CHURCHILL DOWNS, KENTUCKY HBPA CONTRIBUTE $28,410 TO THOROUGHBRED AFTERCARE ALLIANCE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015) – Churchill Downs Racetrack and the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (“HBPA”) presented a $28,410 check to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (“TAA”) between races Sunday – closing day Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet. A partnership agreement signed earlier this year called for Kentucky HBPA member owners to contribute $5 to the TAA for each of their horses that start in races at the historic Louisville racetrack, and Churchill Downs Racetrack would match each contribution. The $28,410 donation will directly benefit the TAA, a non-profit organization that serves as both an accrediting body for facilities that care for Thoroughbreds at the conclusion of their racing careers and a fundraising engine to support aftercare facilities approved by the alliance. “We hope this is just the first of many contributions to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery said. “This collaborative fundraising effort has been extremely gratifying and we hope to continue build awareness and grow funding for the TAA, which does tremendous work to benefit the horse.” Participation in the ongoing partnership by Thoroughbred owners is voluntary. Owners who wish to opt-out of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance funding partnership can do so by contacting the Horseman’s Bookkeepers at the tracks. The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, a Lexington, Ky.-based 501(c) (3) non-profit organization created in 2012, awarded more than $2.4 million in grants to 42 accredited agencies in 2014. Based in Lexington, Ky., the TAA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization designed to serve as both an accrediting body for aftercare facilities that care for Thoroughbreds following the conclusion of their racing careers, and a fundraising body to support these approved facilities. Funded initially by seed money from Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is comprised of and supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. In 2013, TAA awarded $1,000,000 to 23 accredited organizations and gave out an additional $2,400,000 to 42 accredited organizations in 2014.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Announces Holiday Giving Campaign
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) launched today a holiday giving campaign that enables supporters to donate to aftercare while sharing a beautiful holiday e-card with their clients, colleagues, friends, and family. Interested individuals can visit the TAA Holiday Giving Donation Page to participate in this season of giving. The holiday e-card features a stunning photo of a Thoroughbred in the snow taken by renowned equine photographer Barbara D. Livingston. Donations from the holiday cards will be directed toward the care of Thoroughbreds at the TAA’s 56 accredited organizations across the United States and Canada. “The holiday season is a time to reflect upon and appreciate all that we have,” stated Stacie Clark Rogers, TAA operations consultant. “We wanted to provide our supporters with a way they could contribute to aftercare while also sharing the holiday spirit with their loved ones.” The holiday giving campaign will run from now through the beginning of the New Year. 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.
Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Announces Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance As Official Charity
Lexington, KY – November 12, 2015 – Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), a Lexington-based, non-profit organization that accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding, has been named the official charity of the 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover. Rolex Kentucky is donating $10,000 to TAA in support of its work. Known as the “Best Weekend All Year,” the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will return to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, April 28- May 1, 2016. The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is designated as a Four Star Eventing competition by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (International Equestrian Federation – FEI), a designation given only to the Olympic Games, World Championships, and six annual events around the world. Rolex Kentucky is the only Four Star Event in the Western Hemisphere. “The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event has a long-standing policy of supporting the local community and we consider it very important for us to give back and assist non-profit organizations,” said Stewart Perry, President of Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), organizer of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. “This partnership with TAA is especially exciting for us because it allows us to support many equine organizations, not only in Kentucky, but across the entire country.” The TAA supports 501(c)(3) charitable organizations across the country that retire, retrain and re-home Thoroughbreds. TAA has awarded over $3,400,000 to accredited organizations in the past two years and currently supports 56 accredited organizations across 180 facilities in the United States. Retired racehorses from TAA accredited organizations are re-homed every day and are retrained to be successful in Show Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Combined Driving, Endurance and Polo, as well as Western disciplines, affording each of them the opportunity to have a second career. “The generosity of EEI’s support of the TAA further highlights the significance and importance of what the TAA initiative is all about,” said Jimmy Bell, Darley America and TAA President. “What better way to continue raising national awareness of the TAA than through one of Lexington’s premier events, the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.” Accredited organizations supported by TAA include Kentucky organizations CANTER Kentucky, Kentucky Equine Humane