Gatewood Bell

The 15-day Spring meet at Keeneland Race Course concluded Friday, with total all-sources wagering reaching $164,680,229, an improvement of 7.55% versus the 2019 Spring meet, when all-sources handle totaled $153,116,119. The 2020 Spring meet was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Average daily wagering on the Keeneland product was $10,978,682, an increase of 14.72 when compared to $9,569,757 during Spring 2019. A limited number of patrons were allowed on track during the 15-day stand. Attendance totaled 96,243 for a daily average of 6,416. With four winners on Friday's closing-day program,...

Keeneland will build six new barns and make other improvements at its year-round training facility, The Thoroughbred Center, located on Paris Pike on the Northeast side of Lexington. Two concrete barns will be demolished and replaced with six state-of-the-art barns--upgrades to walking rings, muck disposal and drainage, as well as landscaping and access to and from the track, are also in the works. "Keeneland is excited to break ground on these significant improvements to the barn area at TTC for the benefit of our horses and horsemen, many of whom...

Jacob West, Vice-President of Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has been appointed US Agent for Goffs and will begin his role on Apr. 1, the sales company announced. West, who launched West Bloodstock in 2017, started with Taylor Made as a groom in their yearling division before progressing to Manager. During his time at Taylor Made, he also  worked for trainer Chad Brown during the Gulfstream Championship Meeting. West then moved to Three Chimneys as Director of Bloodstock Services prior to moving to Eclipse. Commenting on the appointment, Goffs Group...

Keeneland announced that Central Kentucky horseman and bloodstock adviser Gatewood Bell has been named Vice President of Racing at the Lexington oval and will assume duties later this month. Bell in 2011 founded Cromwell Bloodstock, a full-service bloodstock agency and consulting firm named after a company owned by his grandfather, John A. Bell, and has served as its president for the past decade. Bell, under the Cromwell Bloodstock and Hat Creek Racing banners, purchased several significant runners, including Grade I/Group 1 winners Undrafted, Hootenanny, Mastery and Con Te Partiro. Bell...

Keeneland has announced four new additions to its Advisory Board of Directors: Gatewood Bell of Cromwell Bloodstock, Coolmore's Aisling Duignan, Juddmonte Farms' Garrett O'Rourke and Sarah S. Reeves of Stoll Keenon Ogden. Nick Nicholson, Keeneland President and CEO from 2000-12, and J. David Smith Jr. of Stoll Keenon Ogden are retiring from the Keeneland Board. All four new Directors began their service at the recent Advisory Board meeting. Reeves replaces Keeneland President-Elect Shannon Arvin as Secretary of the Board. "Gatewood, Aisling, Garrett and Sarah each provide the board with unique...

The Jockey Club today has elected five new members: Gatewood Bell, Fred W. Hertrich III, James McIngvale, Dr. Mary Scollay, and John Sikura. As a bloodstock agent, Gatewood Bell, president of Cromwell Bloodstock Agency, selected horses including Mastery and Undrafted. In addition to his work in bloodstock, Bell is a memberof the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and a United States representative for Goffs sales agency. He previously worked for Kiaran McLaughlin and Nicoma Bloodstock and served as a jockey's agent for Fernando Jara. Fred W. Hertrich III is chairman of...

A Friday hearing could bring much-needed clarity to the $23 million lawsuit against Ahmed Zayat and his financially troubled Zayat Stables, LLC, regarding whether or not the court-appointed receiver in the Kentucky case should be allowed to have broadly expanded legal powers over racing and breeding stock. But instead of categorically fighting the receiver's Feb. 18 motion for more control over his horse business, lawyers for Zayat on Feb. 20 filed a response that asked a Fayette Circuit Court judge to grant that motion in part and to deny it...