Submitted
by Carol Hodes for SBOANJ
MANALAPAN,
NJ – July 2, 2014 – Rob Pennington, an award-winning caretaker and activist for
standardbred causes, has been named assistant racing secretary and program
director for Freehold Raceway, effective August 2014.
The
Freehold meet begins on Thursday, August 28, 2014.
Pennington,
a 34-year-old Ohio-native who currently lives in Allentown, NJ, was honored as
the Harness Tracks of America Caretaker of the Year in 2013 and has been a
groom for the Noel Daley Stable since 2009.
“I
am very excited [about this new challenge],” said Pennington. “I wanted
to stay in the standardbred business yet put myself out there in a position
where I could better myself and the business. I am extremely passionate
about the standardbred industry as well as the breed.”
Pennington
is on the board of directors of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization
[SPHO] and has volunteered his services to the Open Space Pace Committee, the
Riding Under Saddle program and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation.
“I've
worked with Rob on several committees, and I know how passionate he is about
the industry,” said Karen Fagliarone, Freehold’s director of racing and racing
secretary. “Although he has never had any race office experience, he is a
quick learner. Aside from assisting in the race office in the mornings,
he will be the attendant in the winner’s circle and will expand our social
media sites in the afternoons.”
Peter
J. Iovino, the former assistant racing secretary at Freehold, accepted a
position as racing secretary for Saratoga Harness.
