NEWS
Bret Jones
Posted: Thursday, June 24, 2010 10:42 AM
BRET JONES
Airdrie Stud
As the son of a former politician and hugely successful Thoroughbred owner and breeder, Bret Jones knows a thing or two about competition. He got a glimpse of that competition at age 11 when his father, Brereton Jones, became Kentucky’s governor in 1991.
Bret Jones, 30, got to see plenty more contests through the years as he was raised at the family’s Airdrie Stud in Midway, Kentucky. He knew at age 11 where his career would take him.
“I was fortunate to be raised in the center of it and knew unequivocally that it would be my life’s work when I cashed a win ticket on Lil E. Tee in the 1992 Kentucky Derby (G1),” said Jones, who serves as Airdrie’s bloodstock services director.
Jones said his biggest professional achievement is still “being able to wake up every morning excited about my job,” a profession that not only keeps him in contact with the industry he has known all his life but one that fuels his competitive fire.
“It’s the best way in the world a competitive but athletically challenged guy can still be involved in sports,” Jones said.
In addition to leading Airdrie’s sales team and overseeing the operation’s various print and online advertising campaigns, Jones is a committee member of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association’s “2020 Campaign,” a group dedicated to educating and providing a voice to the racing industry’s under-40 generation.
Date of birth: June 23, 1980
Birthplace: Lexington
Residence: Lexington
Title: Bloodstock services director
Company: Aidrie Stud
Education: Bachelor of Science in history, University of the South (Sewanee)
Family: Married
Career: 2005 graduate of Irish National Stud Breeding Course; employed at Airdrie Stud since ’05
Favorite horse: Proud Spell
What book are you currently reading? Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow
What’s on your iPod? “The Boss, Bruce Springsteen. It’s about time we got that guy buying racehorses.”
Biggest personal achievement: “Somehow convincing Tyler Bell to marry me.”
Personal motto: “There’s no such word as can’t.”
Outlook on the industry: “We have too many people hurting right now, but we have a product that is, in my opinion, wholly sellable. We have to package ourselves better and do a better job showing how exciting a Saturday at the races can be. We need to give tracks the financial incentive to put on a great show and we need to continue our efforts in improving our public relations shortcomings with safety and medication.”
Best advice someone gave you: “Don’t stand behind a horse.”
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