In advance of the 2025 Pegasus World Cup, 1/ST and the Ed Brown Society have extended their initial three-year partnership to provide opportunities for young people of color to gain industry exposure through internships and scholarships, the owners of Gulfstream Park said in a Thursday release.
This year 1/ST will provide $50,000 in funding to cover all costs associated with the paid internship program enabling the Ed Brown Society to identify, recruit and place qualified students.
On Saturday at the Pegasus World Cup, the third race will be dedicated to the Ed Brown Society and will include a ceremonial moment in the winner's circle to celebrate the renewed partnership.
Since 2022, 1/ST has contributed $150,000 in funding to support the placement of three cohorts of Ed Brown Scholars and Fellows across diverse operational and administrative functions in California, Florida and Maryland.
“Our partnership with 1/ST is very special to us because 1/ST was literally the first organization to buy in to our vision for broadening participation in the Thoroughbred industry!” said Ed Brown Society President L. Clark Williams.
In 2022, Charles Churchill and Deja Robinson were selected as the first Ed Brown Scholars. Their experiences at 1/ST have led them to careers within the industry. Churchill is now Project Manager at 1/ST having just completed his MBA, while Robinson is a nursing staff technician at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital and is on her way to becoming a veterinarian.
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