Jockey Club sets agenda for 2021 Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing

The Jockey Club has announced the slate of programming for its 69th annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing, which will be presented Aug. 15 as a virtual event for the second consecutive year.

The Round Table, which will cover topics including Thoroughbred aftercare, using data to market the sport, race tracking technology, and improving integrity, will be streamed on The Jockey Club's website, and will be aired on NYRA’s YouTube channel, the FOX Sports app, and Racetrack Television Network’s respective platforms.

Stuart S. Janney III, chairman of The Jockey Club, will preside over the conference, and James L. Gagliano, the breed organization's president and CEO, will deliver a report on the activities of The Jockey Club.

Presenters and their topics at the conference include the following:

* Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Incentive Program, will moderate an aftercare panel discussing issues in the current landscape and programs in development to address them. Panelists are Erin Crady, executive director of the Thoroughbred Charities of America; Brian Sanfratello, executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association; Beverly Strauss, executive director of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue; and Dr. Emily Weiss, vice president of equine welfare for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

* Dr. Yuval Neria, a professor in clinical medical psychology at Columbia University and a director in trauma and PTSD at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, will discuss the Man O’ War Project, the first university-led research study to examine the effectiveness of equine-assisted therapy in treating veterans with PTSD.

* Emily Lyman, the founder and chief executive officer of Branch & Bramble, a digital marketing agency utilized by America’s Best Racing, will detail how her organization analyzes data to assess and react to public sentiment, build brand trust, and develop fans.

* Will Duff Gordon, CEO of Total Performance Data, will provide an overview of the company's timing products, its work with Equibase, and potential opportunities for in the areas of sports betting, fixed odds, and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA).

* Charles Scheeler and Dr. Tessa Muir will provide an update on the HISA, which was signed into law at the end of 2020. In May, Scheeler was named the chairman of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority’s board of directors. Scheeler's background includes serving as lead counsel to former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell in connection with the Mitchell Report, his independent investigation of performance-enhancing substance use in Major League Baseball. Muir, who is the former anti-doping manager at the British Horseracing Authority and has served as a regulatory veterinarian at Racing Victoria, joined the United States Anti-Doping Agency in March to assist with the implementation of HISA and facilitate a smooth transition to the new regulatory structure that will exist as a result.

* NYRA president and CEO David O’Rourke will discuss NYRA’s investment in its facilities, expanded television coverage, and NYRA Bets.

The full agenda and bios of all speakers will be posted on jockeyclub.com in advance of the conference.