BREEDERS CUP NA ISSUE 26_Jerkins feature.qxd 18/10/2012 00:48 Page 5
RACING
“I look for partnerships that can work across the board, with the tracks involved, and build beyond the Championships” Heather Higgins, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships things done early in the year so everything runs smoothly at the event, when so many have limited time with other projects and immediate issues. We begin projects early and see them come to fruition at the event. Fred: I work with Gretchen on foal and stallion nomination forms, and with Dora and Josh on stable and paddock passes. There are other printed materials that need to be set and printed out: post position draw invitations, entry forms, table topper cards for owners, party invitations. All the items that people don’t think about – Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge web banners, owner invitations and event brochures for “Win and You’re In” winners starting in May, charter flight e-cards for the horses, ticket folders – any print or art project with a logo. Peter: We have to wait for the Triple Crown to see where our marketing focus would be. Then we start to plan events. Some events are for horsemen, some for fans. There is a celebrity program, and starting in 2009 we have contracted with an entertainment agency to get celebs on the purple carpet, and then the coverage from E!, Access Hollywood, etc.
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Jim: My biggest challenge is to get more coverage than the previous year. During the event, Gretchen is in charge of on-site operations, although she reports to Dora. Gretchen: Basically, we move our Lexington and New York offices to the track and set up on location, so I have to make sure the mobile offices are up and running two weeks out. That includes everything from IT services to sanitation, furniture, and everything we need from our offices. I handle hospitality for the staff, set up the press center, make sure the notes team has everything it needs and the racing department is ready to go two weeks out. I handle all the needs and problems that come up during those two and a half weeks that I’m out there, and then I clean it all up afterward, which takes about four days. Dora: Another really key person in our organization is Todd Sparks. He is our VP of Information Technology and is basically a department of one that handles all of the BC infrastructure as far as network, phones, emails, custom software, etc. He handles all of our network setup at the event and basically makes sure that all things are working properly at all times. Jim: Working with Gretchen, I set up the postrace interview area after each of the races, handle the materials for the draw, and transportation to and from the hotels for the media. Sixteen countries will be represented in 2012 among the 800 credentialed media. The press box and auxiliary press box will accommodate 200 print reporters and photographers. Jim: To cover 165 horses, we have a notes team of 14 that puts out something on as many horses as possible all week. We also arrange for horsemen with several entries, or a high-profile horse, to have one time for media to ask them questions daily so they aren’t disturbed multiple times during their day. Jim oversees the Breeders’ Cup Bio Book and the Breeders’ Cup Statistics Book with Fred and Jennifer Hoyt. Fred: Dora and Jim update race info for the program and stats book, Josh updates the conditions pages, Gretchen makes changes for location and rules, Jen provides the bios with a writing team. I work with Jim Gluckson on coordinating it all, for the program and the stats and bio books, getting all the pieces put together for the right people to update. Dora: Brandi comes under Bob Elliston, but on-site she’s with me. It gives multiple people who can answer a question, and more of a team working together. We do site surveys and I approve camera locations, but I try to stay out of television’s way. Fred: Normally, it’s nine hours a day. In August and September, I’d say it’s about 11 hours a day. In October it’s 12-15 hours a day, weekends too. Then on site it’s 18-hour days for a week while I’m there. Gretchen: Set-up operations work on site
about 16 days straight through from 6:00am to 10:00pm. Jim: Peter does an outstanding job of pulling in all facets of the sport, promoting genuine interest in the Breeders’ Cup in a lot of ways. For example, working with Metro City Transportation, he has put a horse wrap on the side of a commuter train in Pasadena. The person from (the television show) Cake Wars will be doing a Breeders’ Cup cake, and Taste of L.A. will have an area at the Breeders’ Cup. There will be a performance by Cirque du Soleil. Peter: If the Breeders’ Cup is a better event, then racing overall is in better shape. There is an aspiration to be a part of it, on the part of owners and trainers as well as fans, so by elevating the experience, we are creating something to point toward. We are in competition with Dubai, Hong Kong – all these other destination racing events, so we need to step up. Peggy: I used to come three weeks out, but now we have contracted All-Pro Championships to do a lot of the merchandising under our direction and oversight so I come a week out. I love arriving at the event the first day and seeing all the horsemen. That’s the best part of the job. Peter: When other people are happy, I’m happy. When I’m looking around and everyone is smiling, then I know I’ve done my job. Jim: In the end it’s all about the horses and the performances on the track. That’s what sticks with you. My favorite memory is the 1988 Distaff when Personal Ensign was hopelessly beaten on a muddy track and just kept coming to beat Winning Colors and remain undefeated. Then it was repeated in 2009 when Zenyatta, coming from last, did the same thing to win the Classic and beat the boys. The attitude is never give up, never give in, and I think that personifies the Breeders’ Cup. n