The People Behind Preakness
by Katherine O. Rizzo T e Preakness Stakes is by far the most
widely telecast equestrian event in the state of Maryland. T e middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness is know as “T e People’s Party” mainly because traditionally, it was the only race in the series that allowed spectators to watch from the infi eld. Today, 138 years later, the race day has turned into a must-see event spanning several weeks. Bringing the Preakness, and Friday’s Black-
Eyed Susan day, to life takes a huge team of people, many more than we are able to write about in this issue. Here are just a few of the key players behind the Preakness. Stay tuned for more faces and more stories in future issues and we hope to see you at Pimlico in the coming weeks!
Georganne Hale–Director of Racing Georganne Hale in no stranger to horse
racing. She was the fi rst woman in the state of Maryland to hold the position of paddock judge and in the summer of 1987 she became the fi rst woman to serve as racing secretary when she took over Timonium’s 10- day meet. In 2000, Georganne was promoted to racing secretary at Pimlico and Laurel, becoming the fi rst woman in history to fi ll that position at a major track. A year later, Georganne moved into the position of the Maryland Jockey Club’s Director of Racing. Regarding Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness
days, Georganne says her job is “getting the best horses and most horses for those two days of racing. T ose two days carry us for the whole year.” Many people do not realize that horses that run in the Kentucky Derby are not automatically entered in the Preakness Stakes. And although the Pimlico grounds are being prepared for Preakness at the start of the year, Georganne stated, “My job really starts as soon as the Derby ends.” At that point, Georganne is on the phone with trainers getting horses entered in not only the Preakness Stakes, but also all the race day cards for both days. “A lot of times we hear about the Derby horses through the media but the trainers still have to offi cially enter the horses,” she added.
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580
Karin DeFrancis–Maryland Jockey Club & Preakness Consultant
Karin DeFrancis has a long history with
Pimlico and the Maryland Jockey Club and was a former co-owner until 2007. Since then, Karin has continued to be heavily involved with Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness days as a consultant who wears many hats. “I’m proud and honored to be a part of this team,” she said. One of her biggest responsibilities is being a promoter and organizer of the infi eld concerts and this year, she and I.M.P. Inc. brought the Goo Goo Dolls in as the headliners of the fi rst-ever Preakness eve concert. “Black-Eyed Susan Day is the second biggest day in Maryland racing and it gives the track an international stage to be showcased on,” Karin stated. And over the years, this international stage has married high-quality music with high-quality horses, making for a complete weekend celebration. T e fi rst People’s Pink Party on the infi eld during Black-Eyed Susan Day was in 2010, and since then, the day has grown considerably in popularity and thus the lineup for the day has also grown. “We have a very competitive card for racing that day and the whole weekend brings people from all over the world into Baltimore and its surrounding areas,” Karin added. With an overall plan to continue to maximize the day, Karin and her crew responded to the positive feedback gained from Preakness day concerts and added the Preakness eve concert. To read more about the various concerts, see “Black-Eyed Susan & Preakness Preview” in this issue. After all the planning and organizing are
fi nished, and the two days of racing actually come into play, Karin can be seen everywhere, serving as hostess, putting out fi res and responding to customer needs.
Mike Gathagan–Vice President, Communications
If you follow the Maryland Jockey Club on
Twitter or Facebook, or subscribe to MJC’s newsletters and press releases, then Mike Gathagan is a name you will recognize, as all of the above comes out of his offi ce. And it may seem that Mike is the guy who does
it all but he will be the fi rst one to tell you “it’s a team eff ort.” From working with owners, trainers and jockeys to keeping the press happy but in line, broadcasting the Preakness Stakes to the world takes a village. Prep work for that one weekend starts right
after the beginning of the year and by April, all hotel rooms are booked and the people who will be physically on the grounds are hired. And all the hard work pays off as Mike stated, “they [horsemen] come in here and say we are the best of the three [Triple Crown venues].”
Phoebe Hayes–Director of Horsemen’s Relations
Phoebe Hayes’ offi cial title is Director of Horsemen’s Relations, but she fi lls many slots when it comes to Pimlico. From organizing transportation for owners and trainers to engraving trophies and getting them to the right people, Phoebe is kept busy year-round. In addition to keeping the horsemen happy and coming back to Pimlico, Phoebe also works with publicity and fan education. A few years ago, Phoebe started the Racing
101 forum, an all-day, all-exclusive backstage pass to what goes on at Pimlico on race days. T e day includes talks with trainers, veterinarians, race stewards, jockeys and more. Participants get a fi rst-hand look into the daily training of a racehorse and what it takes to actually start a race, and then enjoy lunch overlooking the track. And that is just the short summary. “T e track is such a unique atmosphere and being able to add more knowledge to those who come makes the experience even that much better,” Phoebe said, adding, “educating the public is what I love most about this job.” Phoebe also works closely with other events held at Pimlico including Chasin’ for Children, the Maryland Million and the Totally T oroughbred Horse Show. During Preakness week, Phoebe’s staff of
two (Phoebe and an assistant) turns into a staff of 55. “We handle all the stakes barn hospitality, book about 500 hotel rooms, hire a fl eet of people to transport owners and trainers, organize an exclusive horsemen’s tent in the Corporate Village plus a couple of dining rooms…” explained Phoebe, continuing on with a very, very long list. “We take care of these folks,” she added, which is incredibly important for keeping owners and guests investing in the sport of T oroughbred racing. And once Preakness is over, Phoebe has to make sure
continued... MAY 2013 | THE EQUIERY | 41
Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club 872919-130513
Katherine O. Rizzo
Katherine O. Rizzo
Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104