The BloodHorse and the Breeders’ Cup have combined forces to sponsor a new symposium this week that will focus the attention of the horse racing industry on sports wagering. The event, titled Sports Wagering and the Impact on Horse Racing, takes place on September 6 at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion. Delegates can expect a ‘town hall’ format with sessions dedicated to economics, the consumer and politics.

The nine-strong list of confirmed speakers comprises Greg Means of the Alpine Group; Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the American Gaming Association; John Hindman, general counsel for Fan Duel/TVG;Bill Knaulf, vice president of business operations for Monmouth Park; Dan Spillane, senior vice president for league governance and policy with the NBA; Damon Thayer, majority floor leader for the Kentucky Senate; Victor Bigio, consultant, sports betting business development with Sportech; Ed Hannah, vice chairman of the Stronach Group; and Daniel Shapiro, vice president of strategy and business development with William Hill.

Speaking in the publication America’s Best Racing, Breeders’ Cup chief marketing officer Bryan Pettigrew explained the rationale behind the symposium. He said: “Earlier in the year when the Supreme Court decision came down, if you were at a conference, that was what everyone was talking about and we thought now is the time to get our industry talking and collaborating on ideas about how to embrace sports wagering.”

“Too many times in this sport we move slowly and miss out on ideas and we thought it would be best to work together on this as soon as possible, so (BloodHorse editorial director) John Keitt and (Breeders’ Cup president and CEO) Craig Fravel got together. They understood this is a time when racing needs to be in the forefront with collaboration rather than remain in the background, and they worked together to create this symposium.”