August 21, 2018 – The Jockey Club, a premier advocacy and breed registry for Thoroughbred horses in North America, has elected Woodbine Entertainment CEO Jim Lawson to its membership. The organization was founded in 1894 and directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives.
The original release from the Jockey Club appears below:
The Jockey Club today announced the election of six new members: Craig Bandoroff, Michael Del Giudice, Staci Hancock, James Lawson, Maria Niarchos-Gouazé, and Ogden Phipps II.
Craig Bandoroff owns Denali Stud, which he founded in 1990. Denali is one of the nation’s leading consignors, and the farm has sold horses such as Animal Kingdom, Uncle Mo, Real Quiet, and Champagne Room. Bandoroff is on the board of directors of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, and the Kentucky Equine Education Project. He is a founding member and former president of the Consignors and Breeders Association.
Michael Del Giudice has served as the chairman of the board for the New York Racing Association since 2015. He is the chair and senior managing director of Carnegie Hudson Resources LLC, a capital markets advisory firm, and the co-chair of Universal Marine Medical Supply International. He is also a senior managing director of Millennium Capital Markets LLC, an investment banking firm. Del Giudice has served as the chief of staff to New York Governor Mario Cuomo, the director of State Operations to Governor Hugh Carey, and the chief of staff to the New York State Assembly Speaker.
Staci Hancock owns Stone Farm with her husband, Arthur Hancock III. Stone Farm bred, raised, and campaigned Kentucky Derby winner Gato del Sol and raised and campaigned Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence. The farm has also bred, raised, and sold horses such as Fusaichi Pegasus, Risen Star, Air Force Blue, and Mastery. Hancock is the president of Stone Agency, a boutique insurance agency that focuses on equine and property policies. She is a co-founder of the Water Hay Oats Alliance and the Kentucky Equine Humane Center.
James Lawson is the chief executive officer of Woodbine Entertainment Group, a title he has held since 2015. He was previously the chairman of that organization. Lawson is also the chairman of the Canadian Football League. From 2010-2015, he was the chairman of The Jockey Club of Canada.
Maria I. Niarchos-Gouazé has been active in the international Thoroughbred industry for over 30 years. She is the daughter of Stavros S. Niarchos, a successful owner in England whose interest began in the 1950s. Niarchos-Gouazé has continued her father’s achievements under the name of the family, Flaxman Holdings Ltd. and Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd. They have campaigned numerous champions and GR.1 horses including Nureyev, Miesque, Machiavellian, Chimes of Freedom, Kingmambo, East of the Moon, Spinning World, Domedriver, Six Perfections, Aldebaran, Divine Proportions, Main Sequence, Karakontie, Ulysses, Study of Man and Alpha Centauri. Niarchos-Gouazé is a current Breeders’ Cup member, is on the advisory board for the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center at Colorado State University, and is an advisor for the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation.
Ogden Phipps II is a fourth-generation Thoroughbred owner and breeder. His father, Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps, was a longtime chairman of The Jockey Club. Horses campaigned by Phipps Stable over the years include Easy Goer, Heavenly Prize, Inside Information, Personal Ensign, and Orb. Phipps II is on the board of directors of the New York Racing Association. He is a co-founding partner of Snow Phipps Group, a New York-based private equity firm.
The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It is the sole funding source for America’s Best Racing, the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing. You can follow America’s Best Racing at americasbestracing.net. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.
