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Diversity In Racing: Panel Examines How The Sport Is Doing, Where It Can Improve

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As discussions about improving diversity and inclusion continue in a range of sports and businesses, The Racing Biz debuted its first in a series of panels last week addressing the subject in horse racing. The ‘Truth to Power’ series is a cooperative effort between the trade publication and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

The first panel was anchored by The Racing Biz owner/publisher Frank Vespe and featured writer Teresa Genaro, NTRA director of communications Alicia Hughes, owner Ray Daniels and horseman/bloodstock agent Greg Harbut. It also featured clips from a pre-recorded conversation between Vespe and Rose Grissell, head of diversity and Inclusion for the British Horseracing Authority, about strategies to improve diversity across the pond.

Catch a full replay of the panel discussion here. A few key takeaways:

• Many point to the number of female or non-white exercise riders, jockeys, and assistant trainers working in racing as evidence that the sport doesn’t have a problem with diversity and inclusion. That doesn’t really hold up, panelists say, because senior management and boards of companies, racing commissions, and other groups are still almost entirely made up of white men, with limited exceptions. Hughes pointed out that at the time of the panel, there had been eight public announcements about hiring or promotion of upper-level staff at racetracks since Nov. 30. All eight were white men. No doubt, Hughes said, they were well qualified for their roles, but that doesn’t do much for those companies’ assertion that they prioritize diversity and inclusion.
• Often, this homogeneity is explained as institutions simply “hiring the best person for the job.”“That is either ignorant or just deliberately obtuse because it suggests from the get-go that the most qualified person for the job is a white man,” said Genaro.

  “When you talk about embracing diversity and your practices don’t line up with it, it makes me question – what are your hiring practices?” echoed Hughes. “Where are you advertising these jobs? Are you advertising these jobs? How many people were interviewed? How many people from diverse backgrounds were interviewed? How many people of color were interviewed? I have a hard time, both in my lived experience and my research, finding tangible evidence that these organizations are backing up their statements with action.”

• By contrast, Grissell said British sports organizations funded by the government are required to have at least 30 percent female participation on their boards.
• Prioritizing diversity at the upper levels of an organization or business does a few things. It attempts to level the playing field to make sure traditionally underrepresented groups are getting a fair shot at advancement. It signals to women and minorities that they are valued by that business. It also helps the business improve its internal and external communications to be more appealing to a broader range of people.Harbut pointed out that that public relations aspect is important, because racing needs all the help it can get to grow right now. If nothing else, reaching out to new demographics is just good business.

  “It’s no secret the industry is struggling right now to attract new fans … you don’t see the younger generation embrace racing the way they do in Lexington,” said Harbut.

• Passively allowing people of all backgrounds to attend racing doesn’t mean they’re going to feel comfortable or interested in doing so.“We’re simply not engaging with certain groups of the population in the UK, whether that’s through perception or the reality of barriers,” said Grissell. “Our marketing and media presents racing in a certain way which could potentially be seen as exclusive to some. I think we can’t be naïve or even arrogant enough to think just because we’ve opened the doors, people are going to walk in. We have to show them why racing is a sport for them.”
• Hughes pointed out the struggles and triumphs of NASCAR as an example to horse racing. NASCAR had similar issues to horse racing with declining ratings and a homogenous fan base. When the sport banned the Confederate flag at its tracks and supported a driver who was initially thought to be the target of a racially-motivated hate crime, Hughes said the organization lost a few fans – but it gained many more. Its actions also generated national attention that led high profile personalities like Michael Jordan and Pitbull to begin investing as owners.
• If you’re watching the diversity and inclusion conversation with interest and thinking about improving policies in your company, panelists urge you – hire a professional diversity training service to help you. Too often, the burden of organizing new programs in this subject area falls to a junior member of staff because they are female or BIPOC and assumed to be subject matter experts. The problem with that is that building new company policy, marketing, staff training, etc., quickly becomes a time-consuming unpaid task for that staff member.

See the full panel replay here.

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‘An Exciting New Chapter’: Global Star Enable Confirmed In-Foal To Kingman

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Two-time European Horse of the Year Enable was confirmed pregnant on Monday to fellow European Horse of the Year and top British sire Kingman. The announcement was made by the social media account of Juddmonte Farms, which owns and bred both horses.

