Dora Delgado to Receive Pinkerton Vision Award

Dora Delgado, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Officer for Breeders' Cup Limited, will be honored May 28 by Midway University with the Pinkerton Vision Award. This award honors the legacy of Dr. L.L. Pinkerton, whose vision of the Kentucky Female Orphan School in 1847 established it as the first formal education for orphaned girls on the site that is now Midway University. Pinkerton Vision Award recipients must have had a direct impact on improving the lives of women, served as an outstanding role model, or have displayed great leadership, innovative thinking, and influence in their chosen field. Recipients must be a Kentucky native, resident, or organization located in Kentucky, and are selected by a committee of college representatives from a pool of nominations received. Delgado began her tenure in 1983 with Breeders' Cup Limited as a part-time data entry and file clerk as the fledgling organization prepared for the inaugural running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in 1984. Over the course of her 43-year career, she has significantly contributed to the development and administration of the Breeders' Cup's racing programs around the globe, including the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, a qualifying series that offers automatic berths into corresponding races at one of Thoroughbred racing's greatest international festivals, the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Delgado joins a noteworthy roster of Pinkerton Vision Award recipients: Lisa Lourie (2025), Donna Barton Brothers (2024), James E. "Ted" Bassett III (2023), Shannon Arvin (2022), Barbara Bailey (2021), Ouita Michel (2019), Dress for Success Lexington (2018), Margie Samuels (2017), Isabel Yates (2016), Jean R. Hale (2015), and Rev. Dr. Nancy Jo Kemper (2014). "I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the Pinkerton Vision Award," Delgado said. "Thoroughbred racing has given me incredible opportunities and wonderful memories throughout my career, and I've been fortunate to work alongside so many dedicated people who share a great passion for our sport. It has been extremely rewarding to play a role in advancing the Breeders' Cup and our industry worldwide. To be recognized among such a distinguished group of past recipients is truly meaningful, and I sincerely thank Midway University, the awards committee, and my colleagues for their support." Delgado manages the Breeders' Cup racing team, equine security team, veterinary panel, and field selection panel, and works with each host track to create the safest and most secure environment possible for participants at the World Championships, where Thoroughbred racing's top horses and their connections compete across 14 championship races worth more than $34 million in purses and awards. She is also responsible for all horse recruitment and equine event logistics for the annual World Championships, including coordination with all federal, state, and international regulatory authorities. Additionally, she oversees the Breeders' Cup foal and stallion nomination programs worldwide. "Dora's impact on the Breeders' Cup and on the Thoroughbred industry as a whole has been exceptional," said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited. "For more than four decades she has been a direct contributor to the growth, integrity, and global success of our organization, while serving as an innovative leader and mentor throughout the sport. This recognition from Midway University is a fitting tribute to her vision and dedication. On behalf of our Board of Directors, Members, nominators from around the globe, and the entire Breeders' Cup team, we are proud to see her honored with the Pinkerton Vision Award." Named a Sports Business Journal Game Changer in 2021, Delgado was also the recipient of the Clay Puett Award in 2024. She is a member of the American Horse Council's Health & Regulatory Committee, a member of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program Board, a member of the Advisory Committee for The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, serves as an Executive Committee Board member of the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium, and currently serves as Chair of the Nominations Committee of the Gluck Equine Research Foundation Board and is on the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory Board. Delgado will receive her award May 28 at Midway University's 12th annual Spotlight Awards evening.