Lukas to be Keynote Speaker at HBPA Convention in March

D. Wayne Lukas will be the keynote speaker at the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association's convention in March in Hot Springs, Ark.  

"When we seek out our keynote speaker, we look for inspiration and passion," said National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback. "Not only do we get that in spades with D. Wayne Lukas, but his overall legacy is unmatched in horse racing. 

"Yet it's not only that Wayne has impacted so many aspects of racing with his well-known accomplishments and vision. He also has been an extraordinary ambassador for our industry in so many unpublicized and behind-the-scenes ways. There's no telling how many little kids will become diehard racing enthusiasts because D. Wayne invited them into the winner's circle after one of his victories." 

Lukas will address the convention March 2, the first full day of the HBPA convention at Oaklawn Park. Details on registration and agenda will be available soon at nationalhbpa.com. The convention, staged in Oaklawn's new hotel overlooking the track's first turn, begins March 1 with a cocktail reception at the track, with program sessions March 2-4, with the March 4 session in the morning and followed by an afternoon at the races. The HBPA's full board convenes March 5 to wrap up the event.  

"This is a step forward for me to be involved in a horsemen's association as strong as the HBPA," said Lukas. "I'm looking forward to it. I'll try to stimulate them and give the attendees a good feeling as to where we're going and what's about to happen. All of my speeches try to influence people as to what their capabilities are and how to enjoy them. 

"I'm 86. Very few men or women in that room will be 86. So I've been where they haven't: I've been 45, 50, 60, 70 and they haven't. I want to bring that experience—good and bad—about our industry to the table." 

The HBPA convention also will include legal topics and discussions centering on the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act. Through current litigation, the HBPA opposes HISA. Convention topics also include crisis-management recommendations; creating positive interactions with local, state, and federal representatives; using guest-worker visa programs; fixed odds in American racing, and the annual Kent Stirling Memorial Medication Panel, which will address the need for screening limits. 

Also: Louis Cella, president of Oaklawn, will address the assembly March 4; the HBPA's Claiming Horse of the Year for 2021 will be honored; and Oaklawn and the Arkansas HBPA will host an afternoon at the races March 4 for conference participants. 

"The HBPA convention is designed to provide or work toward solutions for complex issues facing the industry, while also sharing information and programs that make a difference," Hamelback said. "We can't thank Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort management and staff and the Arkansas HBPA enough for all their assistance in staging what we are proud to call one of the industry's most informative gatherings."