Maline to be Honored by Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners

Longtime Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Marty Maline will be honored by the Kentucky Thorougbhred Owners with the 2023 Warner L. Jones Jr. Horsemen of the Year Award.

For almost 47 years, until his Dec. 31 retirement, Maline worked to improve conditions for owners and trainers racing at Kentucky's Thoroughbred tracks in his role as executive director of the Kentucky HBPA. 

"The biggest part is that with the people I have known and respected who have received that award, it was very touching to me and I'm really honored that they would even consider me," Maline said. "Many, many years ago somebody told me 'This isn't your position; this is your life.' And he was right."

Maline will be feted at the KTO's annual awards dinner, Saturday Nov. 18 at the Kentucky Derby Museum. The cost is $150 per person, with cocktails at 6 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets or for more information, call Marlene Meyer at 502-458-5820. The deadline for reservations is Nov. 8.

Maline was the longest-serving Kentucky HBPA executive director.

"I don't know if anybody is going to be able to do what Marty did," said KTO president-elect Tom Drury, the veteran Kentucky-based trainer who was a tyke when Maline started at the Kentucky HBPA. "My gosh, when you think about the people he's helped, and the way he's helped the industry as a whole, I don't know anybody else who has had as much effect, especially in Kentucky, whether it's the racing itself or going to bat for us to get historical horse racing or just making sure the HBPA members on the backside were taken care of.

"Those are some big shoes to fill."

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners is an educational and social organization dedicated to the betterment of racing in the state. Membership is open not only to owners but anyone interested in the sport, including prospective owners. The Warner Jones award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion exemplified by Jones, who spent 50 years on the Churchill Downs board, including eight as chairman during the iconic track's resurgence. Jones was the inaugural KTO award winner in 1988, six years before his death.