New York Racing Association & Other Groups Pledge Support to Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation

July 9, 2009 (Edited Press Release)

INDUSTRY GROUPS ANNOUNCE PLEDGES TO THOROUGHBRED RETIREMENT FOUNDATION
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) and many members of the Jockeys’ Guild who ride at its three racetracks, along with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA) and The Jockey Club, have jointly pledged more than $100,000 in financial support in 2009 to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), which provides humane retirement options for Thoroughbreds at the end of their racing careers, it was announced today. NYRA will contribute $50,000 while NYTHA and The Jockey Club will donate $25,000 each. All 29 of the regular NYRA-based riders have pledged to donate, through a voluntary checkoff program, $1 from each mount.“This is an example of industry stakeholders working together to do the right thing for the welfare of racehorses when they can no longer race,” said Diana Pikulski, executive director of the TRF. “We are very grateful to NYRA, NYTHA, The Jockey Club and the Jockeys’ Guild and we would encourage organizations and individuals at other racing circuits around the country to follow their example.”“This is an interim step while the New York racing community works out a more comprehensive and detailed plan to deal with this issue,” said Hal Handel, executive vice president and chief operating officer of NYRA. “We want to have something in place that we can all be proud of.”“We make our living because of these horses,” said John Velazquez, four-time leading NYRA jockey. “Because of that, we love to be a big part of helping out with retired horses and enabling them to be better cared for.”“After the situation with the Paraneck horses, I felt strongly that we needed to do something to make sure these horses are well taken care of after their racing careers,” said Richard Migliore, a fixture of the NYRA jockey colony. “They give us so much that it is really important we try and take care of them when they are done racing.”The NYRA jockeys’ donations will be retroactive to June 27.
“Regardless of the amount raised through the checkoff, we will guarantee our $100,000 matching donation to each of those two charities,” said Alan Marzelli, president of The Jockey Club. “In so doing, we will earmark $25,000 of the contribution to TRF for this New York-based effort.”The Jockeys’ Guild is an organization that was formed and is governed by Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse jockeys who ride throughout the United States .
Founded in 1983, the TRF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to retiring Thoroughbred racehorses after they are finished racing. TRF operates retraining and adoption facilities and satellite farms across the country as well as vocational training in equine care for inmates at nine correctional facilities nationwide. TRF currently maintains approximately 1,800 horses. Additional information is available at trfinc.org.

Jockey Club Program Fund Benefits Charities & Horse and Owner of the Day

Matt Iuliano, Vice President of Registration Services at The Jockey Club wants to remind those that are registering their foals in the coming months to utilize the Retirement Checkoff Program. The program benefits two organizations that provide post-racing care for Thoroughbreds. They are matching funds dollar to dollar up to $ 200,000 in 2009. The two charities that are benefiting from this program are Thoroughbred Charities of America(TCA) and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF). Visit the website at http://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/ for more details or call 800-444-8521

Horse and Owner of the Day-- Byeairmail and Karan Kees :

Byeairmail born 2001, rescued 2008

Last week I asked for readers to send in pictures of their off the track race horses or horses found on auction lots and saved from slaughter, and share their stories. Our inaugural OTTB (off the track thoroughbred) is Byeairmail a Breeders Cup nominated 8 year old, beautiful bay mare. Byeairmail earned $ 26,000 during her racing career and then went on to be an unsuccessful broodmare, as her story is that she was found on a feedlot after losing her last two foals.

Byeairmail now named Rhoda was rescued by Columbia Basin Equine Rescue, in Yakima, WA. Byeairmail was gifted to Karan Kees by a wonderful lady named "Kay" for Karan's 50th birthday. Karan says Rhoda was the best present ever, and that she loves her more than life. Karan and Byeairmail reside at the Bluebird Bluff Farm in Spokane, WA were they enjoy trail riding and it took no time at all to have a race broke TB and broodmare adapt to their new life together. Karan says "she will be LOVED till her last day". To learn more about Columbia Basin Equine Rescue go to http://www.columbiabasinequinerescue.org/