America's Best Racing

America's Best Racing, the fan-development platform and national marketing initiative funded by The Jockey Club, will host its 11th annual Pre-Preakness Party May 14 at Laurel Park. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation have been named as the event's primary charitable beneficiaries. TAA will present a silent auction featuring premium racing memorabilia and collectibles. "Every ticket sold and every dollar raised at the Pre-Preakness Party makes a direct difference in the lives of off-the-track-Thoroughbreds," said Georganne Hale, senior vice president of Racing Development of The...

America's Best Racing, horse racing's national fan-development platform and marketing initiative funded by The Jockey Club, and the Hennegan Brothers, three-time Eclipse Award-winning filmmakers, will partner to launch Unbridled, the industry's first made-for-social vertical docuseries. The series will focus on storytelling of racing's major events, starting with the lead-up to the 2026 Kentucky Derby. Episodes of Unbridled have been filmed during key races on the Triple Crown trail and will roll out daily across ABR's digital and social platforms beginning this week. A trailer is available to view here. In...

Everett Dobson, chairman of The Jockey Club, pledged to collaborate with horsemen to find solutions to racing's many challenges and ways to grow the sport while delivering the keynote address at the National Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association Conference at Oaklawn Park Wednesday. Dobson acknowledged some of the divisions between The Jockey Club and the National HBPA, including The Jockey Club's support of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the constitutionality of which the National HBPA is challenging in court. But Dobson stressed the common goals shared by the two...

The Jockey Club published its 2026 Industry Impact Report Friday, which includes a consolidated statement of income for 2025 listing total investment in industry initiatives as $6.3-million, with nearly $1.7-million going to Thoroughbred aftercare, the organization said in a press release on Friday. Located at the back of the document, last year's income statement itemizes industry initiatives and investment, which includes funding America's Best Racing ($2.164 million), aftercare ($1.67 million) and industry support ($2.5 million) for a total of $6.3 million. Since 2010, The Jockey Club says it has re-invested...

Dan Tordjman has been appointed as president of TJC Media Ventures after previously serving as vice president since 2024, the Jockey Club announced Monday. Overseeing record growth in viewership and engagement with America's Best Racing (ABR) content since joining in 2014, Tordjman has overseen digital strategy, content development, and industry partnerships in his 20 years of professional experience. Prior to his role as vice president, Tordjman served as manager of Partnerships & Sponsorships, building and nurturing strategic relationships with racetracks, ADWs, and other industry stakeholders. His team also created and...

America's Best Racing, a multimedia fan development and awareness platform initiated and funded by The Jockey Club, has received two 2025 Stevie Awards, presented by the 2025 American Business Awards, winning in the categories for Marketing Campaign of the Year--Entertainment & Sports and for Influencer Marketing Campaign of the Year. ABR has also been named a finalist in the 2025 Shorty Awards "Sports" category. All of the awards are for ABR's ground-breaking campaign, "A Stake in Stardom," which this week will be represented in the 2025 Kentucky Derby by social...

Griffin Johnson may not be well known within horse racing circles, but that doesn't mean he can't help the sport. For decades, racing has been fighting a losing battle when it comes to attracting a younger audience. That's where Johnson comes in. He is a social media influencer who has 9.7 million followers on TikTok and 2.6 million on Instagram. He's also a horse owner. Johnson is part of the West Point Thoroughbreds group that owns GI Arkansas Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby contender Sandman (Tapit). He'll be at...

Stephen Panus has resigned as president of The Jockey Club's Media Ventures, which oversees the America's Best Racing brand, and several other structural changes were made to the management team, said Jockey Club president and COO James L. Gagliano via a press release on Thursday. Gagliano will replace Panus, while Greg Charkoudian and Dan Tordjman have each been promoted to vice president of TJC Media Ventures. Charkoudian has been associated with The Jockey Club team since 2012 and Tordjman since 2014. "I'd also like to thank Stephen Panus for his...

Bidding is open now for a silent auction to benefit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The auction coincides with the America's Best Racing Pre-Preakness Party, during which items will be displayed in person. The party will take Wednesday at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore and the auction is accessible both in person at the event and remotely for online bidders. Highlights of items available include: halters from Curlin, Mage, Street Sense; custom shadow box featuring a Well Armed halter; a Christine A. Moore Millinery fascinator; framed and signed 2024 Kentucky Oaks...

Up until August 9, 2020, Stephen Panus was leading the type of life that many of us envy. He was the president of the Jockey Club's America's Best Racing brand, lived in an affluent community in Connecticut and, most importantly, had a close-knit family that he adored. There was his wife Kellie and sons Jake and Liam, both of whom were special in their unique ways. "Jake was an immense, magnetic personality who lived his life uplifting others," Panus writes in his recently released book "Walk On." It's not that...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) had a successful week in Maryland during Preakness celebrations with several on-site events, the organization said in a release Wednesday. With over 160 in attendance, the America's Best Racing Pre-Preakness Party to benefit the TAA kicked off the week at Mt. Washington Tavern. A total of $25,000 was raised from a silent auction, ticket sales and donations. "It was an absolute honor to once again partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on what has turned into a must-attend event on the racing calendar every year,"...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has again been named the beneficiary of America's Best Racing's Pre-Preakness Party, which will be held May 17 at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore. Tickets for the eighth annual event are $25, which includes one drink ticket, snacks, access to racing personalities and networking opportunities for race fans. There will also be a silent auction to benefit TAA and a handicapping contest. Tickets are available online at: www.eventbrite.com/e/8th-annual-pre-preakness-party-by-thoroughbred-aftercare-alliance-abr-tickets-596988597967