Battaglia Named KTO's Horseman of the Year
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Mike Battaglia, America's best-known track oddsmaker, handicapper, and racing analyst, has been named to receive the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners' Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year Award.
Battaglia will be honored Nov. 21 at the KTO's 28th annual awards gala at Big Spring Country Club in Louisville. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding contributions to Kentucky racing and sharing the passion for the industry exemplified by its namesake, the founder of Hermitage Farm who spent 50 years on the Churchill Downs board, including eight as chairman.
Battaglia, a lifelong Kentuckian, has authored the morning line for Churchill and Keeneland since 1974 and was the oddsmaker at Latonia (now Turfway Park) before that. He was Churchill's track announcer from the fall of 1977 through 1996 and continues to call the races at Turfway, a post he began in 1972.
Battaglia's warm personality, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge long have made him a go-to analyst for the Kentucky and national media, as well a reporter and analyst for NBC broadcasts for 21 years. He came into the sport early, as the son of the late John Battaglia, the influential track manager who created Turfway's Spiral Stakes as a major Kentucky Derby (gr. I) prep and pioneered night racing in Kentucky, along with turning his sons at an early age into oddsmakers and handicappers.
"I had a lot of respect for Warner Jones. This is a big honor to me," Battaglia said. "Two people were so instrumental in my success—my father and (veteran NBC broadcaster) Tom Hammond. I'm accepting this reward on behalf of myself and my father. He did so much for Kentucky racing and Kentucky horsemen. This is not just a tribute to me, but also to my father."
Jones was the inaugural winner in 1988, six years before his death.
Cocktails begin at 6 p.m. EST with dinner at 7 p.m.. Tickets are available for $125, including dinner and drinks, by contacting Marlene Meyer at 502-458-5820. Hall of Fame sports journalist Billy Reed is the emcee.