Soledad O'Brien to give keynote speech at Equestricon

Award-winning documentarian and media executive Soledad O’Brien will deliver a keynote speech focused on Thoroughbred aftercare at the inaugural Equestricon fan convention in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

O’Brien, who also will moderate a panel on aftercare success stories presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, will deliver her keynote at 9 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, at the Saratoga Springs City Center.

A lifelong horse lover, O’Brien has adopted two off-the-track Thoroughbreds from Akindale Horse Rescue in Pawling, N.Y., and owns five horses.

“Equestricon is putting the issue of aftercare front and center, and for that I am grateful,” O’Brien said. “These beautiful animals need and deserve homes after they retire from horse racing so that they can be adopted by loving owners. It is essential that we share the stories of these incredible retired racehorses and use the Equestricon platform to generate continued support for organizations that are caring and preparing horses for their off-the-track lives.”

O’Brien has had a career in media spanning more than 25 years, most notably as an anchor with CNN. She is the chief executive of Starfish Media Group, a multiplatform production company. She also anchors and produces the Hearst Television political magazine show “Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien.”