News Releases

Tuesday, August 21, 2018Contact: Scott Carling (859) 276-6802
BloodHorse and Breeders’ Cup to Present Sports Wagering Symposium at Keeneland

BloodHorse and Breeders’ Cup Ltd. announced today that they will present a “Sports Wagering and Impact on Horse Racing” symposium on Thursday, September 6, in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion in Lexington, Ky. Other sponsors of the symposium include Keeneland, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Sportech, Equibase, and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. Additional promotional support is provided by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), American Quarter Horse Association, United States Trotting Association, National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, and TVG.

The symposium will take place from 3 – 6 p.m. and is free to the public. Those who would like to attend must register at bit.ly/BH_SWS. Space is limited, so register quickly.

In May, the United States Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, thus allowing for sports betting to be legalized in states across the country. Since the ruling, racetracks in New Jersey and Delaware have begun accepting sports wagers, and other states and racetracks are looking to adopt sports betting in the near future. According to a 2018 report by McKinsey & Company, wagers from sports betting could exceed $120 billion by 2023.

The symposium will be organized in a town hall format with sessions focused on economics, politics, and the consumer. Each session will feature a moderator and experts in the field. Confirmed speakers include:

 
  • Alpine Group - Greg Means, Principal and Lobbyist for the NTRA
  • FanDuel / TVG - John Hindman, General Counsel
  • Monmouth Park - Bill Knauf, Vice President of Business Operations
  • Sportech - Victor Bigio, Consultant, Sports Betting Business Development
  • The Stronach Group - Ed Hannah, Vice Chairman
  • William Hill - Daniel Shapiro, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development
  • National Basketball Association - Dan Spillane, Senior Vice President, League Governance and Policy
  • Senator Damon Thayer (R-KY)

“In keeping with our dedication to Thoroughbred breeding and racing, we are delighted to be partnering with Breeders’ Cup and Keeneland to provide the most up-to-date insights on the opportunities and challenges relating to sports wagering and its impact on the Thoroughbred industry,” said John K. Keitt Jr., CEO, publisher, and editorial director of BloodHorse.

“We are very pleased to join the BloodHorse in presenting this symposium on the emerging legalized sports wagering phenomenon,” said Craig Fravel, Breeders’ Cup president and CEO. “As an industry, we are keenly aware of the potential expansion of sports betting in the gaming marketplace and look forward to the public gaining insights from our distinguished panel of speakers at Keeneland in September.”

BloodHorse has chronicled the Thoroughbred industry since 1916 and is dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing. BloodHorse produces widely distributed daily and weekly editorial content on Thoroughbred racing and breeding, including via its namesake weekly magazine, BloodHorse Daily and social media platforms. The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. purchased a majority interest in BloodHorse in February 2015, with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association retaining the remaining ownership interest. Additional information is available at bloodhorse.com.

The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2018 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 14 races (13 Grade 1 events) with purses and awards totaling more than $30 million, will be held November 2-3 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup website, breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.