OwnerView, a website and information resource developed by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to assist both current and prospective owners, will host a national two-day ownership conference in October 2014 at Keeneland.
The conference, announced Dec. 19, is sponsored jointly by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the Keeneland Association, the New York Racing Association, and The Stronach Group. It will feature panel discussions with prominent industry participants as well as an exhibit hall and several informational and educational networking events with owners and industry representatives.
"Del Mar is delighted to be part of a logical and essential effort to grow our game through the encouragement of new ownership in conjunction with educational opportunities for all owners," said Joe Harper, president and chief executive officer of DMTC. "We believe that when you bring a good group of dedicated people together, as is the case here, that positive things invariably happen."
"Owners are the backbone of the Thoroughbred industry, and the future of our great sport is incumbent upon the energizing and engagement of current and prospective owners," said Bill Thomason, president and chief executive officer of Keeneland. "Not only as a racing facility, but also as the world's largest Thoroughbred marketplace, Keeneland is proud to serve as the host for the first year of this unique event. We look forward to working with The Jockey Club, TOBA, and our other track sponsors in the months ahead as we plan the agenda and make the necessary arrangements."
"Our industry must strive on a daily basis to create an outstanding experience for existing owners and to make it even more desirable for prospective owners to get in the game," said Chris Kay, CEO and president of NYRA. "We are proud to support OwnerView as it plans this important ownership conference next October."
"This is an exciting opportunity to invigorate current owners while also stimulating new ownership and partnerships in our great sport," said Mike Rogers, president of the racing division of The Stronach Group. "Having current and future owners participate in this conference, and having a central resource in OwnerView in which they can acquire information, is fully supported by The Stronach Group. We look forward to the national Thoroughbred ownership conference at Keeneland in 2014 as well as working with our friends throughout the Thoroughbred industry in the next several months."
Additional details about the conference, including dates, will be announced in the coming weeks.
OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and TOBA to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing.
The need for a central resource to encourage Thoroughbred ownership was identified in the comprehensive economic study of the sport that was commissioned by The Jockey Club and conducted by McKinsey & Company in 2011. The OwnerView site was launched in May 2012.
Additional information about OwnerView is available at www.ownerview.com, or by contacting Gary Falter at gfalter@jockeyclub.com.
