Veteran horse trainer Kathleen DeMasi was elected by members of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (PTHA) to serve as the organization's president; the first woman selected for that role. The PTHA's members also elected ten individuals - five owners and five trainers -- to the association's board of director for three-year terms.
Kate DeMasi has been a trailblazer throughout her career, beginning with her decision to become a trainer in 1984 at a time when the sport was primarily dominated by men. In 2016, DeMasi became the first female inducted into the Parx Racing Hall of Fame. Through 13,011 career starts as a trainer, she has an impressive 1,888 wins with 41 percent of her starts resulting in a win, place or show. Since 2017, DeMasi has ranked among the top 100 trainers in the United States by total wins -- a feat she accomplished a remarkable nine years in a row.
She began racing as a trainer at Parx Racing - then Philadelphia Park - in 1984 and has served on the PTHA Board of Directors for more than 20 years including the last three years as Vice-President. DeMasi is also a strong supporter of Turning for Home, the PTHA's non-profit which places horses in new careers and homes after their racing careers have ended, as well as the Retired Racehorse Project which seeks to increase demand for thoroughbred horses who are no longer racing. In addition to her work as a trainer, DeMasi - a resident of Mullica Hill - and her husband Greg also operate Pewter Stable and stand a stallion, Winchill, at stud at Monte Cristo Farm in Oxford, PA
"As a longtime trainer, I care deeply about the men and women who work on the backside of Parx Racing with our equine athletes," said DeMasi. "The PTHA is much more than an organization - we are a community who work to help and support one another. We have a very balanced board of directors who offer a diversity of perspective and who care about our community. I look forward to working closely with our new board to bring different thoughts and ideas together to benefit our sport, the people who work in it, and our horses."
DeMasi also said a priority for her is communicating and educating state elected officials about the role of the horseracing and breeding industry as an economic driver of Pennsylvania's broader agriculture sector. "Our horsemen and breeders support countless farms in Pennsylvania as major consumers of hay, straw and feed and we help preserve hundreds of thousands of acres of open space," said DeMasi. "In all, racing and breeding support 23,000 jobs in the state and deliver a $1.6 billion annual economic impact. We have a very symbiotic relationship with farmers, farm machinery manufacturers, and other parts of the agriculture industry that is important for our legislators to understand."
PTHA members also elected three new individuals to the Board of Directors, including owners Richard Malouf, Sr. and Greg Newell, as well as trainer Daniel Velazquez. Bob Hutt, who previously served as President of the PTHA and did not seek re-election to that position, was also elected to the Board of Directors as an owner representative. The new members of the Board of Directors join six existing members who were reelected by the association. Individuals who retained their position on the board include trainers Ed Coleti, Jr., Scott Lake, Robert "Butch" Reid, and John Servis, as well as horse owners Jack Armstrong and John Fanelli.
DeMasi noted that 2026 marks an important year for the horsemen at Parx, including the installation of a new turf course and a new live racing agreement between the PTHA and the track operator.
"I want to thank all of our members who participated in the board election," said DeMasi. "It is important for me and our board members to know and understand your thoughts and needs so that we can work to ensure we are pursuing and enhancing initiatives that enhance our community and benefit our equine athletes."
