LARC to Sponsor Sir Barton, Present Check to TAA
Press release published on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 on the Preakness website. BALTIMORE – For the second consecutive year, the Latin American Racing Channel (LARC) will sponsor the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes on Preakness Day, May 20, while also presenting a $30,000 check to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) as part of its continued commitment to the Thoroughbred industry. LARC will also host the 2nd Pan American Conference in Washington, D.C., from May 17-20, in conjunction with The Jockey Club. “We are proud to continue our support of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance mission,” said Mario Ascher of LARC. “We are committed to the Thoroughbred industry and the welfare of the horse when they are done racing.” “It is an honor to have LARC continue their race sponsorship of the Sir Barton Stakes on Preakness Day to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” added John Phillips, President of the TAA. “For LARC to recognize the importance of the TAA mission as an obligation that protects our sport illustrates how aware and committed LARC is to our long term viability. LARC’s support as an international stakeholder reveals to us that aftercare is a global effort.” The LARC Sir Barton Stakes to benefit the TAA is named in honor of thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner.
Alphabet Soup: What is in a name?
Alphabet Soup is one of our all-time favorite racehorses here at the TAA. In the 1996 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Woodbine, he was the horse who shocked the racing world with a track record performance, but it wasn’t just the time that was stunning. More than that, it was the horses he defeated. That year’s Preakness Stakes winner, Louis Quatorze, was second, while Cigar, the reigning Horse of Year and defending Classic champion, finished third in his final career start. Video courtesy of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. Alphabet Soup is retired and now resides at Old Friends, a TAA-accredited organization in Georgetown, Kentucky. He is living out his senior years sunbathing and eating carrots offered by fans after waiting for his cue from Michael Blowen, the founder of Old Friends. The veteran racehorse and former stallion officially turned 26 on Jan. 1, but his “real birthday” was March 31. Foaled in Pennsylvania, he not only became one of the most strikingly handsome Breeders’ Cup winners of all time—he is nearly snow white in color— but he also has a cute and catchy name. His dam’s name was Illiterate and her sire was Arts N Letters, so the name Alphabet Soup was a natural choice. “Soup” posing for carrots. Perhaps his “name giving” sort of had an Andy Warhol approach. In other words, why not make it about soup? It also dawned on me (very slowly I might add) that the name Alphabet Soup is actually possibly a quick witted moniker poking fun at the multitude of acronyms in the Thoroughbred industry. For example, just off the top of my head, there is the TJC, TOC, KTA, HBPA,RRP, BC, …and, well, the list goes on and on and on. So you might be wondering what does this have all to do with the TAA? Well, even after five years of being in existence, it’s not uncommon for us to be asked, “How is the TAA different from other Thoroughbred charities?” From the staff’s point of view, the first time we heard that, it seemed like an odd question because we are constantly consumed with accreditation applications, inspections, fundraising and awareness. Odd, that is, until we heard it a few more times. So all cuteness and smartness aside, let’s talk about what makes the TAA different from all of the other Thoroughbred charities (with a variety of acronyms) already existing in the industry. Like many other Thoroughbred charities, the TAA is a 501c3, and all of the organizations accredited by the TAA also have to have 501c3 or official charity status. That is where the similarities stop. The TAA was an initiative created by the Thoroughbred industry to support the retraining and rehoming of Thoroughbreds after racing. In order to be accredited by the TAA, each of the 64 currently accredited organizations had to go through a rigorous online application and site inspection process. And we do mean rigorous. The TAA is, in fact, the only accrediting body that fundraises for the approved aftercare organizations.As we have heard many times Michael Blowen of Old Friends say, “I’d rather be audited by the IRS, but it was worth it.” Every facility of every organization is inspected, and furthermore, every horse in every facility is entered into the TAA Horse Farm Management inventory system. TAA accreditation lasts for two years, and all facilities are subject to surprise inspections. The accredited organizations not only have a full review of their on-site operations but also have a full review of their financial statements and their horse health care procedures. What sets the TAA apart is the accreditation. We strive to help everyone be better, so best practices are shared amongst organizations. Groups that were not able to reach accreditation at first are mentored with the hopes that they will soon reach their goal of being accredited. That way everyone wins. In short, the TAA was created to support the network of aftercare, which is needed by both the racing and breeding sides of the industry, and consists of dozens of Thoroughbred aftercare organizations across North America. In the end, it all comes back to the horse, and the creation of the TAA insures that Thoroughbreds, like Alphabet Soup, are guaranteed one beautiful sunset after another. The TAA mission: The 501 (c) (3) non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.
