About 1,000 members of Kentucky's horse industry turned out for a short-notice rally at Keeneland June 24 and were told by officials and state lawmakers the fight for racetrack gaming isn't over.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Nearly a thousand people traveled to Kentucky's state capitol in Frankfort June 17 to rally for a cause they have stood behind for years: to boost the horse racing industry by way of expanded casino gaming.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Passage of legislation that would allow video lottery terminals at Kentucky racetracks would provide a boost to the state's yearling auctions later this year, according to Brereton Jones of Airdrie Stud.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Brereton C. Jones' homebred champion Proud Spell has been retired from racing and bred to Indian Charlie.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Proud Spell will miss the April 4 Apple Blossom Handicap (gr. I) at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas, according to trainer Larry Jones.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The chairman of the Kentucky Equine Education Project said Feb. 18 he expects gaming-related legislation benefitting the Kentucky horse industry to pass -- but he's not sure when.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Proud Spell, an earner of $2,123,610, has not raced since finishing second in the Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes (gr. II) at Philadelphia Park last September. Prior to that effort, she scored in the Alabama Stakes (gr. I), and the Kentucky (gr. I), Alabama (gr. I), and Fair Grounds (gr. II) Oaks.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The 2009 stud fees for Brereton Jones' Airdrie Stud were announced Nov. 7, including the fees for their two newest stallions, Divine Park and Brother Derek, who will stand for $17,500 and $10,000, respectively.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Proud Spell, winner of the grade I Kentucky Oaks and Alabama, will be turned out at owner Brereton Jones' Airdrie Stud in Lexington, Ky., after which a decision will be made on whether to bring her back as a 4-year-old.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Participants in the Keeneland September yearling sale talk about falling prices for horses and the effects of America's growing financial crisis.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
On Sept. 20, Proud Spell will shoot for her biggest payday to date, as she takes on six rivals in the $750,000 Fitz Dixon Cotillion (gr. II) at Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack. On paper, the 1 1/16-mile dirt event is a significant step down in class for the Proud Citizen filly, who has won four times this season, including the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and Alabama Stakes (gr. I).
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Not long after Curlin's majority owner Jess Jackson indicated the reigning Horse of the Year might show up at Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup after all, trainer Larry Jones stated that Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Proud Spell could be headed to California too. Jones, who previously said Proud Spell was unlikely for the Breeders' Cup, made the comments during a national media teleconference Sept. 16.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A year ago, Larry Jones saddled Proud Spell to victory in the Matron Stakes (gr. II). Jones can only hope his entry in this year's Matron, On the Menu, is destined for the same kind of success. On Sept. 13, she tries stakes company for the first time in the prestigious $250,000 event for 2-year-old fillies at Belmont.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Some people call the Keeneland September yearling sale a marathon because of its length: 15 sessions this year. Others think it's more like Walmart because of the large number of horses cataloged, which has risen to a record of 5,555. To Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales, it's more like a Broadway show.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Graded stakes winner Canadian Frontier got his initial winner when his daughter On the Menu won Aug. 24 at Delaware Park in her first start.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Proud Spell reasserted her position as the best 3-year-old filly in the land when she bettered Music Note in a stirring stretch drive to win the $600,000 Alabama Stakes (gr. I) by a head at Saratoga Aug. 16.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Proud Spell tosses name into field for Delaware Oaks (gr. II) July 12 at Delaware Park.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
A three-time graded stakes winner, including a dominating five-length triumph in the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) last month, Brereton Jones' Proud Spell will face just three fillies in the $250,000 Mother Goose Stakes (gr. I) June 28 at Belmont Park none of them with any more than an allowance win to their credit.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Trainer Larry Jones scratched the filly Eight Belles from the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), and then proceeded to win the race with Proud Spell.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Trainer Larry Jones took it as a sign of better things to come when his Eight Belles drew the outside 12 post for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), but all was not lost for the Kentucky-born trainer when his Proud Spell drew post 8 in the 1 1/8-mile race for the lilies on the first Friday in May.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Should Eight Belles run in the May 3 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands instead of the previous day's Kentucky Oaks (gr. I), jockey Gabe Saez will have the mount, trainer Larry Jones said April 24.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Making his first turf start in more than a year, 21-1 longshot Mr. Nightlinger broke on top and never relinquished his lead, defeating 10 rivals to take the $125,000 Shakertown Stakes (gr. IIIT) by 1 3/4 lengths under Jamie Theriot April 13 at rainy Keeneland.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The chairman of the Kentucky Equine Education Project said the organization is "disappointed" not only in the failure of legislation calling for a constitutional amendment on casino gambling, but also with the way the measure was handled from the beginning of this year's General Assembly session.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Airdrie Stud's-homebred filly Proud Spell has been nominated to the Triple Crown. She is slated to make her next start against fillies in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I) April 5 at Keeneland.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Three days ago, trainer Larry Jones said he hoped Proud Spell would pressure Indian Blessing through the early lead in the Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II). Although Brereton Jones' homebred Proud Citizen filly didn't exactly do that, she did manage to wear down the Eclipse Award winner and get her own score in the March 8 event in New Orleans.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
