Jockey Club steward Ted Hill to retire

W. Ted Hill, the Jockey Club steward at New York Racing Association racetracks since 1996, will retire at the end of the year and be replaced by longtime New Jersey steward Jim Edwards, the Jockey Club announced Wednesday.

Hill, the former chief examining veterinarian at NYRA tracks from 1983-1996, will continue to serve on several international committees maintained by the Jockey Club, the organization said. In addition to acting as the Jockey Club steward, Hill also has been active on committees for a number of organizations, usually as a scientific or veterinary adviser. He also is on the board and steering committee for the Racing Officials Accreditation Program.

“Dr. Ted Hill brought a tremendous mix of knowledge, integrity, and concern for the welfare of horses and jockeys to the stewards stand every day, and we are immensely grateful for his many years of service not only to the Jockey Club but to the industry at large,” said Stuart S. Janney, chairman of the Jockey Club, in a statement.

Under New York racing law, the Jockey Club is allowed to appoint one of the three stewards at each track in the state holding a Thoroughbred race meet.

Hill’s replacement, Edwards, has been the chief state steward at Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands, and Atlantic City Race Course since 2004. A former jockey who was voted the Eclipse Award for top apprentice jockey in 1975, Edwards was accredited as a steward in 1999 after serving seven years as a regional representative of the Jockeys’ Guild. He also managed several offtrack betting facilities in Pennsylvania.

“Jim Edwards has seen racing from a number of perspectives, most importantly with the eyes of a jockey, racetrack executive, and steward,” Janney said. “He is an intelligent and effective communicator, and we are pleased to have him as Ted Hill’s replacement.”