Dr. Luke Fallon | Horse Racing Free Tips

Race to Give Kicks Off Friday

The second annual “Race to Give,” an online giving and awareness campaign running from Oct. 7 to Nov. 12 in support of Thoroughbred aftercare, was launched Friday by its organizers, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA).

RaceToGive.org will again serve as its central hub.

“2022 marked Hagyard Equine Medical Institute's 146^th year caring for the equine industry,” said Dr. Luke Fallon, DVM, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. “These equine athletes have given us so much over the last century and a half. Our veterinarians created the Race to Give to demonstrate our appreciation. Leading an effort to support the critical area of aftercare in conjunction with other leading horse racing organizations was the right thing to do. I hope that last year's generous donations of over $125,000 are just the beginning of what we can continue to do for aftercare support. I look forward to seeing this event grow even more in its second year.”

RaceToGive.org encourages peer-to-peer fundraising with a call to the Thoroughbred industry to create teams and to challenge each other to raise funds for aftercare in fun and creative ways.

“The highlight for me last year was seeing the diversity of donations Race to Give received,” said Ken Ford, CEO of Hagyard Pharmacy. “Traditionally the same people and groups are the ones always supporting aftercare. Race to Give demonstrated that the people who have a heart for caring for horses after their careers are over is more widespread than we have seen in the past. That's the difference we are so fortunate to be a part of. This is an initiative that people in our industry can be proud of and also, we should appreciate the horse enthusiasts and the casual fans who made donations too.”

The number of organizations that have come alongside Hagyard and TCA is impressive and demonstrates the positive support of Thoroughbred aftercare. Organizations including Keeneland, FanDuel TV, Thoroughbred Daily News, Churchill Downs, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and Resolvet have stepped forward to offer their support.

“It was excellent to see how everyone came together to raise over $125,000 in its first year,” said Mike McMahon, TCA President. “It was incredibly rewarding to be part of an initiative that was able to help so many different groups. TCA was able to use these generous donations to help 55 different aftercare programs. I hope that, in its second year, all of the people who participated last year will be able to share that enthusiasm and pass it on to their friends as well.”

To create or join a team or make a donation, visit RaceToGive.org and follow the program at #aracetogive. All funds raised will be allocated to TCA for distribution to approved grant applicants. All donations are tax deductible and tax receipt will be provided by TCA.

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Hagyard, Thoroughbred Charities Of America Launch Race To Give

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute and Thoroughbred Charities of America announced Sept. 8 the launch of the Race to Give, an online giving and awareness program to support Thoroughbred aftercare with the RaceToGive.org website as its central hub.

“2021 marks our 145th anniversary of caring for the equine industry,” said Hagyard's Dr. Luke Fallon. “These equine athletes have given us so much over the last century and a half. Our veterinarians created the Race to Give to demonstrate our appreciation. Leading an effort to support the critical area of aftercare in conjunction with other leading horse racing organizations was the right thing to do.”

The Race to Give calls to create teams and to challenge each other in fun and creative ways.

“The spirit of competition is at the heart of our industry,” said Ken Ford, CEO of Hagyard Pharmacy. “Hagyard's vision was to harness that spirit to not only raise money, but to also to expand the support of equine aftercare. By developing teams and then challenging each other, we could encourage a wider group of people to participate. Aftercare organizations which have been excellent stewards of our retired equine athletes have accomplished this through the generous support of donations from a concentrated nucleus of people in the industry. Race to Give is a new platform to encourage everyone who loves horses to donate.”

Organizations that have come alongside Hagyard and TCA include Keeneland, TVG, Thoroughbred Daily News, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and Resolvet.

“Everyone understands how important aftercare is for our sport,” said TCA president Mike McMahon. “It is exciting to see big names in our industry come together in year one. And I can only imagine how the list will grow in the years to come as other organizations see the impact and, frankly, how much fun it is to be part of this team of leaders.”

Hagyard and TCA note that on average Thoroughbreds retire from racing by age 6, meaning they still have a lot of life left after the racetrack since horses can live well into their late 20s. Responsible owners can set their horse up for future success by retiring them into a TCA-approved and TAA-accredited aftercare program where they can be retrained for their next career. Many Thoroughbreds will move into careers in new disciplines such as eventing, hunter/jumpers, dressage, western, polo, trail riding, equine-therapy, and much more.

“Like many involved in the sport of Thoroughbred racing, Hagyard believes that it is our collective responsibility to protect the well-being of these horses we love that retire from racing and breeding,” Fallon said. “I echo everyone that is involved with Race to Give to please help us support these horses as they transition to their next careers.”

To make a donation, register to fundraise, or create or join a team please visit RaceToGive.org and follow #aracetogive on social media.

The post Hagyard, Thoroughbred Charities Of America Launch Race To Give appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Borden Succeeds Bell As Visit Horse Country Board President

With a unanimous vote of the board of Horse Country, Inc., Gathan Borden officially stepped into his role as the new – and second-ever – board president for Visit Horse Country. Borden has served on the board since his election by the members in 2019. The transition also marks the outgoing of long-time founding board president Price H. Bell, Jr., who has served for the organization's first 7 years.

Bell, along with father Headley, Brutus Clay, and Dr. Luke Fallon, termed themselves the “mule team,” as they worked in the early days to form and shepherd the industry initiative that would become Visit Horse Country. Each has served roles on the board with Dr. Fallon recently rejoining; Bell, Jr. has maintained the leadership position through the foundational days.

“No doubt the organization would not be what it is, or at all, without Price's generous dedication of time, contribution of boundless energy, and sheer will,” said Executive Director Anne Sabatino Hardy. “He's been a mentor and a tremendous leader. His fingerprints are all over the initiative, which has opened the gates to completely new fans over these last years.”

Borden, the Vice President of Marketing for VisitLEX, Lexington's convention and visitor's bureau, is a 14-year veteran of the tourism industry, sought-after speaker on marketing topics and trends, and was selected in 2021 as one of the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization” by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI). Borden has served on the board since 2019.

“As we move into the next era of Visit Horse Country, Gathan's marketing prowess, vision and strategic approach is the perfect fit for this position,” said Bell, Jr. “He's an expert in the tourism field and as we seek to attract new fans to our sport, he lends invaluable perspective on how to leverage our experiences to the leisure traveler.”

“Visit Horse Country has been a game-changer for the Lexington tourism product,” said Borden. “The outreach from the horse industry into the community has been powerful and has allowed us to truly share the Bluegrass in a way we never could before. I'm excited to be a part of helping Horse Country continue to develop fans of the industry and further cement Lexington as the Horse Capital of the World.”

Along with the change in leadership, Visit Horse Country board members Heather Higgins, VP Corporate Partnerships for Breeders' Cup, and Harold Palmer, President, The Jockey Club Technology Services, were unanimously elected to service during the organization's annual meeting, held virtually in December 2020.

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