Home » Gov. Bevin Appoints 3 Members to Horse Racing Commission

Gov. Bevin Appoints 3 Members to Horse Racing Commission

Frankfort, Ky. (June 3, 2016) — Gov. Matt Bevin today announced three additional members to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC). The latest appointments bring the newly established commission to full capacity with 15 members.

KHRC Executive Director Marc A. Guilfoil said the new commissioners bring added expertise to an already talented group of commissioners.

“I’m excited to have this group of individuals — who all love the sport of racing — come together to work for the continued prominence of Kentucky’s horse racing industry,” said Guilfoil.

The new members are:

Dr. Foster Northrop, DVM
Northrop is a graduate of the University of Georgia and UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. Northrop is an equine veterinarian with his own practice, practicing primarily on thoroughbred racehorses at Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Palm Meadows (Boynton Beach, Florida). He serves on the American Association of Equine Practitioners Racing Committee and previously served on the Grayson Jockey Club Research Advisory Committee.

Kiki Courtelis
Courtelis is a business graduate of Barry University. She was formerly involved in the training and raising of champion Arabian show horses and later evolved into one of the elite thoroughbred breeding and racing organizations in the United States. Courtelis, as the CEO of Town and Country Farms, presides over all aspects of the farm, including breeding, racing, public and private sales, investment opportunities and farm operations.

James Gatewood Bell, Jr.
Bell is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a degree in finance. He is a bloodstock consultant with Cromwell Bloodstock, specializing in auctions, matings/seasons and shares, appraisals, bloodstock consulting, racehorse and breeding management and pinhooking partnerships. Among his successes is the discovery of Undrafted, millionaire and Royal Ascot winner. Bell, born and raised in the thoroughbred business, has previously worked for Nicoma Bloodstock and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

In late April, the governor revamped the horse racing commission, appointing 12 members. Those appointees included:

Chairman – Franklin S. Kling, Jr.
Kling received his B.A. in accounting from Thomas More College and is chairman and CEO of FK Holdings, Inc., a multi-state/multi-national holding company specializing in the design, importation and distribution of home fashion products to major retailers in the United States and Canada. Kling has served on several business and community boards and organizations, including Thomas More College and is a thoroughbred breeder and a licensed thoroughbred owner.

Vice Chairman – John C. Roach
Roach is a partner in the Lexington, Kentucky law firm of Ransdell Roach & Royse PLLC. He received his undergraduate degree at Washington and Lee University, and graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law. He served as a Justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court. He has represented several domestic and foreign clients in all aspects of thoroughbred breeding and racing.

Dr. Stuart E. Brown, II, DVM
Brown received his B.A. from Transylvania University and DVM from Tuskegee University, College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a partner in the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and specializes in the area of equine reproduction. Brown serves on numerous committees, including a board member of American Association of Equine Practitioners/Liason, AAEP Racing Committee, vice-chairman of Gluck Equine Research Foundation and a member of Equine Drug Research Council.

Kerry T. Cauthen
Cauthen is a third-generation horseman and managing partner of Four Star Sales LLC, a leading thoroughbred consignment. Cauthen received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Kentucky and practiced equine law with the firm Wyatt, Tarrant, and Combs. He later joined Johnny Walmac, David Greathouse and Dan Kenny to form Four Star Sales, which remains his primary business. Cauthen owns, breeds and races thoroughbreds. He is a member of several boards and organizations involved in all aspects of the thoroughbred industry.

Patrick A. Day
Day was born in Colorado and raised in a ranching/farming community. Day’s riding career began in 1973 and has had many racing successes, including winning national riding titles in 1982, 1983 and 1984 and the Kentucky Derby in 1992. Day is a retired member of the Jockey’s Guild, president of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America and has been involved in ministry work since 1984.

Douglas A. Hendrickson:
Hendrickson is president of Limestone Associates, a real estate group located in Maysville. He is a thoroughbred owner and breeder for over 25 years. He was the chairman of the initial Breeders’ Incentive Fund Committee and is a former vice chair of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia with a graduate degree from Rutgers University/ABA and serves on numerous public and private boards and foundations.

Gerald W. Holt
Holt graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Masters Rank I. Holt brings geographic diversity and representation for small breeders and racing stables. He has more than 40 years of experience as an owner and breeder in the thoroughbred business. Holt is a member of the Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association as well as a member of River Pointe Church. He is a retired educator of 28 years.

Lesley Ann May Howard
Howard has a degree in accounting from the University of Kentucky and was integral in the startup thoroughbred venture of Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke, later named Stonestreet Farm. Currently, Howard is the general manager of the operation and serves on the board of the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center as well as a member of various organizations including TOBA, Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Manager’s Club and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Kenneth A. Jackson
Jackson is an owner/partner of Kentuckiana Farms and Lexington Selected Sales Company. He was an original member of the United States Trotting Association Blue Ribbon Breeders Committee, a former chairman of the executive committee of American Championship Harness Series and is a founding member of the North American Standardbred Breeders Association. He currently serves on the Bluegrass Sports Commission and the TOBA Sales Integrity Task Force. Jackson graduated from both the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, with degrees in finance and law.

Brereton C. Jones, Jr.
Jones is a graduate of The University of the South (Sewanee) and an alumnus of the Irish National Stud Breeding Course. He has been a fulltime employee at Airdrie Stud since 2006. Involved in all aspects of Airdrie’s bloodstock services, he helps head the Airdrie sales team at public auctions and oversees the farm’s advertising campaigns. A Breeders’ Cup director since 2011, and a trustee for The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Foundation, Jones has also served on the steering committee of Vision 2020.

Dr. J. David Richardson, MD
Richardson received his M.D. degree from the University of Kentucky and did his general surgery and thoracic surgery residencies at the University of Texas in San Antonio. He is chief of surgery and director of emergency surgical services at University Hospital, and vice-chair of the Department of Surgery. Richardson is a renowned surgeon and has served on multiple distinguished boards. In 2015, he was named president of the American College of Surgeons, which has over 85,000 surgeon members. Richardson serves as chair of the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders of America, Breeders’ Cup board of directors and is a member of The Jockey Club. He served two terms as president of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and has chaired the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund Advisory Committee. Richardson has horses in training as well as a commercial breeding operation.

Mark Simendinger
Simendinger has a degree in accounting from the University of Notre Dame. He has served as general manager of Kentucky Speedway since it was acquired by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He is the former president of Turfway Park Race Course and has owned and bred several thoroughbreds in partnership with Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen.