Keeneland's Vice President of Racing W.B. Rogers Beasley will retire June 30 after 34 years of service to the track's sales and racing operations, Keeneland announced Tuesday. During his time in Lexington, Beasley played an integral role in the positioning of Keeneland at the forefront of Thoroughbred sales worldwide, as well as the development of the track's celebrated racing program–including the successful hosting of last year's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.
“I have been honored to work for Keeneland for these many years and am very appreciative to all here at Keeneland,” Beasley said. “I particularly want to thank Bill Greely and Ted Bassett, who gave me the opportunity so many years ago.”
A New Orleans native who graduated from Transylvania University in 1973, Beasley was promoted from his role of entry clerk to Keeneland's Director of Sales in 1982 following the retirement of William S. Evans in 1980. In just the third year of his work at Keeneland in 1985, the already-prominent July Selected Yearling Sale made waves when Seattle Dancer sold for a world-record setting $13.1 million. At the conclusion of his tenure as sales director in 2000, revenues more than doubled to $750 million from $300 million when he assumed the job.
Beasley is also credited with a number of innovations at Keeneland, most notably the establishment of preferred sessions to augment the September Yearling Sale and the creation of the April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale. He also advocated moves for heightened transparency in the release of health information for all horses passing through the Keeneland Sales ring.
In June 2001, Beasley transitioned to the role of Director of Racing, with then-Assistant Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell assuming his vacated position in the Sales sector. Beasley made use of his involvement in both aspects of the operation to enhance Keeneland's presence on a worldwide level.
More specifically as Director of Racing, Beasley is credited with the growth of Keeneland's renowned stakes and event schedule, culminating with the hosting of the Breeders' Cup this past autumn. Since he assumed the role, the number of Grade I events at the Lexington oval increased from four to 11, while the GI Shadwell Turf Mile and the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. became the track's first two $1-million events. He has also been at the head of Keeneland's numerous safety initiatives designed to protect human and equine athletes, alike.
“Rogers has helped shape the history of Keeneland by playing an important role in nearly every major undertaking for the past three decades,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said. “He has assembled an extremely talented and well-respected team led by Racing Secretary Ben Huffman that represents a strong foundation on which to build the future of Keeneland racing.”
A member of the Jockey Club and the Equine Drug Research Council, Beasley also serves on the boards of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, Racing Officials Accreditation Program and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. Beasley is married to Jacqueline Duke, who is an editor for Blood-Horse Publications, which produces Keeneland Magazine.
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