Tom Ludt

Turf Paradise had to cram them in on the day of the GI Kentucky Derby Day. Every seat in the track was sold out and, including those who bought general admission tickets, the estimated crowd was 7,500. While most tracks draw big crowds for the Derby simulcast and live racing, this was something new for Turf Paradise. The facility had grown into such disrepair that no one had wanted to come. Things were so bad that, according to new GM Tom Ludt, most people living in the Phoenix area did...

With Turf Paradise in the process of a racing permit transfer to a new leaseholder that puts the 69-year-old track on the cusp of a possible regime change, stakeholders who spoke about the longer-term future of racing in greater Phoenix were cautiously optimistic during Thursday's Arizona Racing Commission (AZRC) meeting. But representatives of the Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) did articulate short-term concerns that at times vacillated between glass-half-full and glass-half-empty, echoing a nagging tone of uncertainty familiar to anyone who has followed the ups and downs of...

The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) will begin its second season with a stop at Kentucky Downs on Sunday, Sept. 1, the track said in a Thursday release. Launched last year, the NTL tour adds a competitive component for its teams based on the outcome of races. At Kentucky Downs, that will involve a five-race sequence culminating in the $500,000 National Thoroughbred League Handicap. There are no nomination, entry or starter fees for the scheduled handicap, though horses must be nominated by Aug. 19, with declarations to be made by Aug....

The National Thoroughbred League (NTL), a racing start-up meant to bring the league concept to Thoroughbred racing, will debut Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs, but the first few events on the schedule will be run under a format different than what was envisioned when the formation of the league was announced. Under the original concept, all horses performing in NTL races were to be owned by the League itself and would be portioned off to six teams representing different cities. Each team was to have six horses and the team...

Tom Ludt joins this week's TDN Writers' Room to discuss the creation of the National Thoroughbred League and the organization's plans for the future.

Tom Ludt has worked for many organizations in the horse racing industry, but never one as ambitious and willing to think outside the box as the National Thoroughbred League (NTL). A group of investors who are planning to bring the team concept that is the backbone of the four major sports to racing has hired Ludt to be the league's president of horse operations. With the job, Ludt will be in charge of all things racing, including acquiring the horses that will make up the league. With the NTL set...

After racing on Memorial Day, jockeys, trainers, owners, and racing fans played in Santa Anita's third annual 'Folds of Honor' charity poker tournament, which raised more than $40,000 to benefit spouses and children of fallen or disabled veterans. "After a long and exhilarating weekend, it was fantastic to see this kind of support for our veterans and their families," said Santa Anita Director of Marketing Andrew Arthur. "Folds of Honor is a tremendous charity and we're honored to be affiliated with them. We raised more money than we did last...

Tom Ludt, who joined Phoenix Thoroughbreds as head of U.S. operations in December of 2017, has left the company, Racing Post reported. According to Ludt, he accepted a termination agreement offered by Phoenix's creator, Amer Abdulaziz Salman. Abdulaziz's brainchild operates on multiple continents and has enjoyed Group 1/I success, but first came under investigation in November of 2019, as first reported by Racing Post. Abdulaziz allegedly stole €100 million from sham cryptocurrency OneCoin-which he allegedly helped operate as an international Ponzi scheme-and reinvested those funds into thoroughbreds through Phoenix. The...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The countdown to next year's inaugural Saudi Cup officially began Wednesday evening with a gala organized by the race's officials in the walking ring at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds in Saratoga. The race, scheduled to be run next Feb. 29 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, will be run over 1800 meters of the dirt track and will be worth $20 million--making it the world's richest race. The field will have a maximum of 14 runners, with $10 million going to the winner. Hosted by television...

Tom Ludt has done a lot in the horse racing industry. He was the president of Vinery, the chairman of the Breeders' Cup and has worked for the Stronach Group. But never has he been involved with a project as ambitious as Phoenix Thoroughbreds. Ludt was hired in December to head the U.S. operations for the trailblazing stable that has emerged in less than two years as a major force on the global racing scene and is spending millions at the sales in order to achieve its goals. Ludt is...