| Thursday, June 11, 2026 | Contact: Gary Falter 859.224.2803 |
| OwnerView Webinar Covers Tools and Programs for Attending Auctions | |
The fourth installment in the 2026 OwnerView webinar series was held on June 9 and focused on various tools and programs that enhance the experience of purchasing Thoroughbreds at auction. The conference was hosted by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and presented by Bessemer Trust, Keeneland, and Dean Dorton Equine, and this panel was sponsored by Juddmonte and Muirfield Insurance. A Q&A was sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, and attendees were able to ask questions through a Q&A link. Gary Falter, project manager for OwnerView, moderated the panel with guests Tim Leith, senior vice president, The Jockey Club Information Systems; Eric Mitchell, bloodstock editor, BloodHorse; Reed Ringler, sales development associate, Keeneland; and Jacob West, owner, West Bloodstock, and stallion seasons and bloodstock manager, Claiborne Farm. The webinar began examining a horse’s edited, one-page sales catalog page. “This is really kind of the bare bones to get started,” Ringler said. “This is just basic information that every buyer and seller has got to have going into an auction.” Leith added, “This pedigree that we’re looking at for a sales horse is a one-page advertisement. So, it’s extremely important to cast this individual and its family in the best possible light. With that being said, there’s a lot of rules that go into inclusion or exclusion on these pedigrees.” He explained that sales companies ultimately follow the same rules, which are set internationally through the cooperation of the International Cataloging Standards Committee and the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers. Because of this, a horse’s catalog page at Keeneland should look very similar to that of a horse cataloged at a sales company in Australia or Great Britain. Mitchell demonstrated Auction Edge, a comprehensive statistical guide for evaluating horses at public auctions. “With Auction Edge, you have two goals here. One is to help you assess the talent of the horse that you’re looking at and what the family may tell you about what the horse could potentially do. And then, also, this information helps you get a ballpark idea of what that horse might be worth,” he said. Leith demonstrated the free Equineline Sales Catalog App. “Everything is right at your fingertips now, and you don’t have to run back to the office and check old catalogs to do your research at night,” he said. “So, it has really, really revolutionized the way individuals navigate the sales.” “I think that it’s [Sales Catalog App] an incredibly useful tool. What I love about it is being able to go through and work through our short list,” West said. “The other thing that I think is great about the tool is the accessibility and the ease in which you can share your shortlist, either with somebody else who’s using the app or email the actual list to a potential client or prospective buyer.” Panelists also offered personal philosophies for attending the sales. West said, “Approach the process like a chef — pedigree, confirmation, and vetting are your key ingredients. Do your homework, work hard, and gather opinions to formulate your own." Ringler encouraged buyers to immerse themselves in the experience. “You must be present to win,” he said. “Block off plenty of days, have a plan, and surround yourself with people you can communicate and have fun with—it's all about passion for horse.” Mitchell agreed. “Take advantage of all the information available to you—doing your homework and surrounding yourself with knowledgeable people will serve you well.” The replay of Tuesday’s Thoroughbred Owner Conference panel is available at bit.ly/OVVideos. Six additional Thoroughbred Owner Conference virtual panels are scheduled for 2026. The next session, “Horse In-Training Expenses & Interpreting a Trainers Invoice,” will be held July 7 at 2 p.m. ET. A full schedule can be found here: bit.ly/OVSchedule. There is no registration fee for the 2026 virtual conference series, but registration is required. For more information about the owner conference series, please visit ownerview.com/event/conference or contact Gary Falter at 859.224.2803 or gfalter@jockeyclub.com. OwnerView is a joint effort spearheaded by The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to encourage ownership of Thoroughbreds and provide accurate information on aspects of ownership such as trainers, public racing syndicates, the process of purchasing and owning a Thoroughbred, racehorse retirement, and owner licensing. | |