harold lerner | Horse Racing Free Tips

Holiday Tradition Continues At Aqueduct With Toys For Tots

As often happens with the best ideas, this one started simply.

It dates to a few weeks prior to Christmas 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks of the United States Marine Corps Reserve admired a rag doll that his wife, Diane, had crocheted out of yarn. So how then, Diane wondered, could they give it to a needy child in time to “have a good Christmas?”

Major Hendricks didn't know of an agency that distributed toys. So the next day, he and a fellow Marine made a proposal to their superiors for an annual Marine Corps-sponsored holiday toy drive.

“Don't fail” was the only advice they got.

They didn't – with the best proof of that set for this weekend [Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5] when Marines will be at Aqueduct on behalf of Toys for Tots, the national organization Hendricks co-founded, to collect new, unwrapped toys that will be given as holiday gifts to disadvantaged children in the community. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, now in its 74th year of giving, also collects monetary donations, which it uses to purchase toys.

Unlike 2020 when NYRA's Toys for Tots collection was entirely online because the COVID-19 pandemic had closed racing to fans, this upcoming campaign marks a return to a longstanding holiday tradition at the Big A. You can give this year online – and in-person at donation boxes at Aqueduct's main clubhouse entrance, as well as the Turf and Field entrance.

Fans can donate at https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/ – via credit card with a secure one-step process; or by selecting and donating toys via the organization's virtual toy box. You can donate with a check made out to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation, and mailed to: U.S. Marine Corps; Attention: GySgt, John Sardine; 605 Stewart Avenue; Garden City, NY 11530.

“This year, fans will be able to give in person at the track or virtually, allowing us to continue the tradition of working with the Marine Corps Reserve to make sure children throughout New York City and across Long Island receive toys for the holidays,” said Vanessa Rodriguez Payne, NYRA Community Relations Manager. “New York racing fans and our employees have generously supported Toys for Tots for years, and we're thrilled to encourage that giving spirit again in 2021.”

As part of its support of the Toys for Tots Foundation, NYRA is making a financial contribution to the organization. Toys for Tots is also supported by generous contributions from the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) and thoroughbred owner Harold Lerner.

“NYTHA is proud to once again support the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Foundation and the tireless work they do in bringing joy to children,” said NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum. “Our horsemen are a vital part of our local communities, and we have no greater joy than supporting the children of our friends and neighbors during the holidays, and all year round.”

Lerner cited the age-old mission of ensuring that the holidays be special for children as his impetus for supporting Toys for Toys.

“Lending a helping hand to our fellow New Yorkers is more important than ever,” he said. “The children receiving gifts should know that there is a community that cares about them.”

One of the attractions of supporting Toys for Tots is that the charity ensures that the funds and toys collected go to children in that area. That way, everything collected at Aqueduct next weekend will be distributed to New York families.

The Toys for Tots Foundation is also a Top-Rated Charity in terms of donation dollars that go directly to its mission. More than 97 percent of donations go directly to their mission of providing toys and other gifts to less fortunate children.

Last year, Marines distributed a record 20.2 million toys to 7.4 million less fortunate children throughout the nation during the Toys for Tots campaign. Collecting and distributing that many toys in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated what Lt. Gen. Jim Lester, President and CEO of Toys for Tots, described as public support for which the organization is “beyond grateful.”

“The need in 2020 was much greater than the supply in terms of the number of families with children seeking our support ,” said Lt. Gen. Lester. “The support we received made a difference to families who are struggling and provided joy and hope when they needed it the most. We were absolutely blown away by the donations we received.”

For more information on the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation, visit www.toysfortots.org.

About The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not for profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Now in its 74th year, Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to economically disadvantaged children through the gift of a new toy during the Christmas holiday season. Their gifts offer these children recognition and a positive memory they will cherish for a lifetime. Many of the gifts they provide, such as books, games and sports equipment, make a significant contribution to the educational, social and physical development of these children.

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NYRA Cares: NYRA Continues Support For Hope For The Warriors

Connecting with the organization Hope For The Warriors was the link that U.S.M.C. Staff Sergeant Ryan Anderson used “to regain my freedom,” as he put it.

In 2006, Staff Sergeant Anderson was diagnosed with PTSD and a mild Traumatic Brain Injury after being subjected to seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs) within a three-day span in Iraq. The injuries affected his ability to speak and eventually left him nearly unable to walk.

Back home, Staff Sergeant Anderson connected with Hope For The Warriors in hopes of finding a way to remain active. Starting with a hand cycle donated by the organization and combined with intensive rehabilitation and the support of his family, Staff Sergeant Anderson is now a marathon runner and working toward a dual master's degree in business administration and finance.

Welcome to another success story from Hope For The Warriors, the North Carolina-based organization that supports post 9/11 service members, veterans and military families in transitioning back to the civilian world. It's because of the inspiring story of Staff Sergeant Anderson and hundreds of others that the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is continuing its support of Hope For The Warriors.

To honor the organization and to commemorate Veterans Day, which is next Thursday, Nov. 11, NYRA and owner Harold Lerner are each donating $5,000 to Hope For The Warriors. The donations match those of previous years when NYRA and Mr. Lerner, a U.S. Army veteran, honored service members on Veterans Day.

