Barbara Borden, a longtime racing official on the Kentucky circuit, was named state racing steward effective April 1, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced March 20.
Borden, an association steward at Ellis Park and senior horse identifier at Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and Turfway Park, also will serve as acting chief state steward for the Keeneland spring meet that begins April 6.
Kentucky currently has no chief state steward. John Veitch was released from that position last year, but since has appealed his firing in court.
The KHRC said Borden will assist the chief state steward “in exercising immediate supervision, control, and regulation of racing at each licensed race meeting on behalf of and responsible only to (the commission). Her other duties as state racing steward include determining all questions, disputes, protests, complaints, or objections concerning racing that arise during a race meeting and enforcing the determinations.”
In Kentucky, two of three racing stewards at each Thoroughbred meet are employed by the KHRC, while the racetrack employs the third.
Borden started in racing in 1976 as a groom and exercise rider and has served as associate state steward. She is an accredited steward, having completed the University of Louisville Steward Accreditation Program in 1993 with continuing education classes as required.