Jockey Club Announces Election of Six Members

The Jockey Club announced Aug. 21 the election of six new members: Shannon Bishop Arvin, Gary Barber, Terry Finley, Pope McLean Jr., Jaime Roth, and Chuck Winner.

Shannon Bishop Arvin is a member of Stoll Keenon Ogden law firm in Lexington. Arvin represents many Thoroughbred organizations in the industry, including Keeneland Association, Breeders' Cup Limited, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. She also represents a number of prominent Thoroughbred farms. Arvin is board chair of Bluegrass Care Navigators (Hospice), past president of the Thoroughbred Club of America, and serves on the boards of Horse Country, the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Foundation, and The Lexington School.

Gary Barber, a native of South Africa, is chairman and chief executive officer of Spyglass Media Group and a longtime Thoroughbred owner. Horses he has owned or co-owned over the years include War of Will, Got Stormy, Wonder Gadot, Salty, Channel Maker, In Lingerie, The Deputy, Catch a Glimpse, Jack Milton , and Lexie Lou. Barber is the former chairman and CEO of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and co-founder of Spyglass Entertainment.

Terry Finley is president and CEO of West Point Thoroughbreds. Horses campaigned by West Point, or in partnership, include Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming  and grade 1 winners Awesome Gem, Flashy Bull, Macho Again, Ring Weekend, and Twilight Eclipse. Finley is on the board of directors for the Thoroughbred Charities of America, New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, and Belmont Child Care Association, and he's on the board of trustees for the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Pope McLean Jr. is co-owner of his family's 1,000-acre Crestwood Farm. Crestwood will enter its 50th year in 2020 and has bred and/or raised more than 270 stakes horses. As a breeder for more than 30 years, he has co-bred champion Xtra Heat and recent grade 1 winners Bowies Hero and Got Stormy. McLean serves on the board of the Keeneland Association and its executive committee. He is the former president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. He is also a Breeders' Cup member.  

Jaime Roth races horses under her family's LNJ Foxwoods Stable, which was founded in 2012. The stable was named OwnerView's New Owner of the Year in 2016. LNJ Foxwoods has campaigned graded stakes winners Covfefe, Nickname, Constellation, Dreamologist, and Fancy Dress Party. Roth serves on the board of directors for the Thoroughbred Charities of America. Her family established the Horses First Fund, which is administered by the TCA, to assist Thoroughbreds and their caretakers in need of emergency aid due to large-scale neglect, natural disaster, or other catastrophes.

Chuck Winner has served on the California Horse Racing Board since 2012 and as its chairman since 2013. He is also on the advisory board of the California Retirement Management Account. In partnership, he has campaigned graded stakes winners Magical Fantasy, La Force, Flamboyant, Domestic Dispute, I Want Revenge, Daytona, The Pamplemousse, Liberian Freighter, Fantastic Spain, and Walkslikeaduck. Winner is the founder of Winner & Associates, a public affairs and crisis communications firm; Winner & Mandabach Campaigns Political, a leading campaign management firm; and Winner Consulting Inc. 

Woodbine CEO Jim Lawson Appointed to The Jockey Club Safety Committee

Woodbine Entertainment (Woodbine) CEO Jim Lawson was appointed to The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee during the recent 2019 Round Table held in Saratoga Springs, New York. 

Lawson joins 10 other committee members from across the North American Thoroughbred horse racing industry and together will review and recommend action to improve safety throughout the sport. 

"Having been involved in horse racing my whole life and in leadership roles as a professional, I understand the role that safety plays in creating a long-term future for the sport," said Lawson. "Both horse racing purists and the general public demand to know that the sport they are supporting is safe for everyone involved. I look forward to the opportunity to work with the esteemed members of The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee to further its impact and reach."

Lawson's appointment to the committee is a recognition of Woodbine Entertainment's leadership and commitment to safety in horse racing. 

"As CEO of Woodbine racetrack, one of the safest racetracks in North America, Jim has demonstrated a commitment to safety and a willingness to change for the betterment of the sport, which will bring great value to the Safety Committee," said Jim Gagliano, President and COO of The Jockey Club. "We look forward to adding his perspective and fresh ideas to our discussions and meetings."

Woodbine operates Canada's largest racetracks including the site of the 2019 Breeders Crown, Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance accredited home to the Queen's Plate, Woodbine. 

Prior to being named the CEO of Woodbine Entertainment in May of 2015, Lawson served as chairman of the company's board of directors since 2012. During his time with Woodbine, the organization has spearheaded key safety and industry leadership initiatives including installing two race courses designed with participant safety at the forefront, while being instrumental in getting a historic funding agreement signed with the provincial government.

Additionally, Lawson is a member of the Ontario Racing Board of Directors, which includes safety implementation and advocacy within its mandate. 

The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee was formed in May 2008 to review every facet of equine health and to recommend actions the industry can take to improve the health and safety of Thoroughbreds. To date, many of the committee's 34 recommendations to the industry have been accepted into the ARCI model rules, and / or NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance code of standards.

The committee is comprised of Craig Fravel (Chairman), John Barr, Jimmy Bell, Dr. Larry Bramlage, Dell Hancock, Chris McCarron, and Dr. Hiram Polk in addition to the newest four members, Jim Lawson, Rick Arthur, D.G. Van Clief Jr., and Tommy Robbins.