About KEEP
Corey Johnsen

Corey Johnsen,
Kentucky Downs

Corey Johnsen is the President of Kentucky Downs, the European-style race course located in Franklin, Kentucky, and the Vice President and Partner in Richland Hills, Inc. Since graduating from Arizona State University, 30 years ago, Johnsen has been involved in the horse racing industry, mostly as a racetrack executive. But, during his college years Johnsen gained a deep appreciation for the industry and its participants when he took a summer job as a racehorse groom. Prior to investing in the Kentucky horse racing and breeding industries, Johnsen was the President of Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, the Dallas- area track which hosted the 2004 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. Involved in the development of Lone Star Park, Johnsen has been involved in the opening or re-opening of four different tracks throughout the world. They include Remington Park in Oklahoma City, Hipodromo de las Americas in Mexico City and Maronas National Racetrack in Montevideo, Uruguay. Johnsen received numerous national honors during his career in horse racing. From 2005-2007, he was the President of the Thoroughbred Racing Associations, an organization which represents 43 of the most successful Thoroughbred tracks in North America. In 1986, Johnsen received an Eclipse Award for local video production. He has worked at Lone Star Park, Remington Park, Arlington Park, Louisiana Downs and Turf Paradise during his career. Over the past five years, Johnsen and partners have been involved in thoroughbred ownership in North and South America. In 2007, the group owned the Grade 1 stakes winner Honey Rose (ARG), who was purchased in her native Argentina and brought to the United States for a successful campaign. Johnsen and his partners own numerous stallions, mares and foals in Uruguay and Argentina, as well as in Kentucky and New York.

Our Mission

To increase awareness of the benefits of Kentucky's horse economy and to promote jobs and economic opportunities for Kentuckians through the Commonwealth's world-class horse industry.

Goals

Educate the public and key state constituencies about the benefits the entire horse industry provides to all sectors of Kentucky's economy

  • Develop a state grassroots network involving Kentucky's horse economy in all 120 counties
  • Build a state coalition of diverse organizations supporting Kentucky's horse economy.

Encourage the development of a pro-jobs and economic opportunities agenda for the Kentucky horse economy to include:

  • Increased state advocacy and promotion of the Kentucky horse industry
  • Initiatives to stimulate jobs and economic growth through economic incentives and tax reform to solidify Kentucky's horse economy leadership to attract new horse industry interests to the state.
  • Expansion of existing state horse economy programs for all breeds such as the Kentucky Breeder's Incentive Program, to encourage ownership of Kentucky-bred horses
Key Initiatives
  • Distribution of fact-based Kentucky horse economy information.
  • Team 120: A broad-based grassroots network of horse economy participants in every Kentucky county.
  • A state advisory committee consisting of prominent horse industry representatives from all sectors of Kentucky's horse economy.
  • A state coalition of organizations with horse economy-related interests including state and local chambers of commerce, rotaries, businesses, labor and trade associations.
Charter Member Organizations

Chairman

Brereton Jones
Governor of Kentucky (1991-95)
Airdrie Stud

Vice-Chairman

Bill Casner
Chairman and Co-Founder
WinStar Farm

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