Jim Gagliano

Vinnie Viola, the co-owner of this year's Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (Curlin), was honored Tuesday at West Point as a recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Graduate Award. The annual award, one of the most prestigious the school offers, is given to alumni whose character, distinguished service, and stature reflect the Academy's motto, "Duty, Honor, Country."  Viola, a highly successful businessman, philanthropist, and owner of the Florida Panthers in addition to his equine holdings, was recognized for his extensive contributions to the Academy, including his instrumental role in funding and...

On February 9, TDN published my Letter to the Editor criticizing The Jockey Club for its January 27 rebuttal of Mike Repole's sustained effort to hold the organization accountable for the most pressing issues facing Thoroughbred racing, breeding and aftercare. That statement alone was enough to make my blood curdle. The Jockey Club labeled Repole's concerns "unfair," referred to itself as a body of "volunteers," and again refused to accept responsibility for its own failures. Then came the February 13 "Industry Impact Report," and what had curdled began to boil....

The cost of registering a foal with The Jockey Club will rise from $265 to $325 in 2026, while filing a report of mares bred will go from $40 to $50, according to a new fee structure posted on the Registry page. The Jockey Club's Jim Gagliano said that the fees were largely driven by an increase in the price of DNA sampling, along with overall inflation costs. He added that the organization would be spending significantly more money on aftercare this year, above and beyond these increases. "Some registration...

A new service for breeders that provides a complimentary race record for Thoroughbreds foaled in 2025 and later that is updated after each domestic or international start will be offered by The Jockey Club, according to an organization release Wednesday. Breeders can subscribe to the daily service by providing their email address during the registration application process via Interactive Registration at www.registry.jockeyclub.com. Upon subscribing, breeders will receive an email with a link to all eligible horses, each linking to an Equineline.com Product 9 (Lifetime Starts in Past Performance Format) report....

The Jockey Club has rolled out a new pilot project, the Mare Incentive Program, that waives registration fees for certain 2026 foals of mares that meet certain criteria in order to assist breeders with their mating plans, the organization said in a press release early Friday. "The Jockey Club is waiving registration fees for any 2026 foals of mares that are listed and that are introduced or returned to the breeding population in 2025 in an effort to stimulate interest in this group that appear to have left production," said...

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges was re-elected as chair of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) by the IFHA Executive Council during the International Conference of Horseracing Authorities in Paris, France. Jim Gagliano, Masayuki Goto and Horacio Esposito were also re-elected as vice-chairs, with Henri Pouret a new vice-chair. He fills a vacancy created when Brian Kavanagh stepped down. Engelbrecht-Bresges, who has served as chair of the IFHA since 2021, said, "I look forward to continue working with my valued colleagues and members of the IFHA to further enhance our sport at...

As it has in virtually every conversation that involves horse racing over the past year, safety played a central role at the 72nd annual Jockey Club Round Table Conference in Saratoga Springs, New York Thursday.   California: Safety and Collaboration In two presentations focusing on California, Gary Fenton, Chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners of California and a managing partner of Little Red Feather Racing, spoke from a TVG set in the Del Mar paddock about the importance of California racing to the overall racing ecosystem, while Dionne Benson, the Chief...

The Jockey Club will rebrand its wholly-owned commercial subsidiaries--The Jockey Club Information Systems, The Jockey Club Technology Services, and InCompass Solutions Inc.--under a single commercial brand called TJC Innovations, according to a late afternoon Wednesday press release from the organization. "To more efficiently meet the evolving demands of customers looking for comprehensive datasets and solutions that span the entire breadth of our businesses from breeding to racing to sales to retirement, TJC Innovations can service the customer with one call," said James L. Gagliano, president and COO of The Jockey...

The Jockey Club of America is hosting a new podcast called 'On the Lead' as part of its communications and outreach mission to the industry, the organization said in a release Thursday. Presented by The Jockey Club, the podcast is produced by the In the Money Media Network, which is owned and operated by Peter T. Fornatale and Jonathon Kinchen. The program is co-hosted by Shannon Kelly, executive director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, and Fornatale. Set for a 12-episode series, the content will cover a variety of...

Edited Press Release Five students will receive academic scholarships from The Jockey Club for the 2024-2025 academic year, The Jockey Club announced Thursday. Lauren Maas was selected to receive The Jockey Club Scholarship ($7,500 per semester), which is awarded to a student on an academic path toward employment in the equine industry. Maas is a candidate for a Master's of Science in Animal Biology with the thesis, "Arrhythmogenesis and Sudden Cardiac Death in Thoroughbred Racehorses." After receiving her Master's, Lauren will attend veterinary school at the Royal Veterinary College in...

Jamie Haydon, president of Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, has been named deputy executive director of The Jockey Club, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Jockey Club James L. Gagliano announced Wednesday. In this added role, Haydon, who will be responsible for industry engagement, will report to The Jockey Club Executive Vice President and Executive Director Matt Iuliano. Haydon will engage with the industry on initiatives of the company and foster collaboration among industry organizations on health, safety, and promotion of the Thoroughbred. Among his field duties, he will...

In the aftermath of the controversial running of Saturday's Great White Way S. at Aqueduct, in which Brick Ambush (Laoban) crossed the wire second but was disqualified and placed last, outspoken owner Mike Repole has called for the resignation of The Jockey Club's president and CEO Jim Gagliano and its chairman Stuart Janney III. He did so Wednesday in a post to his account on the social media website X. Repole, who did not have a horse in the race, recently announced the formation of The National Thoroughbred Alliance (NTA),...