GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) is owned by OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH, but when he tackles a tough group of opponents in Saturday's GI Haskell S. he will be running for more than just the four ownership groups. Restrepo announced Friday that, starting with the Haskell, he will be donating a portion of Mage's earnings to the Dwoskin Children's Cancer Research Fund at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The story was first reported by the Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch.
The fund was named in honor of Steve Dwoskin, a veteran trainer on the South Florida circuit, who estimates he has donated $15 million to cancer related causes.
Though a successful trainer, much of Dwoskin's income has come from a career selling auto parts.
“What Ramiro is doing, it's unbelievable,” the 80-year-old trainer said. “It's a really beautiful gesture on his part. This is a good story. I think a lot of people will see this and they'll all be rooting for Mage.”
Dwoskin started donating to cancer-related charities 22 years ago after his father and brother died of the disease. About eight years ago, he started to focus on cancer research for children. With Dwoskin's help, the Dwoskin Children's Cancer Research Fund at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center was started.
“I met this woman whose husband was a big doctor down here,” Dwoskin said. “She lost an 8-year-old son to cancer. I saw it on TV, on channel 7, and I went to meet her. I just realized I have a calling. If somebody is 80 or 90-years-old and dies of cancer I can handle that. When someone who is 8-years-old dies, I can't handle it. I just don't understand it.”
Restrepo said he had long admired Dwoskin for his work and for his philanthropy.
“Steve has been a local, Florida horseman for many, many years and is real supportive of the South Florida racing industry,” Restrepo said. “He's also a huge benefactor to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. I am a Miami alumni. I have lost two family members to cancer, my grandfather and an uncle on my father's side. So I am sensitive to that disease. There's a synergy between the University of Miami, Steve Dwoskin and the disease itself which has hit close to home for me. That all came together. I met with Steve and some of the fundraisers and chair members over at the University of Miami on the pediatric cancer side. We chatted about working with each other. This opportunity came up and I was more than happy to contribute. Mage is a horse that has many followers and it's nice to be able to use his platform to create awareness for what Steve has been doing. There is such a depth to his commitment. Steve has donated so much money toward the pediatric cancer research foundation. When you sit down with him and hear it from the horse's mouth it's pretty impressive.”
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