The old "Law & Order" television program used to promote its shows as being "ripped from the headlines," which also serves as a description of this year's Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing.
Eight days after the Whitney Stakes (G1) and West Virginia Derby (G3)—the day's two most lucrative races—were run simultaneously, McKinsey & Company partner Ben Vonwiller will discuss "Better Race Scheduling Using Big Data," at the Aug. 13 conference set for the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Vonwiller leads McKinsey's Global Media and Entertainment and Professional Sports practices.
Other timely presentations include Shawn Smeallie, executive director for the Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity, and prominent owner-breeder Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Farm, discussing support for the Horseracing Integrity Act of 2017. Through Aug. 7 the bipartisan House Bill that would give the United States Anti-Doping Agency oversight of the sport's drug testing and would outlaw race-day medication has 57 co-sponsors.
Also on tap, Racing Officials Accreditation Program coordinator Cathy O'Meara will discuss efforts toward uniformity, and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance operations consultant Stacie Clark will update activities of that group. Former NBA senior executive Rachel Jacobson will discuss sponsorships in horse racing, and Victoria Racing Club chairwoman Amanda Elliott will speak about the Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1), "The Race That Stops a Nation."
The Jockey Club chairman Stuart S. Janney III will welcome attendees and add closing remarks while The Jockey Club president and COO Jim Gagliano will provide an update on the organization's activities.
The Round Table, which begins at 10 a.m. EDT, will be live-streamed at jockeyclub.com and will be shown on TVG2 and TVG.com/live.
2017 Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing
10 a.m., Aug. 13, Gideon Putnam Resort, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Presentation, Speaker, Title
Welcome, Stuart S. Janney III, Chairman, The Jockey Club
Activities of The Jockey Club, James L. Gagliano, President and COO, The Jockey Club
ROAP: A Quest for Uniformity, Cathy O’Meara, Coordinator, Racing Officials Accreditation Program
Better Race Scheduling Using Big Data, Ben Vonwiller, Partner, McKinsey and Company
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Today, Stacie Clark, Operations consultant, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance
Sponsorships, Rachel Jacobson, Former senior vice president global partnerships, NBA
The Race That Stops a Nation, Amanda Elliott, Chairman, Victoria Racing Club
Support for Horseracing Integrity Act of 2017, Shawn Smeallie, Executive director, Coalition for Horse Racing Integrity and Barbara Banke, Owner, Stonestreet Farm
Closing remarks, Stuart S. Janney III, Chairman, The Jockey Club