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…
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.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Launches Second Annual Holiday Giving Campaign
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced today the start of its annual holiday giving campaign. Supporters can send a heartwarming holiday e-card to family and friends with a donation to the TAA. Interested individuals can visit the TAA Holiday Giving Donation page to participate in the giving campaign. Donations from the holiday giving campaign will be directed toward grants for the TAA’s 64 accredited organizations. The holiday card features artwork created specifically for the TAA by Kentucky-based artist Ellen Skidmore. Her work, widely admired for its inherently colorful, whimsical imagery, is held in private and public collections across the United States and Europe. “Horses teach us about the unspoken ways of being and as a little girl who grew up stuttering, this influence was huge,” Skidmore said. “It is important for me to give back to horses in some way for their continuing inspiration and supporting the TAA is the best way I can think of to do that.” The holiday giving campaign will run from now through the beginning of the New Year. Skidmore lives and works in Paris, Kentucky and visitors are welcome to schedule an appointment to visit her studio and gallery. New work on canvas, paper pieces, paintings-in-progress, and both framed and unframed giclées, are all available. To learn more about Skidmore’s work, visit: ellenskidmore.com. 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. Funded initially by 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.
TDN Q&A: Mike Ziegler
Article published on Saturday, November 26, 2016 in the Thoroughbred Daily News On Friday, Churchill Downs awarded a check for $55,000 to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The donation was the result of a $5 per start fee donated by horsemen and matched by Churchill. Mike Ziegler is the Executive Director of Racing for Churchill, but came to that post after serving as the TAA’s Executive Director from 2012 to 2013. He discussed the TAA and the industry’s role in funding it with Sue Finley. TDN: You were there at the very beginning of the TAA, and you once said the TAA originated out of a Thoroughbred Charities of America meeting where someone asked, ‘why aren’t we solving the financial aspects of this problem?’ Do you think that’s still a relevant question today? MZ: Absolutely. I think that while tremendous strides have taken place and helped generate a fair amount of revenue, there’s still a lot more work that can be done. Read more here: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/tdn-qa-mike-ziegler/
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announces Accredited Organizations for 2016
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced today that 27 Thoroughbred aftercare organizations have been awarded accreditation in 2016. The accredited groups include 19 that were re-accredited and eight that have received accreditation for the first time. The TAA, the only accrediting organization in Thoroughbred aftercare, now boasts a network of 64 accredited organizations, operating at more than 180 facilities across the United States and Canada. Accreditation is awarded for a two-year period, after which organizations must re-apply for accreditation. All organizations currently accredited by the TAA are eligible to receive financial grants to support the care of their Thoroughbreds. Grant applications are currently being reviewed, for grants to be awarded by the end of the calendar year. The full list of all 64 TAA-accredited organizations can be found at thoroughbredaftercare.org/taa-accredited-organizations. The 27 organizations that received accreditation this year are: After the Races, Bright Futures Farm, CANTER Michigan, Equestrian Inc., Equine Advocates, Final Furlong, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, Friends of Ferdinand, Galloping Out (Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association Thoroughbred Rescue Fund), Harmony and Hope Horse Haven, Heaven Can Wait, Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds, Illinois Equine Humane Center, Los Angeles Pet Rescue (Farralone Farms), Oklahoma Thoroughbred Retirement Program, Our Mims Retirement Haven, Out Side In, R.A.C.E. Fund, Remember Me Rescue, RVR Horse Rescue, Second Chance Thoroughbreds, Second Stride, Square Peg Foundation, The Foxie G Foundation, Thoroughbred Athletes, Tranquility Farm (The Harry A. Biszantz Memorial Center), and War Horses at Rose Bower. “The organizations accredited by the TAA represent the top echelon of aftercare services, ensuring that the horses retiring from racing are receiving the best possible care and opportunities to find new careers or retirements,” said Jimmy Bell, TAA and Godolphin America president. All accredited organizations undergo a thorough application and inspection process prior to accreditation being awarded to ensure they meet the TAA’s Code of Standards covering five areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. Site inspections are conducted at all facilities housing horses for each organization. On-going updates and re-inspections are required of all organizations throughout the term of their accreditation. 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. Funded initially by seed money from 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.
