University of Arizona Race Track Industry Symposium

The topic of the diminishing North American Thoroughbred foal crop (estimated 17,000 for 2026) came up several times during last week's Global Symposium on Racing hosted by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program in Tucson. This is often referred to as our industry's "horse shortage" problem. I try to avoid that term in my reporting unless I am directly quoting someone who says it. Instead, the sport has long been dealing with an "owner shortage." Breeders stand ready and willing to start producing more racehorses if only more...

Registration is now open for the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP)'s 50th Global Symposium on Racing, the world's largest racing conference, scheduled for Dec. 9-11 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort near Tucson, Arizona. A full agenda of topics and speakers will be released later this summer. To register for the symposium, get host hotel information, or to explore sponsorship opportunities, visit racingsymposium.com.

Roy Smith, who inaugurated the racetrack superintendent field day in 2001, was honored with the Racetrack Superintendent's Innovator Award during last week's University of Arizona Race Track Industry Symposium. A second-generation race tracker, Smith served as assistant  track superintendent to Blackie Chobanian at Suffolk Downs in 1977 and he took charge after Chobanian's passing in 1981. He moved to Philadelphia Park in 1984 and worked at the Pennsylvania track for 31 years before moving to Indiana Grand in 2014. Smith was selected for the 2023 superintendent's innovator award for his...