire

Advertising on jockey attire, owners' silks and track saddle cloths is now legal at California tracks. Although some concerns were raised regarding conflicts that advertising could cause, the California Horse Racing Board gave the change in race regulations unanimous approval Friday, Nov. 30.

California to Permit Jockey Advertising

The California Horse Racing Board gave initial approval Thursday to advertising on jockey attire, owners' silks, and racetrack saddle cloths. The program would be evaluated after one year.

Star Search

By John W. Russell -- Question: What sport advertises its product by focusing on frantic fans rather than prominent players? You've got it: Thoroughbred racing.

NTRA to Shift Advertising Strategy

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association will shift its advertising strategy this summer to target sports fans who wager on horse racing about twice a year. To that end, it will rely heavily on ads that will appear on ESPN network channels. In addition, the Breeders' Cup championship will be "repositioned" to give it greater public awareness, NTRA commissioner Tim Smith said.

Sink or Swim

By Ray Paulick -- In its first three years, the NTRA has proven it can put out fires -- and there have been many. It's what happens next that is really important, because putting out fires was not what the NTRA's commissioner, Tim Smith, was hired to do. If Smith and his top aides no longer are required to spend most of their time and energy keeping the organization intact, we finally will be able to gauge how effective this national office for racing can be.

Perfect Match

What may help bring more sponsors to racing's championship event is the impending consolidation of the Breeders' Cup and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.