Mundy, Pendergest assume new operations roles at Keeneland

Keeneland racetrack in Lexington has hired Dr. George Mundy as its equine safety director, a new position at the track, and promoted its longtime racetrack surface advisor Jim Pendergest to the new position of director of racing surfaces.

The two appointments were announced on Monday, five days prior to opening day of Keeneland’s fall meet, at a time when racing is under criticism from some groups because of growing concern over racetrack deaths.

Dr. Mundy is a former chief veterinarian for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which works with racetracks in the state on veterinary issues. He has also worked with a number of farms in the Central Kentucky area, including Adena Springs and Don Alberto, and has published research papers on racehorse injuries and medications.

Keeneland said in a release that Mundy’s role will be to “develop, communicate and enforce safety and integrity policies; review all racing-related accidents with the goal of prevention; assess relevant equine health and safety research; and proactively communicate best practices to the racing community and public.”

Pendergest has worked with Keeneland for 19 years and has overseen the racetrack’s two major renovations over the past 15 years – the installation of an artificial racing surface in 2006 and the track’s replacement of that surface with a dirt track in 2014. Keeneland said he has supervised installations of six tracks, 10 training tracks, and more than 20 equine arenas in the U.S. and Canada.

Both positions will also include oversight of the Thoroughbred Training Center, a training facility just north of Lexington that is owned by Keeneland.