Ben Huffman

The 150th GI Kentucky Derby scheduled for Saturday, May 4 will be the richest in history as the purse for America's greatest race has been elevated to a guaranteed $5 million, Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI) said in a release Wednesday. The $2 million increase to the race highlights a record-setting, 50-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $25.6 million for Churchill Downs' 2024 Spring Meet, which will be run over 43 dates from April 27-June 30/ The Derby purse structure was the subject of a Chris McGrath TDN interview with John Sikura,...

Ben Huffman, Vice President of Racing for Churchill Downs Racetrack and Racing Secretary at Keeneland Race Course, is the 2022 recipient of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award. He will be honored at the Louisville-based KTO's 34th annual awards gala Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Kentucky Derby Museum. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing. "It is incredibly special and humbling to be honored with this prestigious award that honors a horseman I greatly admired," Huffman said.

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit have been established for the upcoming meets at Churchill Downs ($120,000 in the first condition book), Ellis Park ($50,000 through July and August) and Kentucky Downs ($150,000 for seven days in September). Those figures were revealed by representatives of those tracks Tuesday during a video meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee. Ben Huffman, the vice president of racing and racing secretary at Churchill Downs, also confirmed that the newly installed turf course in Louisville...

An open letter to Ben Huffman, Chris Polzin, Dan Bork, and Tyler Picklesimer, racing secretaries at CD & KEE, IND, ELP and KD, respectively-- The Thoroughbred racing industry continues to demonstrate its willingness to embrace technology, innovation and transparency for the long-term good of the sport. Our recent flagship events and race meets have been a credit to the sport-- a phenomenal product showcasing the equine and human stars and stories, and generating record handle. There is national TV exposure that we could have once only dreamed of. History will...

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program (EIP), in conjunction with Horse Racing Nation, released its free Fall 2021 speaker series, which will be held in person this year on the UofL campus. The series includes panel discussions on the "Super Card" trend in racing and growing racing through diversity and inclusion. The final event in the series will be an interview with Houston business owner, philanthropist and horse owner Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. The events will be held from 5:30-6:45p.m., and will be broadcast live on the Horse Racing...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races on the Kentucky circuit are projected to push past the $100,000 mark both during GI Kentucky Derby week at Churchill Downs and in September at the Kentucky Downs all-turf meet. In addition, Kentucky Downs plans to expand its stakes program to include two new $1 million races in 2021, giving the venue a total of three stakes at that level. (Read more details here). Ben Huffman, the director of racing at Churchill Downs, confirmed during a video meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred...

Two days after Keeneland Association and Red Mile announced they would be shutting their joint historical horse racing (HHR) venture at the Lexington harness racino while imploring the Kentucky legislature to provide "more clarity" regarding the disputed legal status of HHR, Vince Gabbert, Keeneland's vice president and chief operating officer, was called upon during the Jan. 26 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) teleconference to explain why that decision was made in the absence of any formal order from state officials to cease HHR, which is ongoing at other licensed locations...

Projected autumn purse levels for maiden special weight races on the Kentucky circuit were revealed during a video meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee on Tuesday. Ben Huffman, director of racing at Churchill Downs, said, "We're going to have two [MSW] purses. We're going to supercharge [GI Kentucky] Derby week, like we've been doing. And that maiden purse Derby week is going to be $97,000. The remaining nine days are going to be $75,000." Churchill had closed out its spring/summer season at the $79,000 level for...

Churchill Downs Racetrack officials have announced that opening day of the 2020 Spring Meet will be Saturday, May 16. After opening weekend on May 16-17, racing at the historic Louisville racetrack will be staged Thursdays through Sundays with a special holiday Monday card on Memorial Day, May 25. Post time for the first race each day will be 1 p.m. (all times Eastern). Vice President of Racing Ben Huffman is crafting a condition book for the schedule of races, including a revised stakes schedule, and it is expected to be...

Officials at the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association have announced the election of Brant Laue as chairman of the TOBA Board of Trustees. Also joining Laue on the Board are members Marshall Gramm (Ten Strike Racing), Stephanie Hronis (Hronis Racing) and Jason Loutsch (Albaugh Family Racing). "I am honored to serve as Chairman of TOBA, with its long history of representing the interests of owners and breeders," Laue said. "Working with our members and industry partners, we look forward to continued progress on the opportunities and challenges facing our industry."...