£400k Raised During Royal Ascot at Home

A total of £400,000 was raised by frontline charities during Royal Ascot this year. Approximately £166,000 was contributed by the #StyledWithThanks programme, and Ascot Racecourse’s direct fundraising benefitted The NationalEmergencies Trust Relief Fund, NH Charities Together, The Care Workers Charity and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund. Prizes were awarded for Most Elegant, Most Uplifting and Most Original as judged by a panel of fashion industry experts. An online auction of rainbow-themed hats-in partnership with the British Hat Guild-generated £24,000, and the campaign was given another £30,000 boost when 2020 Royal Ascot Champion Jockey Frankie Dettori signed and donated his commemorative ’70th Royal Ascot win’ saddlecloth. Other charitable contributions were raised by the sale of 2020 Ascot Jockey Bears, a £5 donation from the sale of each Royal Ascot Afternoon Tea and 20% of sales from the new Ascot Wine Club. Betting and Gaming council members, among them many of the UK’s leading bookmakers also pledged £250,000 to be distributed between Prostate Cancer UK, Marie Curie, The Care Workers Charity and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund around an initiative that centred on the Britannia S. on Gold Cup Day. Jockeys riding on the final day of Royal Ascot donated all of their riding fees.

“We are delighted with the response of the public and the racing, betting and fashion industries to all the charitable initiatives that took place during and around Royal Ascot,” said Ascot Racecourse Director of Racing & Public Affairs. “The rainbow montage tribute of photos sent in as part of our #StyledWithThanks campaign will be a permanent reminder of the year when all elements of what makes Royal Ascot so special came together to support a range of national and local charities.”

For the full details, go to www.ascot.co.uk/ascot-racecourse.

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Indiana Derby Day To Feature $100,000 Guaranteed Pick 5

Indiana Grand just made the Wednesday, July 8 program for Indiana Derby Day a little more interesting. A $100,000-guaranteed pool will be offered on the track's popular Pick 5 wager, beginning in Race 8.

The Pick 5 wager at Indiana Grand has one of the lowest takeouts in the country at 11.99 percent. By offering a guaranteed pool, horseplayers will enjoy the extra challenge in handicapping for the wager beginning with Race 8 and completed on Race 12.

Of the five races involved in the Pick 5, all are stakes races, including the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks (Race 10) and the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby (Race 11). The only race that is not a stakes race on the special card is the final leg of the Pick 5.

Indiana Derby Day kicks off at 2:20 p.m. The first leg of the Pick 5 will have an estimated post time of 6:10 p.m. The 12th running of the $75,000 Indiana General Assembly Distaff (Listed) will kick off the first leg of the Pick 5.

Live racing continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with action held Monday through Thursday beginning at 2:20 p.m. Three more Saturday programs are slated for all-Quarter Horse days Aug. 8, Oct. 23 and Oct. 24.

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VanMeter Extends Apology for Racist Comments

One day after his racist comments on social media were made public, Tom VanMeter sent the Thoroughbred Daily News a statement which he asked be published in the Tuesday night edition.

“Over the weekend, comments I made on a private page of a social media platform surfaced which have since come under scrutiny due to their racist nature. I will not attempt to deny that I wrote the comments, nor will I attempt to justify my actions. Certainly, I am frustrated with the current social situation in our country, however, what I wrote was unjustifiable. I was wrong and am disgusted by my actions. Contrary to what these comments might suggest, in no way do those responses represent my true feelings towards my friends and community members of color. Moving forward I am committed to listening and learning as to how I can be a better ally and advocate in my community and within the racing industry as to how we can better foster inclusivity for all. In the meantime, as a gesture of goodwill, I have made a donation to the NAACP in support of the important work this organization continues to do. I am hopeful all the industry stakeholders and the community at large can forgive me. I can and will do better.”

Monday, in response to a post asking people to retweet if they planned to boycott the NFL after they changed their policy to allow players to peacefully protest racial inequality in America during the national anthem by taking a knee, VanMeter referred to the National Football League, substituting an abbreviation of the “N-word,” a racist slur, for the word National. He also said of protestors, “Put em back in their cage!!!”

VanMeter’s son, Griffin, made his own post on Facebook yesterday, which was critical of his father’s behavior.

Griffin posted the following.

“Today, my Dad wrote racist comments on a racist post on Facebook. Luckily for him he got called out for it as he should have. I’m glad that it was public because his racism is a conversation I wanted to have with him for over 20 years but never had the courage to start. I am sorry to both of us and all of us for that. I care deeply about my dad, and also care deeply about fighting racism.
It hurts my heart for somebody I love to be so misguided. Yet, I understand how he got there. It hurts my heart to think about people reading those bigoted words. It hurts my heart to think of the generations of people who have been denied life and progress because of white supremacy and systematic racism. I hope my Dad can unlearn the racism that was taught to him and that he later taught to me. I hope that he can learn love, acceptance, and promotion of all people. As white people, especially overly privileged white people, we must do our part to change oppressive individuals and systems. Luckily, my Dad will have that opportunity and I will do my part to support him on his anti-racism journey. I’m not looking or need validation for this post. I’m looking for everyone to examine what we can do better to make this world more livable for everyone. Some of that might include deep reflection and reconciliation of our actions. Black Lives Matter.”

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