BOB ELLISTON, COO, BREEDERS= CUPEarlier this month, Breeders= Cup Ltd. announced BobElliston as its new chief operating officer. Elliston, 48,
spent the past 13 years as the president and CEO ofTurfway Park, and is an active
participant in industry matters.
He currently serves as executive
chair of the National
Thoroughbred Racing
Association Board of Directors
and is treasurer of the Kentucky
Equine Education Project (KEEP)
Board. He also serves on theThoroughbred Racing
Association Board and theUniversity of Louisville Equine
Program Advisory Board. Elliston
breederscup.com photo
took some time out of his busy
schedule this week to talk to the TDN=s LucasMarquardt, and here=s what he had to say...
It seems to be a particularly challenging time for racing.
What do you see as the main challenges that lie ahead
for the Breeders' Cup?
AEconomic challenges abound for many industries
domestically and internationally. Fortunately, theleadership of the Breeders= Cup have ensured thefinancial stability of this organization for many years tocome. The product continues to be in high demand, asevidenced by the sustained history of an expanded
racing program, increased international participation andthe overall popularity of the Championships with ourfans. Already, we have received very strong initialpresale ticket purchase requests for this year's event atSanta Anita. Going forward, our challenge is to be
judicious in the use of our capital to ensure we not only
continue to fund financial results for the Breeders= Cup,
while also utilizing those resources to introduce newaudiences to the grandeur of horse racing.@
You spent 13 years at Turfway. How will yourbackground there help you in your current position?
AThe Breeders= Cup experience is very reliant on ourTrack partners. As a track operator, I have anunderstanding of the practical implications of deliveringon the expectations of the fan, the horsemen, theowners, and the community, and can work hands on
with the track partner to exceed those expectations.
Further, having worked within the complex regulatoryenvironment for 13 years, I have a familiarity with therules of racing that can be an asset to our participants.@

Recent articles in the New York Times and othersources have cast racing in a particularly bad light. As
an industry, in what area do you think we need to focus
on most? Elimination of raceday medication? Uniform
medication rules? Track surfaces? Something else?
AClearly, there are smart, well-intentioned people in
our industry who have divergent opinions about each ofthese subjects. My sense is that regardless of yourposition on a specific opinion, everyone of these people
are trying to solve the same problem: how do we bringnew fans, and new capital, to our industry? Horseowners want higher purses and a better chance at areturn on investment. Breeders want more buyers withlarger capital sources to compete for their stock at
public or private auction. Racetracks want more horses,
more fans at their venues, and more money in their
betting pools. Having said that, how we conduct ourbusiness from an integrity and compassion for theparticipants, both human and equine, should always beat the center of those conversations.@
What are some things the Breeders' Cup has done wellin recent years? What are some things you think could
have been done better?
AIf you look at the participation from foreign
connections, both in terms of BCWC starters, simulcast
handle, and nominated stallions/horses, the Breeders=Cup has grown the international complexion of its
organization tremendously. Moving foward, weunderstand the desire for a more defined plan of where
the World Championships will be held in upcoming
years, and we are actively working toward that.@
What do you see as the biggest growth opportunities
for the Breeders' Cup?
AUnequivocally, I believe we can drive new fancreation for the entire sport centered around anincredible event experience that transcends just the twodays of racing. The Enhanced Experience Committee,
created by the Breeders= Cup Board, has already madetremendous improvements that were implemented at
Churchill Downs in 2011, and are actively considering
additional improvements for Santa Anita this fall, andfuture events, as well. As great as these two racing
days have become, the goal is to create a transcendent
entertainment and sporting event worthy of mention in
the same breath as the Masters, Super Bowl, or theFinal Four.
AAdditionally, we are expanding and upgrading ourdigital media program, which will include the creation ofsocial games to reach a potential new audience of fans,allowing them to become more familiar with theBreeders' Cup and Thoroughbred racing.
Visit the TDN Q&A archive for aseries of in-depth one-on-one
interviews with interesting
figures in the industry.

AFinally, we're very excited about our new relationshipwith the NBC Sports Network, our broadcaster for thisyear's World Championships. We are especially looking
forward to the Breeders' Cup Classic being shown, forthe first time ever, live in prime time on NBC from 8-9
p.m. ET. We feel this is a great opportunity to expose
new viewers to our Championships and introduce themto the climactic event of the racing season.@
Do you have any specific plans that you're bringing tothe Breeders' Cup? Any goals?
ADay 5, and I feel like I am drinking out of a fire
hydrant! At some point, the acclimation period will beover, and we will move into providing value-added
ideas, strategies, operating ideas. Having said that, on
Day 5, I couldn=t be more impressed with the caliber of
my colleagues, and the passion that the Breeders= Cup
Board has for not resting on the laurels of nearly 30years of excellence.@