Center, Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement, Our Mims Retirement Haven, Second Stride Inc., and The Exceller Fund, Inc. Each accredited organization is inspected by TAA and a team of veterinarians, and all must meet or exceed the requirements of operation, education, horse care management, facility standards, and services and adoption policies and protocol. Each year, many of the world’s leading horses and riders compete at Rolex Kentucky for their share of $350,000 in prize money as well as a shot at the $350,000 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, which is awarded to the rider who wins the Rolex Kentucky, Mitsubishi Badminton and Land Rover Burghley Four Star Events in succession. Tickets are now on sale and can be ordered online or over the phone (859-254-8123). Options include four-day, three-day and single-day general admissions, as well as group sales and reserved grandstand seating. More than 75,000 spectators are expected to be on hand to cheer on the competition, so everyone is encouraged to purchase tickets as early as possible. For more information about the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, please visit www.thoroughbredaftercare.org or call 859-224-2756. For more information on the 2016 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover, please visit the Rolex Kentucky website at www.RK3DE.org or call 859-233-2362.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Unveils New Website
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced today that an exciting new website has been created in partnership with PM Advertising. The new website (www.thoroughbredaftercare.org) utilizes a user-friendly design to enable fans and stakeholders to engage in the TAA mission, stay up-to-date with TAA news, and share in aftercare successes. Additionally, a new donation platform allows individuals to contribute with ease. PM Advertising, an award-winning marketing and advertising agency based in Central Kentucky, specializes in racing and equestrian marketing and has designed the websites of many top equine organizations, such as WinStar Farm and Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. The agency contributed its talents to build an interactive and informative website which will enable the TAA to continue to expand its reach and raise more awareness for Thoroughbred aftercare. “We are excited to launch the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s new website,” said Jon Siegel of PM Advertising. “My wife, Christine, and I are committed to making sure retired Thoroughbreds find good homes, so partnering with TAA was a perfect fit. The work that the TAA does on behalf of retired Thoroughbreds is of significant importance, and it is our sincere hope that the new website helps raise awareness while also highlighting the accredited organizations’ many success stories. We are proud to be counted among the TAA’s industry-wide community of supporters.” “The PM Advertising team provided the expertise needed to make our website everything we envisioned,” stated Stacie Clark Rogers, TAA operations consultant. “We are excited to be able to use the website as another tool to help us increase our ability to communicate and facilitate the TAA mission.” 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.
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Accredits Additional Organizations
The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance announced today that 37 aftercare organizations have earned accreditation in 2015, of which 21 were re-accredited and 16 earned accreditation for the first time. This increases the Alliance’s total to 56 accredited aftercare organizations using more than 180 facilities across the United States and Canada. The 37 organizations accredited this year are After The Homestretch – Arizona; Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue; Beyond The Roses Equine Rescue & Retirement; Brook Hill Retirement Center for Horses, Inc.; CANTER California; CANTER Colorado; CANTER Kentucky; CANTER Ohio; Days End Farm Horse Rescue; Equine Encore Foundation; Equine Rescue of Aiken; Florida Thoroughbred Retirement and Adoptive Care Program; Glen Ellen Vocational Academy, Inc. (GEVA); Horse Power Sanctuaries dba Redwings Horse Sanctuary; Humanity for Horses; Kentucky Equine Humane Center; LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers (LOPE); LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society; Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue; Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center; MidAtlantic Horse Rescue Inc.; Mitchell Farm Equine Retirement, Inc.; Neigh Savers Foundation, Inc.; New Stride Thoroughbred Adoption Society; New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program; Old Friends; ReRun, Inc.; South Florida S.P.C.A.; South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue; Southern California Thoroughbred Rescue; The Exceller Fund, Inc.; Thoroughbred Placement Resources, Inc.; Thoroughbred Rehab Center; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation; Thoroughbred Retirement of Tampa, Inc.; TROTT (Training Racehorse Off the Track); United Pegasus Foundation. “These organizations have gone through a rigorous accreditation process and have met or exceeded our Code of Standards,” praised Jimmy Bell, TAA president. “Our donors should feel confident that their investments in the TAA are going to organizations that provide the best care possible to our retired equine athletes.” To earn accreditation, organizations are evaluated upon their submitted application covering five key areas: operations, education, horse health care management, facility standards and services, and adoption policies and protocols. In addition to an extensive application review, all organizations are subject to site inspections of all facilities housing their horses. Accreditation is effective for two years, after which organizations must reapply for accreditation. Accredited aftercare organizations are eligible to receive grants from the TAA to support their operations. 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, 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.