EQUILOTTERY JOINS FORCES WITH THE THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE
EquiLottery is proud to join forces with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as its newest industry stakeholder member. The TAA is the national leader in accreditation and financial support for aftercare organizations that retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds after their racing careers are completed. “The EquiLottery mission has always included being a part of the solution to the problems facing the industries we serve,” said EquiLottery Founder and CEO Brad Cummings. “Joining the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as an Industry Stakeholder only furthers that mission. We have been very impressed by the tireless work and dedication shown by Stacie Clark-Rogers and her team to ensure Thoroughbreds have a good life after their racetrack career is over. EquiLottery is proud to stand with them and the entire TAA board as we all work to better the industry we love so dearly.” As an Industry Stakeholder, EquiLottery will make an initial donation to kick off the partnership and has pledged a minimum of $1,000 for each lottery offering EquiLottery per year, tying its future expansion to the financial outlook of the TAA. Following a strict code of standards reviewed and approved by the American Humane Association and the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the TAA represents an industry united initiative that counts supporters from all facets of the racing industry and was initially funded by seed money from Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club and Keeneland Association, Inc. “We are delighted to count Brad and the EquiLottery team as the newest supporters of the TAA,” said TAA Operations Consultant Stacie Clark-Rogers. “Having the foresight to make this kind of commitment at such an early stage in their company’s lifespan speaks volumes for the character of the founding team and the exciting future for this important industry innovation. We look forward to counting EquiLottery as supporters of the TAA for years to come.” Since its public announcement over the summer of 2014, EquiLottery has worked diligently to develop its lottery product based on the results of live horse racing. During that time, this innovative company has structured agreements with lottery industry leader IGT Global Solutions and tote system leader AmTote International to be able to deliver a cohesive lottery experience for state lotteries and their players. EquiLottery is also in development on its IOS and Android mobile app which will allow players features such as watching races live and on replay, scanning tickets and setting push notifications for upcoming races all from the convenience of their mobile devices. About the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association Inc., the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. To date, 64 aftercare organizations supporting more than 180 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org.
FOURTH ANNUAL PRE-PREAKNESS PARTY, SPONSORED BY SAGAMORE RACING, WILL BENEFIT TAA
Contact: Dan Tordjman (917) 572-7075 New York, N.Y. – America’s Best Racing (ABR) announced today that its fourth annual Pre-Preakness Party will be held Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at the Mt. Washington Tavern in Baltimore. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be the beneficiary of a silent auction at the event. The party, sponsored for a third consecutive year by Sagamore Racing, was held for the first time in 2014. It has become the unofficial kickoff event for racing fans during Preakness week. In past years, connections of Preakness runners, local jockeys and various other personalities have attended the event. A charity silent auction benefitting TAA will feature an array of racing items, including a Silver Charm halter provided by Old Friends Farm in celebration of the 20-year anniversary of the legendary horse’s triumph in the 1997 Preakness Stakes. Tickets for the event, which begins immediately following the post-position draw for the 142nd running of the Preakness Stakes, are on sale on Eventbrite for $10. The cost of admission includes one drink, light bar snacks and entry into a drawing for a door prize of two (2) passes to the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at Pimlico Race Course. Sagamore Racing, owned by Kevin A. Plank, the founder, chairman of the board and CEO of Under Armour, has been a supporter of ABR efforts since the fan-development initiative was created in 2012. The farm has previously hosted Preakness week events that provided ABR guests with a behind-the-scenes look at the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. “Sagamore Racing is both proud and extremely excited that ABR has chosen the TAA as our event beneficiary,” said Hunter Rankin, President of Sagamore Racing. “Because of its innovative approach, ABR brings a new audience to the sport. That audience, along with all fans of the Thoroughbred industry, need to be aware of the great work the TAA performs every day.” Based in Lexington, Ky., the nonprofit TAA accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds. “The TAA has thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the partnership we’ve had with Sagamore Racing, America’s Best Racing and the Maryland Jockey Club,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, the TAA’s operations consultant. “Preakness week is a great time to celebrate