Thoroughbred owner and NBC Sports horse racing and hockey analyst Eddie Olczyk will deliver the keynote address at OwnerView’s third Thoroughbred Owner Conference at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.
OwnerView, the Thoroughbred owner resource developed by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), is hosting the conference October 31 – November 3, 2016, the same week as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The presenting sponsors are Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland and The Stronach Group.
The conference, once again, is designed to educate, inform and entertain new, prospective and current Thoroughbred owners through a series of panels and social events.
The keynote speakers at the first two Thoroughbred owner conferences were golfer Gary Player and radio personality Jim Rome. A video of Rome’s emotional presentation detailing his Thoroughbred ownership experience has been downloaded more than 5,500 times.
“Like Gary Player and Jim Rome, Eddie Olczyk maintains a deep passion for this sport and he will be sharing the perspectives of an owner, fan and broadcaster to this conference,” said James L. Gagliano, president and chief operating officer of The Jockey Club. “We are extremely honored to have him as our keynote speaker, especially with the hectic schedule he has for Breeders’ Cup Week.”
The panels for this conference include business considerations for racehorse ownership; Breeders’ Cup winning owners, jockeys, and trainers; and a session about feature films with racing as a backdrop. Among the panelists are Richard Mandella, Art Sherman, Gary Stevens, Mike Smith, Laffit Pincay Jr., Dean Reeves, Barbara Banke, and John Amerman.
As an added bonus, on behalf of the Breeders’ Cup, registration will include one Grandstand Reserved seating ticket for both Breeders’ Cup World Championships racing days on November 4 and 5.
Olczyk played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), winning a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. Following his playing career, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins game broadcasts for Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh and provided analysis for ESPN, ESPN2 and NHL Radio. He served as head coach of the Penguins from 2003 to 2005.
In the course of his NHL career, Olczyk scored 342 goals and recorded 794 points in 1,031 games with the Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, and Los Angeles Kings. The third overall selection in the 1984 Entry Draft, he was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic hockey team and is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Olczyk’s first broadcasting experience took place during the NHL’s labor dispute in 1994, when he served as an on-air handicapper for the Thoroughbred meet at The Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Years later, in his debut as a horse racing analyst on NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the 2014 Gold Cup from Santa Anita, Olczyk correctly picked the long-shot winner in both races on the telecast: Majestic Harbor, at odds of 14-1 in the Gold Cup, and Sheza Smoke Show, at 10-1 in the Senorita Stakes.
Olcyzk then joined the Breeders’ Cup telecast and became part of the Triple Crown on-air team for the 2015 Kentucky Derby.
“Eddie’s knowledge of and enthusiasm for the sport of horse racing is infectious,” said Rob Hyland, coordinating producer for NBC Sports Group. “We are happy that what started out as a labor of love for him has turned into a regular role on our horse racing telecasts.”
The social events for the owner conference at Santa Anita include:
- The Breeders’ Cup Post-Position Draw & Reception on Monday, October 31
- Breeders’ Cup Breakfast Marquee near Clockers Corner on November 1
- Conference Dinner & Reception on November 1
- Lunch on November 1 & 2
- A reception featuring racing syndicates from across the U.S. on November 2
- Tour opportunities at the Rose Bowl stadium and Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden on November 3 along with an afternoon of lunch and live racing
- Reserved seating for both days of championship racing, November 4 & 5
Registrations are being taken for the full conference at $750/person. For spouses and partners who are interested in attending just the social events, a registration for social events is available at $400/person. Both types of registrations include the Breeders’ Cup tickets.
Additional information for the conference, including the agenda, speakers, and registration forms, is available at ownerview.com/event/conference.