University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program’s Golden 50th Anniversary Shines Bright in Another Successful Global Symposium on Racing
The 50th Global Symposium on Racing hosted by The University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) proudly came to a close after three days of panels and multiple pre-conference sessions. The event, held from December 9 – 11, 2024, connected over 650 industry professionals from around the globe to engage in discussions of pressing issues and explore the many opportunities waiting to be taken by the horse racing community.
This year’s renewal began with a special visit from The University of Arizona Men’s Basketball head coach Tommy Lloyd followed by a strongly delivered message from keynote speaker Louis Cella highlighting the importance of working together for the good of the sport and bringing everyone to the table. The first day of panels included a look at how advances in artificial intelligence can and is being harnessed to protect equine welfare, improve wagering experiences, and offer new tools and insights that could change how the sport operates in a meaningful way. In the afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to listen in on a conversation between Amy Zimmerman, Bob Baffert, and Todd Pletcher as they explored the daily life challenges and commitment required to find success in racing and provided updates on their current and possibly future champions.
One of the highlight panels of this year’s symposium was Fifty Ideas in 50 Minutes where panelists were put on the clock with a 60 second countdown to share their idea and sell it to the audience. The timer kept the ideas and energy flowing.
Throughout the symposium, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unit (HIWU) played a prominent role. Notable sessions included a pre-conference workshop on Monday, tailored for state regulators and stewards. On Tuesday, HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus took a moment to reflect on where HISA started, their 2024 accomplishments and their vision and goals moving forward as they seek to implement new technology to assist regulatory veterinarians and racing officials. In the afternoon, members of HISA’s Next Generation Advisory Group took to the stage with Donna Brothers to discuss the state of racing and the views of how to bring horse racing to new, younger audiences. On the final day, HIWU took to the stage to share how their departments work together and with outside experts to implement effective testing and investigations strategies to achieve their mission of integrity, safety, and welfare.
Panels of diverse topics were found throughout the symposium including a look at racing from our international counterparts, racing success stories, an engaging presentation on sports marketing strategies, a conversation about securing the future of our retired racehorses, biosecurity strategies for racetracks and farms, evolving wagering to stay competitive, and how to structure handicapping contests to enhance a bettors experience while producing bottom line results for racetracks.
Highlighting Tuesday's events were the presentation of RTIP and industry awards. Awards included the Big Sport of Turfdom winner, Ken McPeek, and the recipient of the Clay Puett Award, Dora Delgado. To honor the RTIP’s many successful graduates, the John K. Goodmand Alumni Award was awarded to all RTIP Alumni. Ending on a high note was the presentation of the Colleges of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences Alumnus of the Year award given to RTIP Alumni and Hall of Fame Trainer, Todd Pletcher.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Global Symposium on Racing is already generating anticipation. Scheduled to take place at Loews Ventana Canyon from December 8–10, the event promises to build on the success of this year's symposium. Hotel and registration details for the 2025 symposium will be available on the official website, www.racingsymposium.com in June.