the magnificent horses who’ve brought us so much joy over the years by making sure that we’re providing for those who’ve moved onto productive lives away from the racetrack.” About America’s Best Racing America’s Best Racing is a multimedia fan development and awareness-building platform, initiated by The Jockey Club, designed to increase the profile and visibility of North America’s best Thoroughbred racing events with a primary focus on the sport’s lifestyle and competition. You can follow America’s Best Racing at americasbestracing.net as well as on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+, Instagram and Snapchat. ABR PRE-PREAKNESS PARTY DETAILS WHO: Open to all WHAT: America’s Best Racing 2017 Pre-Preakness Party, sponsored by Sagamore Racing to benefit the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance WHEN: Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 7 p.m. WHERE: The Mt. Washington Tavern (5700 Newbury St, Baltimore, MD 21209) TICKETS: $10 cover charge must be purchased in advance. Available on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-americas-best-racing-pre-preakness-party-presented-by-sagamore-tickets-32820244234?aff=es2
THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE AND ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONSTO UNITE IN HISTORIC FASHION AT INAUGURAL EQUESTRICON
SARATOGA SPRINGS,NY. (March 14, 2017) – When the lights go on at Equestricon, the landmark racing convention will be the site of the largest single gathering of accredited organizations in the history of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), organizers announced today. The TAA is the“Official Charity Partner” of Equestricon — the first international racing convention, fan festival and trade show. “We couldn’t be more excited about being so closely aligned with this forward-thinking, innovative industry effort,” said TAA Operations Consultant, Stacie Clark Rogers. “Aftercare has emerged as the preeminent issue tied to the future of our industry,and the team at Equestricon realizes that.” The General Session for the inaugural convention will take place Monday, August 14 – Tuesday,August 15, at the Saratoga Springs City Center. Tentatively scheduled to appear in the Equestricon “Aftercare Hub” in the main convention hall are 20 TAA-accredited aftercare groups from all over the United States. A full list of participating charities is attached to this release. Equestricon attendees will also be able to learn more about aftercare through two dedicated aftercare panels, presented by TAA: Aftercare Pathways, and Stories: OTTB Successes. “I am so honored to participate in the‘Success Stories’ panel,” said Michael Blowen, President and founder of Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility with farms located in Georgetown,Ky., and in Greenfield Center, Ny. “Thoroughbreds are the most athletic and willing equines, capable of succeeding in any discipline, not just racing,and this is a great opportunity for fans to see the full gamut of options available to them after the racetrack. The formation of the TAA is perhaps the most effective change in racing today,” Blowen added. Joining Blowen on the panel will be ReRun Inc.’s Lisa Molly, Herringswell Stables’ Anita Motion, and trainer Rick Violette. Diana Pikulski will represent Saratoga Springs-based Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) in the Aftercare Pathways panel, which will be moderated by Gulfstream Park’s Acacia Courtney. Organizers of Equestricon indicated that more announcements regarding their support for TAA were forthcoming. For additional information on the aftercare programming scheduled for Equestricon, and to purchase tickets for the convention, visit equestricon.com. TAA-Accredited Aftercare Charities Scheduled to Participate in Equestricon: After the Races Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue CANTER California Equine Advocates,Inc. Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program,Inc. Hidden Acres Rescue Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center MidAtlantic Horse Rescue New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program Old Friends Equine Retirement R.A.C.E.Fund,Inc. ReRun,Inc. Second Chance Thoroughbreds,Inc. Second Stride,Inc. South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue Square Peg Foundation The Foxie G Foundation Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation War Horses Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.Along with continued funding from its original part- ners Breeders’Cup Ltd.,The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association Inc., the TAA is now also supported by owners, trainers, breeders, race- tracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups.To date, 64 aftercare organizations supporting more than 180 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org. Equestricon™ is the first international horse racing convention, trade show and fan festival. Founded by Dan Tordjman, Kathryn Sharp and Justin Nicholson, Equestricon™ is designed to bring the horse racing industry together in an atmosphere of entertainment, engagement and education.The inaugural Equestricon™ will be held in Saratoga Springs, kicking off on August 13, and continuing with its General Session August 14-15 at the Saratoga Springs City Center.The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) is the official charity partner of Equestri- con™. For more information, please visit equestricon.com.
