Caesars SVP of Racing Joe Morris receives 2024 USTA President’s Award for service to horse racing community

Caesars Entertainment announced that Joe Morris, Senior Vice President of Racing, has been recognized as one of the United States Trotting Association’s 2024 President’s Award winners.

Established in 2005, the President’s Award annually honors individuals who have shown outstanding leadership and given extraordinary service to the horse racing community. USTA President Russell Williams presented the award at a luncheon at the Association’s annual Board of Directors meetings on March 9th, in Columbus, Ohio.

A lifelong horseman, Morris began his career in his family’s Standardbred breeding and racing organization, Norton Farm in Maine. From there, he worked in both harness and Thoroughbred racing, including as president of NTRA purchasing, publisher of the Thoroughbred Times, and president of the Thoroughbred Owners of California before joining Caesars Entertainment.

“Joe has been a friend of harness racing and made an impact upon the industry as an owner, breeder, and executive,” said Russell Williams, USTA President. “We are grateful for his contributions on many levels to the sport and proud to honor him with this year’s President’s Award.”

“As SVP of racing, overseeing Caesars’ racing operations at its tracks across the country, Morris reimagined the company’s strategy and approach to horseracing and, in less than four years, has executed a dramatic turnaround,” Caesars says. “Under his leadership, the company has seen record yearly handles at every track it operates and held three world championship events.”

Morris and his team have implemented multiple capital improvements across Caesars' tracks, including $30 million in improvements at Eldorado Scioto Downs, a new, 105-stall barn at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and enhanced surveillance and security systems designed to both protect the integrity and ensure the safety of races at Caesars’ tracks.

“We are thrilled that Joe’s transformative work leading the racing efforts at Caesars Entertainment is being recognized by the USTA,” said Anthony Carano, President and COO of Caesars Entertainment. “Since taking the reins at Caesars, Joe and his team have completely reinvented the way we approach racing, and we are tremendously proud of the success he’s driven for both our company and the industry in general.”

In a statement, the company said that, with a focus on safety, communication, horsemen relations, and race integrity, "Morris and his team will continue to expand Caesars’ commitment to racing."

This includes supportive partnerships with organizations such as Jockeys and Jeans and the Dan Patch Awards and through new development, including the summer opening of a new one-mile thoroughbred track at the company’s soon-to-open Harrah’s Columbus Racing and Casino in Nebraska.