Joint TRA-HTA-RTC Convention March 13-14

A management panel discussion on current racing issues, that will for the first time bring together leaders of the four major racing ownerships groups, highlights the joint meeting of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations (TRA), Harness Tracks of America (HTA), and Racetracks of Canada (RAC) to be held at the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Fla. on March 13-14.

The four groups to be represented are Magna Entertainment, Churchill Downs, the New York Racing Association, and Woodbine Entertainment.

Magna's president, Jim McAlpine, will speak for his group; John Long, COO of Churchill Downs Inc., will represent his group; Barry Schwartz, chairman, will represent NYRA; and Woodbine Entertainment will be represented by David Willmot, president/CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group.

The management panel also includes Bryan Krantz of Fair Grounds, president of TRA; Chris McErlean of Meadowlands, president of HTA; and Bernard Goldstein, chairman/CEO of Isle of Capri Casinos and president of Pompano Park Racing.

In all, 34 for leading figures in North American racing will be featured in eight panel discussions at the joint meeting.

Penny Chenery, owner of Secretariat, will appear with author Mary Midkiff and David Rovine, director of marketing at Gulfstream Park, on a panel titled "Women as Racing Fans: An Objective or an Afterthought?'

Progress on detecting currently undetected illegal medication is the subject of a panel consisting of Drs. George Maylin or Cornell University; Ken McKeever of Rutgers University; and Scot Waterman, executive director of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium.

TRA, HTA, and RTC will also hold business and board meetings during the joint conference.