VETERINARY PRACTICE SIGNS ON TO DONATE SERVICES AS SITE INSPECTORS
The veterinary practice of Teigland, Franklin, and Brokken, DVM’s, P.A. has partnered with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) to donate the services of its team of veterinarians as accreditation site inspectors. The practice is the first to step forward and offer to volunteer its services in this manner. Scott Hay, DVM, and his colleagues approached the TAA team while in Saratoga for the race meet and offered the services of their practice as site inspectors. “We wanted to give back to the Thoroughbreds who have been so good to us and one of the places we determined we could help was to dedicate donated time to aftercare,” indicated Dr. Hay. Site inspections are an essential component of the TAA accreditation process and knowledgeable, experienced inspectors are vital to ensuring that all accredited organizations meet the TAA Code of Standards. The multi-doctor practice of Teigland, Franklin, and Brokken, based in South Florida, focuses exclusively on the care of racing Thoroughbreds with veterinarians practicing at tracks extending from Saratoga to Gulfstream. The reach of the practice enables it to provide site inspection services all along the East Coast. The partnership was effective immediately with veterinarians from the practice already having completed multiple inspections this summer. “It was a pleasure to help, and I had a great experience inspecting the farm and meeting the people,” Heather Tillson, DVM, said of her experience as a site inspector. “It was an inspiring and uplifting experience to see happy horses and happy caregivers,” added Tom Brokken, DVM, one of the practice’s founding partners who also completed an inspection. “It was a welcome addition to our supporters when Dr. Hay and his colleagues reached out to us to volunteer their services as site inspectors. This is the perfect way for veterinarians to contribute to the TAA and we look forward to others following this example,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant for the 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, the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. To date, 42 aftercare organizations supporting 130 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit www.thoroughbredaftercare.org/.
Papa John’s Pizza Teams Up with Breeders’ Cup and the TAA to Support Thoroughbred Aftercare
In advance of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held October 30-31, 2015 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., Papa John’s Pizza yesterday announced a partnership with Breeders’ Cup and the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) to support Thoroughbred aftercare. This unique partnership was announced at Old Friends Farm in Georgetown, Ky., a TAA-accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organization and home to numerous equine celebrities such as 1997 Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm and Breeders’ Cup Champions Gulch, Eldaafer, and Amazombie. Executives from Papa John’s, Breeders’ Cup and the TAA were joined by Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends, and Hall of Fame jockey and nine-time Breeders’ Cup winner Chris McCarron, to make the announcement. “I hope the TAA gets as much publicity from this promotion as possible so it snowballs and other companies step up to the plate to help this wonderful cause”, explained Chris McCarron. “Papa John’s is honored to partner with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance by offering a fundraising special during the Breeder’s Cup Championship season. We visited Old Friends Farm and saw firsthand the great work they do. They take great strides in ensuring that the horses are well taken care of and enjoy their retirement years” recounted Lynn McQuillen, operations vice president of Papa John’s. Jimmy Bell, president of the TAA, also spoke during the conference saying, “The entire aftercare community, including the TAA, is excited for the opportunity to partner with Papa John’s and Breeders’ Cup. This special enables the Bluegrass community to come together to support these great athletes.” Beginning October 1st, go to PapaJohns.com and enter promo code TAA13 to receive One Large Two-Topping Pizza and Garlic or Cinnamon Knots for just $13 with $1 from each Breeders’ Cup Special donated to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. This offer is valid online only at all participating Lexington & Louisville locations until 11/01/15. Papa John’s is a proud sponsor of the 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships and 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. Funded initially by seed money from Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is comprised of and supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. To date, 42 aftercare organizations supporting 130 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit www.thoroughbredaftercare.org.
