Recently, New York Racing Association’s Andy Serling was on the Steve Byk radio show and said, “There is some confusion out there about what The Jockey Club’s actual role is.” His comment was timely since it coincided with The Jockey Club’s 2024 Industry Impact Report, which was published to show the breadth of activities, businesses, and supported programs undertaken by The Jockey Club.
Many think of The Jockey Club as solely the custodian of the breed and of The American Stud Book, but it has evolved into much more. Over the past 25 to 30 years, The Jockey Club has developed robust commercial entities and used the profits to benefit the breed and the industry.
These companies collectively play essential roles in the administration, technology, and information provision within the sport. The Jockey Club Information Systems (TJCIS) provides technology and information services through products such as equineline.com, which provides pedigree, racing, and sales information. The Jockey Club Technology Services (TJCTS) focuses on technology solutions for the industry, including data management, software development, and support services. InCompass Solutions provides technology solutions and services to racetracks, horsemen’s organizations, and other industry stakeholders. Equibase Company, a partnership between The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Racing Associations of North America, provides official racing data, statistics, and handicapping information.
At the core of The Jockey Club’s work is more than $100 million that has been invested in the sport over the past decade. This isn’t merely a statistic but funding that has supported tangible actions, programs, and partnerships to sustain and elevate the industry. Jim Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club, put this into perspective, stating, “The Jockey Club’s investments have been across racing but with a focus on equine health and safety as well as promoting the sport.”
According to the report, in 2024 The Jockey Club will invest another $7 million into racing to significantly impact areas pivotal to the industry’s resilience such as equine safety and welfare, promotion, and technological adaptation.
The cornerstone of The Jockey Club’s mission has always been that horses come first. The establishment of the Equine Injury Database has been a groundbreaking tool, significantly reducing racing fatalities and injuries through data-driven insights.
In 2019, the industry was reeling from the fatalities at Santa Anita and the heat of sustained national press coverage. Clearly, things needed to change, and The Jockey Club quickly invested $780,000 into the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, which is led by Mick Peterson from the University of Kentucky. This money played a crucial role in improving the safety of racetracks for horses and riders. The Jockey Club has continued offering expertise and technical support to help make racing safer, reflecting its commitment to the well-being and integrity of horse racing.
The report also shows how The Jockey Club has worked to expand the visibility of horse racing through a strategic investment in national television coverage. The Jockey Club launched America’s Best Racing, which is a multimedia fan development platform designed to attract new fans and increase the national visibility of racing.
Most in the racing industry recognize the importance of television because it serves as a window to an exciting world of racing – it’s an invitation to millions to make fans out of viewers. A lynchpin for The Jockey Club’s promotional work was to invest in television and programming that has skyrocketed since 2011 by 2,400%, from 40 to more than 1,000 hours of national television coverage, notably on NBC and Fox Sports.
The Jockey Club’s impact touches every point of the Thoroughbred life cycle, including aftercare. The Jockey Club was one of three founding members of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and funds from almost every registry transaction go to the TAA. The Jockey Club also developed and maintains its Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.). T.I.P. encourages the retraining of Thoroughbreds into other disciplines upon completion of careers in racing or breeding through incentives for competition horses, recreational horses, young riders, and Thoroughbreds in a non-competitive second career as well as a Championship horse show.
The Jockey Club’s support for aftercare programs ensures that horses are given the respect and dignity they deserve after their racing days are over. This holistic view underscores a deep understanding of responsibility toward these athletes, helping to make a fulfilling life beyond the track possible.
The Jockey Club is one of the most important institutions in American Thoroughbred horse racing with a wide impact on the game. If you are interested in reading more, take a look at the 2024 Industry Impact Report.