Keeneland and TVG Broaden Relationship Via New Racing and Sales Initiatives

By Amy Gregory —-

LEXINGTON, KY (March 14, 2019) – Keeneland and TVG officials today introduced several new initiatives on the racing and sales fronts that further enhance the long partnership enjoyed by the race track and racing network.

Beginning with the Thursday, April 4, opening day of the Spring Meet, TVG racing analysts Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton will host “Today at Keeneland,” the track’s live, on-site preview show, and provide expert commentary in the Paddock between races. Additionally, Hazelton and TVG host Christina Blacker will assist the Keeneland sales team with recruitment and relationship management services for buyers and sellers at Keeneland’s four annual auctions.

“TVG is part of the extended Keeneland family, and we are excited to welcome Gabby, Scott and Christina in their expanded roles,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. “Keeneland has successfully partnered with TVG since 1996, and we look forward to continuing to call upon their expertise in promoting Keeneland and Thoroughbred racing.”

Gaudet, Hazelton and Blacker each come from longstanding racing families.

Gabby Gaudet recently assumed a year-round role with TVG, covering racing at premier meets around the country. She served as Racing Analyst and Reporter for the Maryland Jockey Club while in her senior year at Towson University and later worked for the New York Racing Association and covered racing in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Canada and at Royal Ascot. Gabby’s parents, Linda and the late Eddie Gaudet, were longtime trainers in the Mid-Atlantic area, where her sister, Lacey Gaudet, trains. Gabby is married to trainer Norm Casse.

Scott Hazelton’s father, Richard Hazelton, won more than 4,700 races during a training career that spanned over 60 years. A graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Scott has covered horse racing since 2004, first at HRTV and later with TVG. He has been part the broadcast team coverage of the Triple Crown, Dubai World Cup (G1) and Royal Ascot.

An accomplished show jumper and avid horsewoman, Christina Olivares Blacker is the daughter of jockey Frank Olivares. Following graduation from USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Christina began working for HRTV in 2004 as a weekend reporter and features producer and joined TVG as a full-time on-camera reporter in 2006. For three seasons, she hosted “Lady Luck,” an original program focusing on women’s perspectives of racing. She has anchored coverage of the Fall Stars meet at Belmont Park, Monmouth Park Elite Meet, Eclipse Awards and Keeneland sales. She also has covered racing on-site from Del Mar, Saratoga and Gulfstream Park. Internationally, Christina serves as the American correspondent for “Luck on Sunday,” an original program broadcast on Racing TV in the United Kingdom. Christina is married to trainer Dan Blacker.

“We are very excited to be adding these new elements to Keeneland’s and TVG’s longstanding business partnership and our entire team looks forward to our expanded, enhanced coverage of Keeneland racing and sales and the people who make it such a special place,” said Kevin Grigsby, Executive Producer and VP of Television at TVG.

TVG will provide daily live, on-site coverage of Keeneland’s Spring Meet, to be held April 4-26. On opening day, Thursday, April 4, TVG coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET; the first post is 3 p.m. TVG coverage begins at noon for the remainder of the meet, when the first post is 1:05 p.m.

“Today at Keeneland,” a 30-minute live program beginning at 11:30 a.m. on race days, previews the day’s card for on-track and simulcast patrons and includes handicapping picks and discussion of horses of interest. The program will air nationally on TVG2, locally on The CW Lexington and WKYT.com and stream live on Keeneland.com, Keeneland Select and Facebook Live. “Today at Keeneland” is based at Wagering Central on the first floor Grandstand, where fans are welcome to watch the live program.

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For more than 80 years, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. The world’s largest Thoroughbred auction house, Keeneland conducts four sales a year, in January, April, September and November, and its sales graduates dominate racing globally at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 2015 and will hold the event again in 2020. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a private, for-profit corporation that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses and millions of dollars donated in support of horse industry initiatives and charitable contributions for education, research and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. To learn more, visit Keeneland.com.