Keeneland has further strengthened its commitment to the safety of its equine and equestrian athletes in advance of its fall meeting by hiring well-known equestrian athlete Dr. George Mundy as director of horse safety and Jim Pendergest, general manager of the Thoroughbred Center (TTC) and longtime racetrack professional, as director of racing surfaces. Both positions are recent and include Keeneland and TTC.
“Dr. George Mundy and Jim Pendergest bring invaluable racetrack expertise to the Keeneland team and they reinforce our commitment to the safety and well-being of our horses and riders, which is our top priority,” said Bill Thomason, President and CEO of Keeneland.
“Keeneland is committed to providing the safest racing environment possible and we hold ourselves to the highest standards. The addition of these two positions strengthens our established security practices and our leadership commitment to further reform.”
As Director of Horse Safety, Dr. Develop, communicate and enforce Mundy security and integrity policies. Review all racing-related accidents with the goal of prevention. Evaluate relevant research on equine health and safety; and proactively share best practices with the racing community and the public.
“Throughout my career as a veterinarian, my primary responsibility has been to care for the horse,” said Dr. Mundy. “My position at Keeneland is a continuation of that responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of the horse.”
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Dr. Mundy, who received his DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College, has extensive veterinary practice experience for thoroughbred farms and racetracks, was formerly chief veterinarian for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, was a veterinary consultant for Breeders' Cup Ltd. and has served on committees for the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Racing Commissioners International. He has also authored numerous research papers on musculoskeletal racing injuries in Thoroughbreds, medications and infectious diseases.
Jim Pendergest
During Pendergest's 19-year tenure at Keeneland, he has overseen extensive renovations to the main track, including the installation of the all-weather surface in 2006 and the sand surface in 2014. He brings extensive experience to his role as director of racing surfaces, overseeing the installation of six racetracks , ten training tracks and approximately 20 horse arenas in the USA and Canada.
“It is an honor to be selected to take on this recent role for Keeneland,” said Pendergest. “We have a great team at Keeneland whose first concern is the safety of our riders and horses. Together, we are leveraging all available technology and data to assist us in this mission as we move closer to the fall meeting.”
Pendergest will continue to serve as General Manager of TTC in addition to his duties as Director of Racing Surfaces.
Keeneland has invested significantly over the years in state-of-the-art technology to provide the most consistent racing surfaces possible and in initiatives that advance health and welfare research for the benefit of horse and rider. funded aftercare initiatives for Thoroughbreds; and was one of the first to participate in databases that track injuries to horses and jockeys to promote transparency and study.
Along with other tracks in Kentucky, Keeneland recently asked the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to make changes to horse medication protocols and medical record reporting and to enhance staffing to provide additional oversight.
“Our primary focus is the safety of our athletes and horses,” Thomason said. “We believe these additional measures build on our longstanding commitment to safety and will continue to provide the atmosphere our guests and community deserve and expect.”
Keeneland's fall meeting is October 4-26.