In an attempt to recruit people to support the proposed constitutional amendment for expanded gaming, the Kentucky Equine Education Project urged its members to attend a Feb. 26 committee meeting hearing for the bill, as well as a horse trailer caravan "rally" the same day in Frankfort.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
War Pass, undefeated winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), received the high weight assignment of 127 pounds on the 2007 Experimental Free Handicap.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Many horse industry figures were in the spirit of giving during the Kentucky Equine Education Project's stallion season auction, billed with the tag line, "No Time to Hold Your Horses." The auction was held for the first time since 2004 to benefit causes supported by the organization.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Now a Victor stalked the pace under John Velazquez and then wore down longtime leader Shopton Lane in the final sixteenth of a mile to take the $100,000 Discovery Handicap (gr. III) by a length on the main track at Aqueduct on Nov. 24.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Frizette Stakes (gr. I) winner Indian Blessing was installed as the 3-1 morning-line favorite for the $2-million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) Oct. 27 at Monmouth Park.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007The Kentucky Equine Education Project will hold a stallion season auction Dec. 7 to raise funds to support promotion of the horse industry as well as legislative endeavors.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
While the Kentucky Equine Education Project continues to lobby for legislation that would remove the sales tax on equine feed and supplies in Kentucky, a decision is pending in regard to whether the organization will again push for casino gambling at racetracks in 2008.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Juvenile Champion Stevie Wonderboy, winner of the 2005 Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), has been retired from racing and will stand at Brereton Jones' Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky.
Thursday, June 28, 2007For the fourth consecutive year, Adena Springs tops the list of leading individual breeders in North America in 2006 with earnings of $13,146,955, according to statistics released Jan. 5 by The Jockey Club Information Systems.
Friday, January 05, 2007The Kentucky Equine Education Project has named Patrick Neely as its new executive director.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007Grade II winner Badge of Silver, who ran a surprising third in the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in his first start since January, will stand at Brereton C. Jones' Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky.
Sunday, November 12, 2006Tax relief for the horse industry, not racetrack gaming, will be the focus of the Kentucky Equine Education Project during the 2007 General Assembly session, according to the chairman of the organization.
Thursday, October 05, 2006Shaking off defeat of the casino bill in the recent legislative session, the Kentucky Equine Education Project showed a fresh outlook for the remainder of 2006 in a public meeting May 9 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006"I'm not fighting the world here," said Jess Jackson, the California winemaker whose lawsuit against his former bloodstock advisers heated up last week.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006Airdrie Stud owner Brereton C. Jones said he paid consulting fees and commissions of at least $130,000 after two Keeneland sales to trainer Bruce Headley, one of six defendants in a lawsuit filed by California winemaker Jess Jackson for fraudulent misrepresentation in the purchase of horses and horse farm property.
Friday, March 17, 2006Legislation to authorize a constitutional amendment on casino gambling at Kentucky racetracks was introduced Feb. 16 by legislators in the House of Representatives and Senate.
Thursday, February 16, 2006Two Democrats who received financial support from members of the state's horse industry were elected Feb. 14 to seats in the Kentucky Senate and House of Representatives, but officials indicated the result is just a small step on a long road to lining up supporters in the state capital.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club selected Tim Thornton of Airdrie Stud as its 2005 Farm Manager of the Year. Thornton has served as general manager of Airdrie for 17 years.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005Three Kentucky horse industry groups have agreed to finance an economic impact study to help determine how a new state breeders incentive fun should be crafted.
Thursday, July 28, 2005The board of directors of the Kentucky Equine Education Project has opted to endorse an in-state Thoroughbred breed development program that could eventually offer awards to horses that race out of state or in other countries.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005The Kentucky Equine Education Project board of directors officially endorsed staff changes, including the naming of Jim Navolio as executive director.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005Claria Horn Shadwick, who has served as the Kentucky Equine Education Project's executive director since July 2004, has been named to the new position of director of strategy and research, the KEEP board announced. Jim Navolio, the group's operations director, will succeed Shadwick as executive director. KEEP's equine director, Gene Clabes, will assume all responsibilities for KEEP's overall grassroots programs.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005The Kentucky Equine Education Project, formed about a year ago and already with a legislative feather in its cap, seems poised to push for alternative gaming in 2006 but its board of directors must be united in the course of action, the organization's chairman said.
Thursday, May 05, 2005The Lexington Legends baseball club and Drexel Heritage are sponsoring a "Horse Industry Appreciation Day" during the Legends' game against the Lake County Captains April 30 at 7:05 p.m.
Monday, April 18, 2005As the 2005 Kentucky General Assembly session nears an end, the horse industry finds itself with a few important benefits--and a sense that it could show a lot of muscle in future legislative endeavors.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005