Kentucky Derby (G1) hero and Curlin Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Mage will carry the hopes of OGMA investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH in Saturday's Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. The 3-year-old son of Good Magic will also help champion the cause to find a cure for pediatric cancer while clashing with Curlin Florida Derby winner Forte, Preakness (G1) victor National Treasure and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo.
Earlier in the summer, Restrepo pledged to donate a portion of his share of Mage's winnings for the rest of the 2023 racing season to the Dwoskin Children's Cancer Research Fund at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which was named to honor Steven Dwoskin, the Gulfstream Park-based owner and trainer who has donated many, many millions of dollars to the university's cancer research.
There is no doubt Dwoskin will be rooting for Mage, who finished second in the $1 million Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park following Restrepo's pledge.
“Absolutely,” Dwoskin said Wednesday morning. “The owner [Restrepo] went to the University of Miami and saw that I was a big contributor there to cancer research. He got in touch, and we had lunch. He wanted to give part of the horse's earnings. Mage came in second after we met, and he donated part of his earnings to children's cancer. Beautiful!”
The 80-year-old horseman and auto parts businessman feels fortunate to be able to help fund the fight against pediatric cancer.
“It's very rewarding. It's a beautiful thing. I've worked my butt off all my life,” said Dwoskin, whom the University of Miami had previously honored with the naming of the Dwoskin Proton Therapy Building. “God's been good to me by giving me gifts to earn some money. It's pay back time.”
Dwoskin went on to describe a very special motivation for his dedication to find a cure for pediatric cancer.
“I had this calling, when I saw this lady on TV who had a son who died of cancer. She started a place called Heroes Hangout,” he said. “We went to visit her and saw that she let all the kids go to her place to play games and take home little gifts. When I saw that, I got very moved and said, 'We've got to cure children's cancer.'”
Dwoskin has somehow found the time between his philanthropy and business obligations to train the winners of 934 races, including Fay's Rhonda Cares, a 2-year-old daughter of Mendelssohn who scored an impressive off-the-pace 5 ¼-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park last Sunday.
Dwoskin had intended to pinhook the $100,000 yearling purchase at the OBS April sale, but the Kentucky-bred filly failed to meet her reserve.
“Nobody wanted her. We raced her Sunday and now the phone is ringing off the hook,” Dwoskin said. “Her dam produced Flameaway, so the breeding is very good. We'll run in her in a non-winners-of-a-race [other-than] and see what she does and then decide what to do in the future.”
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