Aftercare and the Success of a Race Meet: An Emerging Partnership
Depending on who you ask, the success of a race meet and/or racing event is somewhat dependent on a few well known things; the weather, horses, attendance and amount wagered. (Sometimes it is the soft pretzels.) Thoroughbred racing’s biggest and best events almost always “plan” for good weather. The weather will almost always reflect attendance. Good weather brings more people in the gate and with it a bigger celebration. And you can always bet the biggest racing events will bring out great horses. Great horses bring an increase in wagering…you get the gist. The amount wagered is a constant roll of the dice reflected partially by field size, grade of the races, the quality of the athletic choices and potential outcomes. You may be asking what does this have to do with aftercare? For the most part when racing does well, aftercare does well. When there are big events in racing where the TAA is involved, we not only have a chance to raise much needed funds, but it also sets the stage for a greater awareness for all the positive things the Thoroughbred racing industry is doing. As we wrap up a successful month for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance in South Florida at Gulfstream Park, and in Las Vegas at the National Handicapping Championships contest, we reflect positively on all the events that happened last month and we thought we should share. There were so many items to list, and it was a whirl wind but here is a basic break down of how the TAA was present at Gulfstream park and Las Vegas over two weekends this January. The TAA was named as the beneficiary of the Friday evening Eclipse Awards Pre-Party. The next day we presented the TAA Best Turned Out Horse Award Sponsored by Star Ladies to a groom in each race on Sunshine Millions Day. Gulfsteam Park and Elite Turf Club sponsored the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf to benefit the TAA. On January 21th, the 46th Annual NTRA Eclipse Awards named the TAA as the official aftercare partner of the awards and allowed two private airline charter trips to be auctioned off by LUXAIR. That following Monday the 23rd, the TAA participated in a photo-op with two time Horse of the Year winner California Chrome, US Polo Team Captain Nic Roldan and equestrian Nikki Walker. XBTV conducted an interview with Nikki Walker discussing Thoroughbred aftercare and the TAA which aired on the Gulfstream Park simulcast show and also online. Meanwhile in Las Vegas, during January 27th- Sunday January 29th, NTRA rasied funds for the TAA via the NHC Tito’s Charity Challenge presented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. On Saturday January 28th, the TAA was named as one of the Official Charities of Pegasus World Cup Invitational. During the Pegasus World Cup invitational, the TAA had our 30 second commercial air on the NBC broadcast. View commercial here. Again, the TAA presented an award for each Best Turned Out Horse Sponsored by StarLadies Racing to each groom for each race on Pegasus World Cup Invitational day. Acclaimed street artist Magda Love was on site to preform a live painting in honor of the Pegasus World cup Invitational to benefit the TAA. Last month was a great and positive example how through big events in horse racing we can help the growth of aftercare awareness and funding. The TAA is an industry united initiative and our industry stakeholders showed their commitment not just for the TAA but for all of our 64 accredited aftercare organizations across North America. When we work together as an industry there is no limit to what we can achieve. And by the way, Gulfstream Park has a great soft pretzel!
Aftercare Buzz at the World’s Richest Race
Content published on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 by Blood-Horse.com The inaugural $12 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park created a whole lot of buzz with its unique set up, the rematch between California Chrome and Arrogate, the largest purse in the world, the Pegasus Win-Win Sweepstakes, and its own branding initiatives calling racegoers to “be part of history.” However, it wasn’t just the race or the sport itself benefiting from the big-time promotions, but aftercare as well. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance was one of three official charity partners for the Pegasus World Cup events, along with the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the After The Impact Fund for Veterans and Legends. As a charity partner, TAA had its own presence on the day—the TAA presented a Best Turned Out Horse Award for the Pegasus Day races (sponsored by StarLadies Racing); was featured in a short commercial during the day’s simulcast; and hosted a meeting of the champions between two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome and polo champion Nic Roldan, among other online and on-track promotions. Click here to read the entire article on BloodHorse.com.
TDN Q&A: JOHN PHILLIPS
Article published on Friday, January 13, 2017 in the Thoroughbred Daily News In mid-December, John Phillips was elected president of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) for a two-year term. The TDN’s Sue Finley sat down with him at the Keeneland January sales as he started his tenure to talk about his goals for the organization. TDN: Why did you take on this role, and what do you hope to accomplish? JP: I took on the role because I am and have always been, as my father and my grandfather before me, enamored with the sport and I think it’s important for this sport to survive. I believe the TAA is one of those pillars which will help it survive. And so when it was offered to me, after a lot of thought, that’s what I decided to do. I decided to take on the TAA role. Ideally, I would like to see funding for the TAA–and the cause of the TAA, which is to accredit and support the retraining, retirement, humane management of thoroughbreds post racing career–to substantially increase. I think in order to do that however, we’re going to have to expand the approach that we take and, maybe more importantly, the mindset that industry participants have relative to the TAA. Read more here…
The Infrastructure of the OTTB Horse Show and How It has Changed the Perception of the Breed
