By: Jay Privman
With its sponsorship of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in conjunction with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and supporting major fund-raising events like CARMAthon, FanDuel Racing, formerly known as TVG, has been a major driver in recent years in helping to raise the profile why it’s vitally important for former racehorses to have worthy second acts.
For Andrew Moore, the general manager of racing for FanDuel Racing, highlighting and amplifying aftercare is a “no-brainer.”
“It’s a cause worth supporting,” Moore said. “It’s very much in our DNA.”
On-air employees like Christina Blacker and Simon Bray are currently or have been on the board of Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Other personalities, like Andie Biancone, Caton Bredar, and Scott Hazelton, are the offspring of trainers. Joe Talamo is a former jockey. Moore himself, a native of Ireland, is the son of a trainer. Growing up at his family home near the Curragh, “I’d look at racehorses outside the kitchen window.”
But just as the management and staff may instinctively understand the importance of aftercare, Moore said FanDuel’s customers are also deeply passionate. There is support both from within and outside the office to support aftercare.
“The people who care the most are our customers,” he said.
TVG and now FanDuel have been the title sponsor of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile since 2019, and since 2020 have presented the race with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is the highest-profile race of the Future Stars Friday card at the Breeders’ Cup, and frequently determines who becomes the ante-post favorite for the following spring’s Kentucky Derby.
“FanDuel, and our parent company Flutter, wanted to elevate aftercare, and partnering with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance has been very productive in promoting Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” Moore said. “It’s the biggest race on Breeders’ Cup Friday.”
Established in 1999 as TVG, FanDuel is now more than 25 years on, showing races literally from coast to coast and internationally, nearly around the clock. The opportunities to promote aftercare are many, and are enacted upon with enthusiasm.
FanDuel works with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on a number of sponsorships, including at major events like the Kentucky Derby, and CARMA – the California Retirement Management Account, which receives support from Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance – benefits mightily from FanDuel playing host every summer at Del Mar to the fund-raiser CARMAthon. FanDuel sponsors Fenwick-branded blankets for Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance races and events. It’s a year-round commitment from FanDuel, analogous to their slogan of “every race, every day.”
“The on-air talent, the camera people, the producers, they all care deeply about this,” Moore said of his employees. “We’re grateful to work with Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance to help represent these retired athletes.”
Learn more about Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance’s supporters:
