Fundraising

Aftercare. It's a hot button topic that is continuously discussed among those within and outside of the Thoroughbred industry. And though the racing community has made leaps and bounds in its efforts to ensure a safe landing for retiring racehorses, there is always room for growth, improved planning and increased funding. One charitable organization is forging a new path in this aspect of the industry, as The Horse Fund establishes a unique precedent for Thoroughbred ownership groups by taking the 'after' out of aftercare and instead, standing in as the...

Team members and racing fans at Horseshoe Indianapolis participated in the third annual Veteran's Day event Nov. 10 to raise proceeds for the Hoosier Veterans and Families, Inc. (HVAF) of Indiana, according to a release by the track Monday. The event featured several ways to raise funding and awareness for veterans including naming each race in honor of a veteran associated in some way to Horseshoe Indianapolis. Special saddle towels were also awarded to veterans and family members honored during the racing program. Additionally, a Veteran's Day Pick 5 Challenge...

Edited Press Release Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) will host the Bash at the Breeders' Cup presented by Churchill Downs Incorporated at the Le Meridien Hotel in Arcadia, CA, Friday, Nov. 3. The hotel is located opposite Gate 5 at Santa Anita. "Over the last eight years, Bash at the Breeders' Cup has become a very popular event on the Breeders' Cup week calendar," said Erin Halliwell executive director of TCA. "We are excited to return to California and raise money for our approved grant recipients. TCA's grants provide a...

Edited Press Release A horse ownership stake with Skychai Racing, an outdoor cigar lounge and multiple ready-for-Instagram backgrounds are just a few of the new features added this year to Second Stride's 12th annual Derby week Champions Night at Molly Malone's in the Highlands section of Louisville Monday, May 1 from 6-9 pm. Of all fundraisers taking place Derby week, it is the only event raising money for the horses, enabling the Louisville-based organization to continue to provide professional rehabilitation, retraining and placement of retired thoroughbred racehorses.  Placing over 100...

Edited Press Release As part of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)'s month-long Holiday Giving Campaign, Hidden Brook Farm has pledged to match all donations up to $1,000 made to the TAA Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. Not only does Hidden Brook dedicate a portion of its operation to caring for their retired Thoroughbreds--the breeding, racing, and sales enterprise continually participates in supporting industry aftercare initiatives, such as the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. "As an industry, we cannot underscore the importance of the day-in and day-out efforts of the TAA," said Hidden Brook...

Delaware Park Casino & Racing has continued its commitment to the community with a $7,500 donation to Boys & Girls Club of Delaware. Donation boxes are located throughout the casino to collect unused vouchers from guests with the total amount augmented by a cash donation from the casino. Last month, Meals on Wheels Delaware was presented with $10,000 and September's collections and a donation from Delaware Park will benefit Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County. "Community outreach is one of our cornerstone values," said Ron Baumann, President and General...

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has been named an ambassador for the Jockeys & Jeans fundraiser to be held this year at Monmouth Park Saturday, Sept. 11. A winner of better than 6,000 in his career, Velazquez is also chairman of the board for the Jockeys' Guild and serves on the board for the Permanently Disable Jockeys' Fund (PDJF). "Being a Jockeys & Jeans Ambassador is one of the highest honors our organization can bestow on a person and we take it very seriously," said Jockeys & Jeans President...

Racing Welfare in conjunction with Great British Racing (GBR), the Tote and Sky Sports Racing, have launched the 2021 edition of the pop idol competition, Furlong Factor. Introduced last season, the competition is free to enter and first prize is £1,500 in cash and a trophy from Inkerman London. All funds raised from the Furlong Factor will go toward Racing Welfare's Lost Events Appeal. Entries close Apr. 21. To enter, contestants are asked to record themselves singing into their phone and email their videos to [email protected] or send in by...

In memory of the late champion jockey Pat Smullen, Irish racing stars have pledged their support in the fundraising efforts of the Children's Health Foundation Crumlin, which aims to purchase a spinal cell saver auto transfusion device for the children's hospital, CHI at Crumlin. In the coming weeks, jockeys and racing personalities will call on racing and sports fans for donations towards the essential blood transfusion equipment. John Butler, Jockeys' Sports Physiotherapist and Paul Quish, Racecourse Announcer, who spearheaded the campaign in 2019, both agreed: "Despite the COVID-19 restrictions, everyone...

Editor's note, the following is a letter sent from Cancer Trials Ireland to the family of Pat Smullen, who passed away from pancreatic cancer on Tuesday evening. To the family of Pat Smullen It is with a very heavy heart that, on behalf of the staff and members of Cancer Trials Ireland, we put pen to paper in remembrance of our friend, and benefactor, Pat Smullen. Pat was a friend like no other. Almost a year ago to the day, Pat and his supporters raised a game-changing €2.6m for pancreatic...

Officials at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) presented a check in the amount of $20,000 to a handful of non-profit organizations, the result of a joint undertaking with the City of Saratoga Springs to raise funds via the sale of limited-edition Saratoga face masks. The campaign was launched in mid-June and reportedly met with a great deal of interest in the public. The funds will be distributed evenly between AIM Services, Inc.; Franklin Community Center; Shelters of Saratoga and the SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children). A portion...

The inaugural Virtual Yorkshire Open Day hosted by Racing Welfare will be on Sept. 13. Due to COVID, the event replaces the Middleham and Malton Open Days, which were cancelled. The Virtual Open Day will feature racehorse trainers from across the county providing video tours and other insights into their training operations, as well as equine superstars and horses to follow. For more information, go to www.racingwelfare.co.uk/yorkshireopenday/. There will also be a Virtual Epsom Open Day on Aug. 31 which will also showcase the Derby's rich history through video tours,...