TDN Q&A: Craig Bernick
Article published on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 in the Thoroughbred Daily News Glen Hill Farm’s Craig Bernick joined the board of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the charitable organization formed to distribute funds to racehorse retirement and retraining facilities that it accredits, in 2013. He has also been cited as a model donor when it comes to retirement, volunteering his time and money to the cause. The TDN’s Sue Finley sat down with Bernick, who now serves on the TAA’s advisory board, during the Keeneland November sales to discuss what a model giver looks like, where the TAA is hitting the mark, and where the organization and the industry could do better. TDN: I’ve been told that you are a model horse owner when it comes to retirement. What does that look like to you and your family, and how should it look to others? CB: I think everybody who puts their hands on a horse, whether they’re a blacksmith, whether they drive a van, work for a feed company, whether they’re a jockey agent, a horse agent, whether they own a farm, whether they work on a farm, their livelihood depends upon the survival of the horse business and the horse industry. And I think the care of horses when they’re no longer, frankly, “of use” for racing or breeding, a lot of those horses have a long time to live and it’s very important for the sake of our industry long-term that we take care of those horses, so I think everybody has to do their part. And I think most horses owners do. We give extra. We give to rescue organizations, we help the TAA in a significant way beyond the mandatory funding, but I think collectively it’s important that people give money. Read more here: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/tdn-q-and-a-with-craig-bernick/
Daily Racing Form Announces 2nd Annual “Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Magazine”
New York, N.Y. (Oct. 4, 2016) – Daily Racing Form (DRF) in conjunction with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will publish a second annual edition of the TAA Magazine. The goal of the TAA Magazine is to increase awareness of the TAA’s mission and its ongoing efforts to support Thoroughbred aftercare in the United States and Canada. The magazine’s second edition will be published Oct. 14 and will be distributed in advance of the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park, at key racing events and sales and through the 56 TAA-accredited organizations. All costs will be underwritten by sponsor support, ensuring the TAA does not have to divert any money to the project. “The TAA Magazine is a powerful marketing tool, both for creating public awareness of the TAA’s support for aftercare and as a stimulus for accredited aftercare organizations to showcase their facilities,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, TAA Operations Consultant. “We are most grateful to Daily Racing Form for publishing this annual magazine and for all the support from the industry through their advertising, which allows us to receive and distribute thousands of copies of the magazine at no cost to the TAA. It is truly an industry-wide effort, and the retired Thoroughbreds are the sole beneficiaries.” This year’s edition will consist of approximately 92 color pages and will highlight all 56 TAA-accredited organizations. The magazine will include an overview of the TAA, its mission, and how it is funded by multiple sources. It will recognize the many industry contributors that are sharing the responsibility of providing safe landing spots for these retired equines. It also will showcase off-the-track Thoroughbreds competing at the highest levels, including Blackfoot Mystery who will grace the cover after competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics with rider Boyd Martin. Blackfoot Mystery came from a TAA-accredited organization in California. “We are delighted to publish another edition of the TAA Magazine,” said John J. Hartig, CEO, Daily Racing Form. “The TAA is tackling an important issue to all of us, and as a multi-media company we are proud to play our part as publishers. We encourage all industry stakeholders to place a digital flip book version of this magazine on their websites so that fans across the country can see the great opportunities available to safely retire or adopt a Thoroughbred at the conclusion of their racing careers.” ABOUT DAILY RACING FORM Sports Information Group/Daily Racing Form LLC is a national, multi-platform media and e-Commerce company providing premium data and authoritative editorial coverage to horse racing and sports enthusiasts in North America. The Company’s 122-year old flagship brand Daily Racing Form, referred to as “America’s Turf Authority since 1894”, is horse racing’s dominant media company. Daily Racing Form is the only daily newspaper in the U.S. dedicated solely to the coverage of a single sport, publishing up to 2,000 unique pages of statistical and editorial copy every day, in as many as 20 daily editions. The Company has aggressively expanded its digital platforms to reach a new breed of technology-driven horseplayers, creating what Fast Company called “A Bloomberg Terminal for Horse Racing.” On DRF.com, the leading online horse racing destination, and through its digital apps, Daily Racing Form now offers an integrated digital experience that seamlessly combines data, proprietary handicapping tools, premium content, video, wagering and tournament play for horseplayers and dedicated coverage to the breeding industry. ABOUT THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE (TAA) 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. Funded initially by seed money from 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, 56 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.
