Archive for the 'Business of sports' Category

Kentucky Derby marathoners are “juiced,” author says

Friday, March 13th, 2009

The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & miniMarathon is among the footraces featured in a new paperback, Great Races, Incredible Places: 100+ Fantastic runs Around the World, to be published in April.
In the “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” section of the book, author Kimi Puntillo says “southern hospitality and horse-racing are hallmarks” of both the Kentucky [...]

How good are they? Only the tape knows for sure

Friday, March 6th, 2009

The British Broadcasting Corp. is planning television coverage of the Alltech FEI European Championships in August at Windsor Castle.
For American riders who can’t travel to England this summer, the BBC images could be their best look at the competition before they face many of the same riders in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games at [...]

Keeneland isn’t racing to finish new master plan

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

If you’re waiting for Keeneland to roll out its new master plan, the racetrack’s president says hold your horses.
In August, Keeneland hired the architectural firm HOK Sport to develop a plan to expand the historic Lexington track to accommodate the larger crowds that had been coming to the races.
Nick Nicholson, Keeneland’s president and chief executive [...]

Steelers new owners have a Lexington connection

Friday, December 26th, 2008

Pittsburgh Steelers fans should get to know Royce Pulliam. He’s about to get connected with the best seats in Heinz Field, where the Steelers play their home games.
Here’s how it works.
Pulliam is the founder and chief executive of the Lexington-based Urban Active Fitness chain.
Urban Active is partially owned by Laurel Crown Partners LLC, a Los [...]

Fans can get fed without taking a hike at Rupp Arena

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

Imagine not having to leave your seat and stand in line to get food and drink during University of Kentucky games at Rupp Arena.
The Cats always make a big play when your back is turned and if you wait for halftime, the crowds are huge.
Collin Wallace and David Ward have got you covered.
They are co-founders [...]

Neiman paints eight in one, and “signs” both sides

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

LeRoy Neiman couldn’t attend Tuesday’s unveiling of his official painting for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games so he sent his “electrons,” as one speaker put it.
He sent a short video message that began: “I’m LeRoy Neiman and I’m a New York painter.”
That’s like saying “I’m Barack Obama and I’m an Illinois politician.”
At 87, Neiman [...]

Rain spoils Keeneland’s run for the record

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

The economy rained on Keeneland’s parade during the recent fall meet.
Betting, both on-track and via simulcasting, was down substantially, although attendance was strong.
Overall, 239,117 fans turned out from Oct. 3-25, only 179 short of last year’s record.
“If it hadn’t rained on Friday (the next to last day of the meet), we would have broken our [...]

McCorvey puts My Old Kentucky Home back on track

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

———————————————————–
Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, known for singing “God Bless America” at Yankee Stadium, thrilled guests at Ashford Stud outside Versailles during a party Saturday.
The Ryder Cup-related visit of Irish tourism minister Martin Cullen prompted the festivities, reports Herald-Leader Editor Linda Austin.
More than 100 guests dined under the stars at the Coolmore-owned horse farm on Irish [...]

NASCAR and Hunt Brothers Pizza: A heavenly partnership

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Like the old song says, “All the boys will sing and the girls will shout and the ladies they will all turn out” when the No. 66 Hunt Brothers Chevrolet rolls into Paris on Aug. 26 and Frankfort on Aug. 27.
Some will turn out to see a new addition to NASCAR racing while others will [...]

Counting down to laughter and World Equestrian Games

Friday, August 1st, 2008

Pearse Lyons is an Irishman.
“The Irish are the laziest men in the world,” he told the Kentucky Chamber’s Economic Summit and Annual Meeting on Tuesday.
(You could almost hear someone say, “How lazy are they?”)
“We always marry pregnant women,” he said, without missing a beat.
There was a twitter of laughter that quickly became a roar as [...]