Global Symposium on Racing Speaker: Jay Hovdey
Jay Hovdey is a five-time Eclipse Award winner whose work over the past four decades has appeared in a variety of publications, including Daily Racing Form, Thoroughbred Racing Commentary, and BloodHorse Magazine, along with Smithsonian Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Reader’s Digest, Pacemaker, the Racing Times.
He was a staff writer for the HBO racing series “Luck,” created by David Milch, and wrote the narration for the documentary “Laffit Pincay: All About Winning,” produced and directed by Oscar winner Jim Wilson. Hovdey’s books include “Whittingham: A Thoroughbred Racing Legend,” “Cigar: America’s Horse,” “Well Armed: A Thoroughbred of Destiny,” and “The Oak Tree Story,” published in 2025, as well as a collection of columns in “Long Rein: Tales from the World of Horse Racing.”
In 2012, Hovdey was named to the Joe Hirsch Media Honor Roll of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., taking his place alongside the likes of Charles Hatton, Red Smith, Steven Crist, and Joe Palmer. He also was honored by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters Association with the Walter Haight Award for career excellence. In addition, Hovdey serves on the Nominating Committee of the Racing Hall of Fame.
Hovdey is a native Californian married to retired Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone. They collaborated on the book “One Sweet Ride: Julie Krone, Candy Ride and the Pacific Classic,” as well as their daughter, Lorelei Krone, a college theater major.