TDN Q&A: Jimmy Bell
Article published on Wednesday September 28, 2016 in the Thoroughbred Daily News TDN Q&A: Jimmy Bell For the past two years, Jimmy Bell has been the President of the Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the non-profit organization which accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations. As his two-year term comes to an end, he sat down with the TDN’s Sue Finley to talk about what he’s learned, and where the industry needs to be in terms of aftercare. SF: Why did you agree to take this on? JB: Before the TAA, I think I was a typical person in the industry regarding my thoughts on aftercare, and I think my path represents what the TAA has come to be about. It’s about awareness, and once you become more in tune to it, I think we would all agree that having been in this industry all of our lives, we can recognize some shortcomings and some things that have been overlooked and which were very deficient. There is no question that the word `aftercare’ didn’t come into the nomenclature until three, four, five years ago. Certain events certainly brought some attention to it, but I think it was a realization of how little we as an industry were doing and how much there was to be done. That’s one answer. The other is that these horses deserve it. Period. It’s the right thing to do and there’s no grey area to it. It’s a needed and just cause. Read more here: http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/tdn-qa-jimmy-bell/
Stud Muffin
Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue
EQUESTRICON™, HORSE RACING’S FIRST EVER “FAN-CENTRIC” CONVENTION TO STRIDE INTO SARATOGA SPRINGS IN 2017
SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY. (September 2, 2016) – Equestricon™, LLC., announced today that Saratoga will be the host city for the first ever international horse racing convention and industry trade show. The inaugural Equestricon™ will bring together fans, horseplayers and stakeholders from every corner of the sport in an atmosphere of non-stop entertainment and lively discussion. Equestricon™ 2017 is scheduled to kick off on Sunday evening August 13, and will continue through Tuesday, August 15. The event will be held at the Saratoga Springs City Center, conveniently located in the heart of Downtown Saratoga Springs. “Above all else, we are focused on one thing — the racing fan,” said Dan Tordjman, Co-Founder of Equestricon™, and correspondent for America’s Best Racing. “Equestricon is committed to creating an extremely fun and unprecedented outlet for any and all racing enthusiasts to engage with the sport like never before.” The preliminary schedule for Equestricon™ 2017 outlines plans for several entertainment areas including a racing arcade, live music, around-the-clock autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and past racing stars, a social media lounge, bars, a fashion showcase, product and technology demonstrations, rows of exhibitor booths and more. Equestricon™ will feature two-way panel discussions, breakout sessions and town halls designed to enhance engagement between invited guest speakers and attendees. A small sampling of discussion topics includes racing photography, handicapping, aftercare, technological innovations, social media, marketing in racing, ownership and breeding. In addition to Tordjman, Equestricon™ is being spearheaded by horse owners and breeders Kathryn Sharp and Justin Nicholson. Sharp and Nicholson founded the highly successful Ninety North Racing partnership in the spirit of attracting new owners to the sport of racing. They bring a wealth of experience and fresh perspective. “On a grand scale,” Sharp said, “we’re building the foundation upon which the industry can unite, meet face-to-face with its fans and end-users, and present the sport of racing as a cohesive entertainment industry. Long-term, we envision Equestricon becoming the ultimate showcase for — and celebration of — advances in the areas of aftercare, technology, marketing, fan development and more.” Equestricon™ also announced that the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be its official charity partner. The TAA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and re-home Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. “We are extremely honored to team up with Equestricon for this historic event,” said TAA Operations Consultant, Stacie Clark Rogers. “In forging such a significant immediate partnership, Equestricon is making a bold statement about its core values and the essential role of aftercare in racing, today.” Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen stood alongside the event organizers and reflected on the impact the first-ever racing convention of its kind will have on the city. “There is no better place for this one-of-a-kind celebration of the sport than Saratoga Springs,” Yepsen said. “We are excited to write the newest chapter in this city’s rich racing history and we are confident that Equestricon will bring together local businesses, our residents and the larger racing community.”