Ellis Park and Turfway Park Join the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Community of Supporters
Following the example of Churchill Downs and Keeneland, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is pleased to announce that our community of supporters has again grown by two additional racetracks. Ellis Park, in Henderson, Ky., and Turfway Park, in Florence, Ky., have both signed on to match contributions made by owners at each track. Owners are able to contribute $1 per start to the TAA for each horse that starts in a race at either track. Ellis and Turfway will then match the contributions made by owners during the race meets at their respective tracks. “Turfway has been a longtime supporter of Thoroughbred aftercare and is happy to join the TAA community,” stated Turfway Park’s general manager, Chip Bach. “We are always in support of our Thoroughbred athletes,” said Dan Bork, director of racing as well as racing secretary at Ellis Park. “We always want to put the horses first and that doesn’t end when they leave the track. We are thrilled to partner with this great organization that has made such impressive strides in a short amount of time.” “We are greatly appreciative of both Ellis and Turfway for choosing to step up to support Thoroughbred aftercare with their matching donations, and to the owners who will be participating at both tracks,” stated Jimmy Bell, president of both the TAA and Darley America. 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, the TAA is comprised of and supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. To date, 42 aftercare organizations supporting 130 facilities across the U.S. and Canada have been granted accreditation and received funding from the TAA. To learn more about the TAA, visit www.thoroughbredaftercare.org.
Breeders’ Cup and Maker’s Mark® Announce Multi-Year Partnership
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 22, 2015) – The Breeders’ Cup, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international event, and Maker’s Mark®, the original premium bourbon, have announced a new partnership that will aim to raise $1 million for charity over the next three years. Beginning with the 32nd Breeders’ Cup World Championships taking place October 30 and 31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., the two iconic brands will collaborate on a limited-edition collection of Maker’s Mark bottles, each of which will feature a previous Breeders’ Cup champion. The proceeds from these bottles will be donated to various local and thoroughbred-industry charities through Breeders’ Cup Charities, the official charity outreach program of Breeders’ Cup. In addition to the special bottles being created, Maker’s Mark will also be featured in a signature cocktail at the racecourse and for all of the major Breeders’ Cup parties and hospitality events throughout the week, including Taste of the World and the Finish Line Celebration Party. “We couldn’t be more excited about this partnership with Maker’s Mark,” said Craig Fravel, President and CEO of the Breeders’ Cup. “We reached out to Maker’s Mark on the very day we announced this year’s World Championships would be at Keeneland because of the brand’s roots here and the esteem in which Maker’s Mark is held all over the world. That makes them a perfect partner, and it’s a milestone for the Breeders’ Cup, illustrating the evolution of the event.” The five limited-edition Maker’s Mark bottles will represent AP Indy, Cigar, Lure, Personal Ensign and Zenyatta and be colored in the silks their respective jockeys wore during their illustrious careers. Three of the bottles, AP Indy, Lure and Personal Ensign, will be released this fall, just before the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at a ticketed event held at Keeneland on Thursday, October 29. The event, titled Champions for Charity, will be held in the VIP Maker’s Mark Bourbon Lounge at Keeneland, an upscale area designed to be the go-to, on-site social locale at the track during the week. Attendees at the event will have the opportunity to bid on the bottles through a silent auction, with 100% of the donations going to the following organizations through Breeders’ Cup Charities: Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, The Lexington Cancer Foundation, Inc.®, The Race for Education, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and University of Kentucky® Markey Cancer Center Foundation. The fourth bottle featuring Zenyatta will then be released in 2016, and the fifth featuring Cigar in 2017. To further personalize the bottles, connections to the five champions will pre-sign each of their respective bottles. To attend the party with the auction of the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup-themed bottles, please visit www.BreedersCup.com/ChampionsForCharity or contact (859) 514-9428. “This is a great partnership all around for us,” said Maker’s Mark Chief Operating Officer Rob Samuels. “When my grandparents created Maker’s Mark, Keeneland was their first customer and many of their friends were in the thoroughbred industry. So we’ve always had a soft spot for charities connected with the sport. And what an honor to be part of such a prestigious event as the first Breeders’ Cup ever to take place at Keeneland.” Beyond the fundraising bottle event and being involved with all the week’s activities, Maker’s Mark will also be promoting the Breeders’ Cup in various off-premise market locations. As part of the multi-year partnership, Maker’s Mark also will be closely involved with the World Championships when it returns to Santa Anita in 2016 and for its debut at Del Mar in 2017. About Breeders’ Cup The Breeders’ Cup administers