Jockey Club buys Blood-Horse; new publisher is named

The Blood-Horse, an award-winning publication that has covered the Thoroughbred industry for 80 years, is changing hands.

The Jockey Club, which also is the breed's registry, announced Friday that its Jockey Club Information Systems has bought majority ownership in Blood-Horse magazine.

"The Jockey Club stewards believe that a publication with the history, influence and brand recognition of Blood-Horse is a considerable asset for the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry and that there are certain synergies that will make it an even stronger entity as a result of this transaction," Ogden Mills Phipps, chairman of The Jockey Club, said in a statement.

John K. Keitt Jr., who has been a senior executive, a corporate attorney and a consultant for The Jockey Club, was named CEO and publisher of Blood-Horse. He will be based at the magazine's headquarters in Lexington.

Keitt was the senior vice president of global business for The Associated Press in New York from 2003 to 2006, and he has been a business and legal adviser to a wide range of Thoroughbred industry organizations since 1986, according to a news release.

"Blood-Horse will continue to cover the issues, events and personalities in our industry in a journalistically sound manner," Phipps said. "The Jockey Club and its affiliated companies have many longstanding business and editorial relationships with other media organizations in this industry, and we will strive to maintain and enhance those relationships."

The purchase includes the digital and custom printing operations of Blood-Horse, the Stallion Register (which publishes statistics on individual stallions) and Blood-Horse's 50 percent share in TrueNicks, a statistical program that helps gauge the prospects for mating success.

The Jockey Club bought the properties from the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

"TOBA and its predecessor breeders organization have been the sole owner of Blood-Horse since 1935," said Peter S. Willmott, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. "With the considerable changes underway in the publishing industry, it is our strong feeling that a partnership with The Jockey Club in ownership of Blood-Horse will enhance Blood-Horse's ability to serve its customers, especially on digital platforms."

The transaction doesn't include ownership of The Horse, a separate publication that will remain with TOBA. Marla Bickel, the CEO and publisher of Blood-Horse Publications, will transition into a role as CEO and publisher of The Horse.

This story was originally published February 27, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Jockey Club buys Blood-Horse; new publisher is named."