Repole Launches New Alliance Aimed at Improving Racing

Whatever anyone wants to say about Mike Repole, he is definitely one to put his money where his mouth is.

The outspoken owner and billionaire announced Oct. 26 he was resurrecting the National Thoroughbred Association and self-funding and renaming it the National Thoroughbred Alliance with the goal of bringing various horse racing industry groups together to analyze and discuss problems within the sport and find solutions.

"I want this to be an 'alliance' not a club or association because clubs and associations are exclusive or you have to pay to join them or be voted in. The Alliance is inclusive and it's what is missing in the game. There's no one looking at the game holistically or as one brand. No one has a vision for what's going on," said Repole who runs Repole Stable. "This will be a shared vision. Not Mike Repole's vision. It's about unity and getting people to work together.

"How do we save horse racing? This is it."

Repole, who said during an hour-long talk with reporters that he would be willing to spend millions on the venture, was impressed with the NTA that was championed by Fred Pope for a short period some 30 years ago. He added that he has spoken with the 78-year-old Pope about this new incarnation of the failed entity and listed him as a co-founder of the current group.

Pat Cummings, head of the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, was introduced Thursday as the executive director of the NTA with a promise that several more individuals will be brought on board as full-time employees.

Repole said Thursday's announcement is a first step.

"There is no vision in horse racing," Repole said Thursday. "On top of that, there's no strategy. You can survive with no vision but a strategy but you can't survive without vision and strategy. The NTA wants to come together and work with other people in the industry and engage with them. Pat and I will engage everyone and start talking about what they are seeing and how we can help the entire game.

"We are not here to be a threat to The Jockey Club, or the Breeders' Cup, or (Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association). We want to work with the (leaders) of this industry and some of these conversations have already taken place."

Repole said the NTA also intends to work closely with the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority.

"We want to work with HISA on the things we think we need and give them education on things that might be a little different to tracks, owners, trainers, jockeys; and give them a better understanding of some issues," Repole said.

While Repole did not outline any specific industry changes he envisions and said that discussion will happen in the future, the NTA faces similar challenges that Pope's group faced—a lack of authority. While he and Cummings will meet and talk with industry leaders and seek input from anyone on the industry's challenges, the TRA lacks the authority to implement any changes. But Cummings sees opportunity.

Cummings, in his think tank with the Thoroughbred Idea Foundation, acknowledged that situation and spoke of taking a slow approach in remedying problems.

"I faced a lot of the same issues in starting the (TIF) and a lot of the same questions, how will it work, how will you get things accomplished with absolutely no power? The answer is like the ages-old question of how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time," Cummings said. "There is no blueprint for change in a space that hasn't changed in years. You start with one paper, one phone call, one meeting, one handshake, one Zoom call at a time. You just have to start."

Cummings said anyone interested in working for the NTA should contact him at careers@globalracingsolutions.com.

Repole said the goal in forming a board of directors will be finding people who "want to make a difference in the sport.

"I want there to be a sport for my 8-year-old daughter and the 80-year-old trainer," Repole said.