Gary Ross Tapped to Address NTRA Annual Meeting

Gary Ross, director and screenwriter of the motion picture "Seabiscuit," will be the keynote speaker at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) annual meeting, which will be held September 21-23, in conjunction with the NTRA's marketing summit, at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Ross' remarks, which will be delivered during lunch on September 22, will cover a variety of topics, including what horse racing can do to better appeal to mass audiences.

Ross, a longtime fan of Thoroughbred racing, was part of the syndicate that earlier this year bought a minority interest in Kentucky Derby contender Atswhatimtalknbout, who finished a strong fourth in the Run for the Roses. His directing credits include "Seabiscuit" and "Pleasantville" (1998) and he served as the screenwriter for those two films, as well as for "Dave" (1993) and "Big" (1988).

"The passion Gary Ross has for the sport of horse racing should be obvious to anyone who has seen Seabiscuit," said Keith Chamblin, the NTRA's senior vice president--marketing & industry relations. "Gary's unique perspective and refreshing candor will make for a highly insightful and entertaining keynote, and we are delighted that he accepted our offer to join us and share his views."

For additional information about the NTRA annual meeting or NTRA marketing summit, please contact Fritz Widaman of the NTRA at 859-223-5444.