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As the Santa Anita 40th Anniversary Championships approach, Breeders’ Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming answers our questions.
Drew Fleming, President and Managing Director of Breeders’ Cup Ltd, has been at the helm of the two-day championships since 2019. As the 40th anniversary of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita approaches, he answers questions regarding crucial aspects of the event, including the welfare of the equines and the international reach of this great spectacle of 14 races.
TRC: What sparked your interest in horse racing?
Drew Fleming: I was born and raised in Lexington – my mother was a schoolteacher and my father was a tax attorney. I didn’t start visiting racetracks until I was 12, but once I did, I immediately caught the bug.
Going to Keeneland, I experienced some of the best racing in the world with my dear friend Gatewood Bell, who is now the track’s vice president of racing. In high school, our teachers knew we might not be there past lunchtime when we decided to wear blazers to class because we would be sneaking out to go to Keeneland.
I grew up seeing how the racing industry can be the lifeblood of an entire community, and it has continued to have an impact on me throughout my career.
After attending college and law school, I began practicing corporate law.Yes, Gatewood and I decided to invest in horses together. Being involved on the ownership front has taken my passion for the sport and for the horses themselves to the next level.
As a lawyer, I worked with the Breeders’ Cup among other international equine clients, and this was the catalyst for pursuing a full-fledged career in the sport. After joining Breeders’ Cup Limited in 2016 as Senior Vice President of Business and then Chief Operating Officer, I had the honor of taking the helm as President and CEO in November 2019.
The opportunity to follow in the accomplished footsteps of my mentor, Craig Fravel, then CEO of the Breeders’ Cup, was remarkable. I was already deeply invested, not only because of my lifelong love of the sport, but also because of my passion to see it persevere through changing and difficult times.
What does the Breeders’ Cup do to ensure the well-being of its equine participants?
The Breeders’ Cup prioritizes equine safety, which is why we have implemented the most comprehensive safety standards and protocols of any race in the United States.
Our care ecosystem includes three main aspects. To ensure the integrity of our racing and the health and well-being of the horses, we conduct rigorous out-of-competition testing well before each race.
To ensure that every horse is fit to race, we apply extensive veterinary oversight, which includes hands-on veterinary inspections, reviews of each runner’s veterinary history, use of enhanced diagnostic tools such as PET scans, and recording of Mandatory security for international competitors. on October 29 and for domestic horses on October 31, so that veterinarians can monitor competitors 24 hours a day.
To ensure we race on the safest surfaces possible, we have the best track surface experts in the country on site to examine racing surfaces and ensure conditions are consistent and safe for racing.
The Breeders’ Cup is also a strong supporter of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the work it does. Among other things, HISA’s new collaborations with Amazon Web Services and Palantir will provide us with ways to revolutionize the way the industry uses data, uncover key security insights, and provide us with answers to questions that plague sport for a long time.
Machine learning and big data have driven critical innovations in almost every other industry, and now that HISA requires uniform and consistent data reporting, these cutting-edge developments are on the horizon for horse races.
Where do you see the Breeders’ Cup in the future? Is there room for improvement and innovation?
There is always room for improvement as we strive to fulfill our leadership role in the Thoroughbred industry, not only running the best and safest races in the world, but also setting the standard when it comes to integrity and innovation in this sport.
Sports betting, research, innovation and investment are among our main areas of focus. We also make sure to use the latest technology, media and betting platforms to reach new and old fans wherever they are and increase their level of interest in thoroughbred racing.
Every decision we make is in the best interest of the athletes – human and equine – the fans, the sport and its future.
The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are a truly global affair. What are your priorities at the international level?
It is imperative that we work with our international partners to grow the sport and showcase its beauty and excitement to new fans around the world.
It is exciting to see the Breeders’ Cup continue to grow each year on an international level, which has led to increased competition, larger purses and a stronger fan base. International engagement is a vital part of the continued success of the Breeders’ Cup, and we greatly appreciate the owners and trainers who go to great lengths to travel to the United States to compete on auto racing’s biggest stage.
We are also very proud of the Breeders’ Cup Global Pool, of which we were the pioneers. Last year, 26 countries came together to offer combined betting, while seven others offered a separate pool. We generated a total simulcast amount of more than $195 million in 2022, and we expect that amount to continue to increase for this year’s World Championships and beyond.
Several months ago, the Breeders’ Cup shared public interest in returning to New York. Is this still a possibility?
We have a great relationship with the New York Racing Association and its CEO David O’Rourke, who is a personal friend of mine. We would love to come back to New York. The Belmont Park facility is currently undergoing significant renovations, and we fully support NYRA and others around the state renovating and investing in one of America’s iconic racing venues, in hopes of bring the Breeders’ Cup World Championships back to New York. in the future.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In has been very successful in generating interest in the Breeders’ Cup throughout the year. Are there any other improvements to the current series?
The Challenge Series was a home run for the Breeders’ Cup and the sport in general. It consists of 80 domestic and international stakes races, with winners receiving automatic qualifying positions, with fees paid, for a corresponding Breeders’ Cup World Championships race.
It was launched in 2007 and 637 horses have since won Challenge Series races and competed in the World Championships. Breeders’ Cup Challenge winners have won 82 Breeders’ Cup races.
We’re always looking for ways to innovate and improve the series. Every Challenge race this season had Grade/Group status, and you will continue to see us strive to attract quality competitors from around the world through this series and through our direct recruitment efforts.
What is your favorite Breeders’ Cup memory?
There are so many incredible memories that it’s impossible to name just one. Seeing American Pharoah become the first Grand Slam winner in 2015 at Keeneland was incredible; that the Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic is a race that I will remember for the rest of my life.
In 2021, a large Japanese contingent competed at Del Mar, and them taking their first two Breeders’ Cup victories was fantastic for racing and truly demonstrated the international appeal of the World Championships.
Most recently, seeing Flightline take the turn in the 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic with such force in front of a home crowd was truly impressive, and the memory will stay with me forever.
On a personal level, there are also two races that are my favorites as an owner: the first was our first win at Keeneland with a horse named Nina Fever, and the second was with Con Te Partiro, who won at Royal Ascot . Traveling there with friends and partying in the parking lot is a memory I will always cherish.
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