Enable was retired in October, and plans were immediately announced that she would be bred to Kingman, a 10-year-old son of Invincible Spirit who stands at Barnstead Manor Stud in Suffolk, England. The mating took place on Feb. 14.

Enable, a 7-year-old daughter of Nathaniel, was named Europe’s Cartier Horse of the Year in 2017 and 2019. She retired from a 19-race career, spanning five seasons, with 15 wins, including 11 Group 1 races and record earnings for a European-trained horse of £10.7 million (US$14,062,824).

Her global triumphs included two wins in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, an unprecedented three victories King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. She became the only horse to win the Arc and the Breeders’ Cup Turf in the same year during her 2018 campaign.

Kingman was named Europe’s Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male in 2014 off a campaign that included Group 1 victories in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St. James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, and Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard – Jacques Le Marois.

Kingman’s most notable runners include St. James’s Palace Stakes winner Palace Pier and French 2,000 Guineas winner Persian King.

15 days after covering, champion Enable was this morning successfully scanned in foal to KINGMAN. Hopefully an exciting new chapter in this remarkable mare’s story… pic.twitter.com/rQyyFVQL7G

— Juddmonte (@JuddmonteFarms) March 1, 2021

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Lopez After Fight With Ortiz: ‘I Don’t Want Any Trouble Going Forward’

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After scuffling Friday at Gulfstream Park with Irad Ortiz, Jr., which caused him to be put on probation for the remainder of the meet, Paco Lopez told the TDN Monday he is ready to move on.

That there was a fight between Ortiz and Lopez was first reported by the Daily Racing Form‘s Mike Welsch. The fight was captured on a video that shows Ortiz landing at least three punches on Lopez following the fourth race Friday at Gulfstream. Lopez did not fight back.

“For me, it’s over. I don’t want any trouble going forward,” Lopez said.

Ortiz was fined $1,000 and both riders were put on probation. According to the Racing Form, probation means that any future altercation between the two riders would result in “fines and/or suspension and possible expulsion from the grounds.”

The TDN tried to reach Ortiz through his agent Steve Rushing but Rushing did not return a phone call.

The altercation occurred after Ortiz guided Known Agenda (Curlin) to a win over Lopez’s mount, Top Gun Tommy (Mineshaft) in the allowance race. Known Agenda won by 11 lengths.

Coming out of the far turn, Known Agenda came over a path and appeared to bother Top Gun Tommy before pulling away from his rival. Lopez lodged an objection but the stewards let the result stand as is.

“If I had fought him back, I’d have a fine, too,” Lopez said. “But I was just sitting down in the chair, waiting for the result at the same time as him. I didn’t want to provoke him.”

Lopez has run afoul of the Gulfstream stewards in the past. In 2019, he received a 30-day suspension for careless riding, followed later on in the meet by a 60-day suspension for “continuous careless riding.” He said that was in the back of his mind when the fight was taking place.

“The stewards there are very tough on me,” he said. “They had given me 30 and then 60 days. I know that if I had done to him what he did to me I would have been ruled off from the track.”

Lopez said he doesn’t know why Ortiz was so mad at him.

“I was just doing my job,” Lopez said. “I called the stewards. He started screaming at me. I’m not jealous of him. I had a problem. He would have done the same thing.”

Ortiz is the leading rider at the meet with 107 wins. Lopez is in a tie for third with Tyler Gaffalione. Both have 71 winners.

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New Mexico Racing Season to Start Apr. 23 at SunRay Park

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With the Feb. 25 announcement that restrictions regarding gaming in the state of New Mexico would be loosened, the New Mexico Racing Commission announced Monday that its season is slated to start Apr. 23 at SunRay Park in Farmington, NM.

“We are very excited to get live horse racing going again in the state of New Mexico,” said newly-named Chairman of the New Mexico Racing Commission, Sam Bregman. “We look forward to getting the industry back on track.”

The New Mexico Racing Commission intends to make decisions regarding the SunRay Park purse schedule, condition book, post times, racing officials, and wagering format at its upcoming monthly meeting on Mar. 18.

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