I’m well aware as I start to write this edition of the TAA blog that I will be dating myself, but with no other way to write this, here goes… “Back in the day” the Off the Track Thoroughbred was often seen as a champion in the show world. “Back in the day” riders on Thoroughbreds included Olympic riders Michael Matz, Jim Elder and Jimmy Day, to name a few. These energetic characters were well known for their athletic ability to ride Thoroughbreds to the top of the show jumping world. Indeed another popular American Hall of Fame equestrian-turned-racehorse trainer was Rodney Jenkins, aka “The Red Rider” with his famous Thoroughbred Idle Dice. All of these riders (and many more) mastered their craft on the Thoroughbred; there wasn’t too much thought about it. Many will tell you to this day that they made great show horses. Many of you may have heard the story of the infiltration of flashy expensive Warmbloods that came to North America in the 80’s and 90’s. The popularity of this type of horse, for whatever (debateable, yet accurate) reasons, made the Thoroughbred less appealing in the show ring… but I’m not going to write about that. What I want to talk about here is the now ever-growing popularity of the Thoroughbred in the show world. Thoroughbreds are becoming more popular as sport horses than they have for decades and it is happening because of three important reasons: 1) The growth of aftercare organizations that retrain Thoroughbreds, 2) The affordability of a Thoroughbred, and finally 3) Infrastructure development of the OTTB horse shows. Over the last 5- 10 years, the Thoroughbred shows have popped up everywhere. It started out slow but the momentum grew. Beginning with “Thoroughbred only” classes as a part of larger equestrian events, the Thoroughbred riders squeezed into spare time slots. LongRun, for example, a 20-plus-year-old Canadian organization, had Thoroughbred only classes at Palgrave Show Grounds in Ontario as early as the early 2000’s. Eventually, aftercare groups like New Vocations, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue and others started their own in-house shows. Thoroughbred racetracks such as Turfway Park, Pimlico and Santa Anita also initiated non-racing events for Thoroughbreds. Bit by bit the Thoroughbred once again had an arena in which to shine. In 2012, The Jockey Club initiated its T.I.P. program which started out supporting 150 shows in its first year and now has grown to support over 2,500 shows through 2016. That alone should show how people began to recognize that there is a market for the Thoroughbred and the versatility of the Thoroughbred continues to be highlighted. Additionally, other large events have come about to highlight the Thoroughbred, including the Calcutta in California, the Thoroughbreds For All showcase and the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover in Kentucky. And if you hadn’t heard the 2016 Olympic Games featured an American OTTB, Blackfoot Mystery who happened to graduate Thoroughbred Rehab Center in California, which is an organization accredited by the TAA! I’m sure I’ve missed mentioning dozens of events that now support the resurrection of the Thoroughbred. The point I want to make though is that all of these efforts by groups and many individuals to highlight this breed have not gone to waste. Building an infrastructure in which the Thoroughbred could retrain and compete has been one of the best things to happen for all of us connected to these horses. Now that we have started to believe in the breed again, the return of their brilliance has just begun. Perhaps in a few years we will be saying “back in the day,” but for the better.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Elects New Board Members
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced today the election of eight new members to its board of directors, including a new board president, to take effect the first of the year. Going into its fifth year of operation, this is the first election of new board members since the TAA’s inception. The TAA’s new members of the board of directors are President-Elect John Phillips, Owner of Darby Dan Farm; Dora Delgado, senior vice president of racing and nominations at Breeders’ Cup Ltd.; Mike Ernst, executive vice president and CFO of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club; Jim Gagliano, president and COO of The Jockey Club; David O’Farrell, manager of Ocala Stud; Martin Panza, senior vice president of New York Racing Association; Yvonne Schwabe, owner of Persley Den Farms; and Jen Shah, director of tax services at Dean Dorton Allen Ford PLLC. A list of the TAA’s entire board can be found at thoroughbredaftercare.org/our-board. “It is important to me that horse racing survives and, more important, prospers. To do so I believe the TAA addresses a general, and not unreasonable, concern regarding the future of the equine after racing,” said Phillips. “The fact is that our fans greatly care what happens to equines after racing. In order for this sport to have a viable future we must own up to this inescapable concern. The TAA is a rational, practical answer; retrain, retire or humanely manage. I want our sport to take responsibility for its future by making the TAA more a part of every aspect of our sport and industry.” “The TAA has made so much progress in the last couple of years due in no small part to such a dedicated team of staff and a very engaged board. Through this period we have elevated the awareness of aftercare and have earned our stripes every day in maintaining and achieving the good housekeeping seal that the Thoroughbred industry has come to know and trust in aftercare management,” said James “Jimmy” Bell, Godolphin America president and TAA outgoing president. “We have a great new board going forward and a phenomenal new president in John Phillips, who brings not only passion but a tremendous intellectual and organizational skillset. The TAA is poised to make further strides in addressing the real needs of Thoroughbred aftercare.” Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the non-profit Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from its original partners Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association Inc., the TAA is now also supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. To date, 64 aftercare organizations supporting more than 180 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit thoroughbredaftercare.org.