the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Thoroughbred racing’s year-end Championships. The Breeders’ Cup also administers the Breeders’ Cup Challenge qualifying series, which provides automatic starting positions into the Championships races. The 2015 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, consisting of 13 Grade 1 races and purses totaling $26 million, will be held October 30-31 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and will be televised live by the NBC Sports Group. Breeders’ Cup press releases appear on the Breeders’ Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You can also follow the Breeders’ Cup on social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. About Maker’s Mark® Bourbon In 1954, at a small Victorian distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr. fulfilled his dream to create a pioneering handmade bourbon that, for the first time, would appeal both to bourbon and to non-bourbon drinkers alike, that tasted good and exemplified good taste, and wouldn’t “blow your ears off,” which was the measure by which bourbons were judged at the time. He decided to make his whisky in small-batches of 19 barrels, developed a proprietary barrel char to enhance the softness and sweetness of his whisky, and then rotated each barrel by hand to ensure exposure to consistent temperatures throughout the warehouse, and, ultimately, he aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr. unknowingly and unintentionally, fired the shot that started the Bourbon Revolution, and transformed bourbon from a “commodity” into a premium handcrafted spirit, giving rise to the modern era of bourbon. Today, Maker’s Mark® continues to make its bourbon the same way Bill Samuels, Sr., did 60 years ago, in small batches by craftsmen who hand-dip each bottle. In 2010, in tribute to his father’s spirit of innovation, Bill Samuels, Jr. unveiled Maker’s 46®, a totally new bourbon that reflects the distinct character of Maker’s Mark® but has a bigger, bolder and complex taste without any hint of bitterness. Maker’s Mark® Bourbon (45% alc./vol.) and Maker’s 46® (47% alc./vol.) are distilled, aged and bottled by the Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc., in Loretto, Kentucky. In 1980, the distillery was designated a National Historic Landmark, becoming the first distillery in America to be so recognized, and has also been decreed as the “world’s oldest operating bourbon whisky distillery” by Guinness World Records®. The Maker’s Mark Distillery is one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. For more information, please visit the Maker’s Mark® website.
BAFFERTS’ GENEROUS DONATION SETS A THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY MILESTONE
Shortly after making history by becoming the first trainer in 37 years to win the Triple Crown, Bob and Jill Baffert announced that they were eager to give back to the athletes who helped achieve this pinnacle accomplishment. The result of this is a donation of $50,000 to four Thoroughbred charities: the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA), the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), Old Friends Farm and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). “I want to share this. I want to make sure that those horses that we really love, we have to take care of them,” Baffert said to the media after American Pharoah clinched the Triple Crown with his win in the Belmont Stakes. “Win, lose or draw, I was going to do it.” “The TAA is proud that the Bafferts chose worthy organizations to receive this generous funding,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, Operations Consultant for the TAA. “Caring for our equine athletes after their racing careers are finished takes not only money, but initiative and leadership. We are happy to have this donation and Jill’s support on our Advisory Board. The Bafferts are setting a stellar example for our industry in making these donations and showing their commitment to helping the many horses in their stable and others whose careers won’t be as profound as American Pharoah’s.” CARMA provides funding for the rehabilitation, retraining and/or retirement of Thoroughbreds who have raced in California, where Baffert’s stable is based. Old Friends Farm’s mission is to bring a dignified retirement to Thoroughbreds retired from racing or breeding. They are a TAA accredited organization who recently added to their roster previous Baffert trainees Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup winner Silver Charm and Breeders’ Cup winner Game On Dude. The PDJF provides financial assistance to jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries, many of whom have permanent paralysis or brain damage. “The fact that Bob and Jill chose the platform of winning the Triple Crown to show their commitment to the importance of aftercare speaks volumes,” said Jimmy Bell, president of the TAA. “The TAA is so honored and grateful for their generosity and support.” Based in Lexington, Kentucky, the TAA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization designed to serve as both an accrediting body for aftercare organizations that retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds following the conclusion of their racing careers, and a fundraising body to support these approved organizations. Funded initially by seed money from Breeders’ Cup, Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is comprised of and supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals and other industry groups. In 2013, the TAA awarded $1,000,000 to 23 accredited organizations and gave out an additional $2,400,000 to 42 accredited organizations in 2014. To learn more about the TAA, visit www.ThoroughbredAftercare.org.