Growing the sport is central to the round table

In the Keynote address of the 73rd annual Round Table Conference of the Jockey Club about Racing issues, which was closed earlier today, Everett R. Dobson, newly chosen chairman of the Jockey Club, discussed his plans for the organization and the continuous plans of the Jockey Club to help the sport grow.

“When closing, let me recognize the non -repellent dedication that so many of you have shown to promote the cause of health and safety in our sport,” he said. “We understand the commitment, and we are really ready to ensure that we never take a step back. For the first time in recent memory, health and safety have become a force, no weakness. My vision of thoroughbred racing is rooted in growth.”

The conference was held in the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York, and streamed jockeyclub.com. The Jockey Club chairman Everett Dobson was chairman of the conference and served as the second half of a keynote speaker.

Shawn Smallie, founder of ACG Advocacy, discussed horse races from a Washington, DC, Perspective, including various effects that the recently adopted “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” could have on industry. He emphasized the importance of horse races that a voice had in Washington.

“Your voices make a difference with important decision makers,” he said. “We need your help with issues that are important for industry, and I can assure you that there will always be problems. We are a national industry, not without controversy. Whether it is visa for employees in the back, or efforts to weaken HISA, or if this tax change keeps our ugly heads, we have ready and prepared.”

A presentation of planning data was given by John Stewart, CEO and co -founder, and Dr. Ryan Kelley, Principal Data Scientist and ML Engineer, Fastbreak AI.

“We believe that our AI models reveal mandatory possibilities to have a significant financial impact on horse races through the development of a planning platform that is tailored to the needs of your industry and facilitates the cooperation between racing tracks,” Stewart said.

Dr. Kelley discussed how they have built up an optimized diagram to increase the handle, aimed at reducing the overlap.

“We had an increase in the elevator of the total handle of 3%, which mapped up to around $ 360 million, giving or taking,” he said. “This is a fairly significant increase in the handle, only through a simple tweak in the schedule, namely reducing the overlap.”

Steve Kornacki, a national political correspondent for NBC News who treats horse races, discussed how he became a gambling killer, a broadcaster, a viewer, a part-owner and an industry lover. Kornacki’s presentation was aimed at the similarities of horse races with politics and elections, in particular how they can use statistics to better understand a campaign.

“I will say that regardless of what I do more on television, whether it is horse races, elections or something else, I doubt that I will ever be part of something so satisfying,” said Kornacki. “I keep this in mind when I think of the question that I know this entire industry is struggling and that is the future of sport. How new people to put on it, how to build the sport, how to grow the sport.”

Griffin Johnson, a social media influencer with more than 14 million followers in Tiktok, Instagram and X, discussed his journey with Sandman and West Point Thoroughbreds after he was introduced as the owner by the best racing of America, an interest in star racing and the role that influencers can play in promoting of the promoters of. Johnson was interviewed by Shannon Kelly, director, industrial relationships, the Jockey Club.

“The great thing about what is going on here today with the Jockey Club and everyone, you know, Mesh in the middle, is that this is the first time we have ever been heard, really,” said Johnson. “I mean, there is no other industry I have ever been to where there are so many powerful people in one room who are willing to listen.”

A panel with Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, environmental science adviser, New York Yankees and Glen Kozak, Executive Vice President, Operations and Capital Projects, New York Racing Association Inc., investigated how sport and racing continue to adapt to changes in the weather. The panel was moderated by James L. Gagliano, President and COO, the Jockey Club.

Dr. Hershkowitz discussed how the weather has directly influenced all sports: “As you have indicated with your data, the primary cause of cancellations in the past five years in the summer months has risen 300% in the summer months – its weather -related consequences. There is no professional sports location in the world, that is not influenced by the patient of the climate.”

Kozak discussed improvements that were made to the New Belmont facility. “What just brought up about floods and drainage, which is probably the biggest improvement that has been made in Belmont for the new facility,” he said. “It is crucial for what we do with the infrastructure there is.”

During the presentation of Dobson, he also announced that Dr. Rebecca Butler of the Minnesota Racing Commission The winner of the 2025 Regulatory Racing Vet Fellowship of the Jockey Club, a new initiative from the Jockey Club that allocates up to $ 25,000 for the reimbursement of the Vet School.

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