John Asher

John Asher, vice president of Racing Communications at Churchill Downs, will be the featured guest on the next edition of Talkin' Horses, scheduled for taping on Wednesday, June 24. Asher has worked in the Thoroughbred racing industry as an award-winning journalist and publicist.

Asher joined Churchill Downs, home of the world famous Kentucky Derby and the flagship operation of Churchill Downs Incorporated, in January 1997 and has served in his current position since March 1999. 

As a radio journalist at WHAS-AM and WAVE-AM in Louisville he earned five Eclipse Awards for “Outstanding National Radio Coverage of Thoroughbred Racing,” along with several other awards that recognized his work in the horse industry.   His reporting on other issues earned recognition that included a National Headliner Award, a Scripps-Howard Award, and honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Radio & Television News Directors Association and the Kentucky Broadcasters Association. The Associated Press honored Asher seven times as the “Best Reporter” in Kentucky Large Market Radio.

Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners honored Asher with its “Warner L. Jones Jr. Horseman of the Year” award in 2006, and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders honored him with its Charles W. Engelhard Award for excellence in media coverage. Asher also received the “Dean Eagle Award” from the Knights of Columbus and a media award from the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, both in honor of his service to horse racing.

He was recognized in 2004 as “Public Relations Practitioner of the Year” by the Western Kentucky University School of Journalism and Broadcasting. The native of Leitchfield, Ky. is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism.

We thank everyone for their questions; the podcast will be taped on June 24.