“NYRA is proud to partner once again with Hope For The Warriors, an organization that provides much needed services to our veterans in the New York City area and around the country,” said NYRA's Manager of Community Relations Vanessa Rodriguez Payne. “Their work is absolutely crucial to helping post-9/11 veterans and military families regain their footing and thrive.”

United by Honor and Sacrifice

Hope For The Warriors calls itself, “a family, united by our shared conviction of honor and sacrifice.” It was founded in 2006 by military families aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, who witnessed firsthand what war does to service members and their families. The organization offers comprehensive support, health and wellness programs as diverse as the people it serves.

Its Warrior's Compass program provides comprehensive Transition Services for veterans starting new careers and opportunities for employers to find qualified candidates among service members, military spouses and veterans. That takes in everything from job training to candidate matching, mentoring, resume building and access to 1,500-plus companies looking to hire veterans.

The organization's scholarship program provides aid in continuing education at accredited universities, colleges or trade schools. And in cases where a veteran or family member is hesitant to seek mental health care treatment within their community or from the VA, a clinical team from Hope For The Warriors team provides short-term, stop-gap supportive services that engage the veteran or family in seeking treatment close to home.

Elsewhere, Hope For The Warriors' stability grant program provides short-term financial assistance when a veteran or service member is struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Still another program, Resilient Warrior, helps military members and families develop helpful coping tools to combat stress and become more resilient.

Staff Sergeant Anderson is thankful for those services. As a runner, the father of five now trains up to six days a week with an average of 18 to 20 miles, and has completed both the Boston and the Marine Corps marathons. And he is grateful that after his injury, he again has hope.

“It just means so much because Hope For The Warriors has given me so much after my injury,” Staff Sergeant Anderson said. “They've helped me get started from a hand cycle, all the way up to now I'm running marathons. I just couldn't do it without them. This organization has helped me to feel normal again, and I cannot thank them enough for everything that they do.”

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McPeek Looks To Next Starts For Swiss Skydiver, King Fury

Peter J. Callahan's Swiss Skydiver chased gate-to-wire winner Knicks Go throughout Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., ranging up three-wide with a threatening move late in the final turn before fading to fourth in her first start since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, last year's Grade 1 Preakness-winner was initially targeting the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25 before having to change course when their barn was placed under a precautionary quarantine, related to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 in their barn, which is shared with trainer Jorge Abreu. The quarantine was lifted on August 1 and all horses cleared without symptoms.

Assistant trainer Francis Chiumiento said he was proud of the performance by the filly, who was being piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the first time.

“I thought she proved how good she is and Irad was really happy with how she ran,” Chiumiento said. “He felt she had a shot to win at some point. These are all good indicators. She came back well and she's happy and content.

“I brought her in here around June 18 and she was doing everything just great,” he added. “We were going to run in the Shuvee and the Personal Ensign and then the outbreak happened. Thank God we contained it and none of our horses were affected. We did everything right.”

The $600,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, is slated for Travers Day August 28.

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circles Stables' King Fury, who had initially targeted the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 31, finished 10th in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational after a wide trip exiting the outside post in the 11-horse field.

Chiumiento said King Fury should benefit from the experience as he points to the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

“He was hung out wide the whole time,” Chiumiento said. “He needed a race, too. Unfortunately, we were using a $1 million race as a prep. He handled the turf well but he was wide the whole time. He needed that race to tighten him up and I think he'll be very strong for the Travers. He came back happy and walked great this morning.”

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Chiumiento said he appreciated the presence of NYRA Safety Steward Juan Dominguez for his assistance in negotiating the quarantine protocols.

“It was a pressure cooker but we did everything right. We made sure all the staff followed the protocols, from wearing gloves to disinfecting every stall. We took it serious and we know Jorge Abreu did as well.” Chiumiento said. “I really want to commend Juan Dominguez. He and I worked together and he did a tremendous job to make sure this didn't spread. He and Martin Panza [Senior Vice President of Racing Operations] were here, as well as Keith [Doleshel, Racing Secretary], almost every day and I have to commend them for that. They didn't have to do that. We made sure it was controlled and that there wasn't a chance for it to spread.

“We were prepared to do really well and it's frustrating because we don't know now how we'd have done,” Chiumiento added regarding their initial targets. “Kenny handled it with tremendous class. He's just a very down-to-earth and classy man. He was cool, calm, and collected.”

On Thursday, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables' Grade 1-winner Simply Ravishing returns in the nine-furlong $120,000 Saratoga Dew for New York-bred fillies 3-years-old and up.

A $50,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, the 4-year-old Laoban bay won 3-of-5 starts in her sophomore season, including a maiden win on the turf last August on debut and a 6 1/2-length score in the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson in September.

Simply Ravishing made the grade with a 6 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., before finishing fourth in both the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in November.

She launched her current campaign in April with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

Simply Ravishing has breezed extensively on the Oklahoma training track dating back to June 26 when she fired a bullet three-eighths in :35.86 and followed a week later with a bullet half-mile in :48.08.

“She's doing good. She's a cool filly and does everything right,” Chiumiento said. “She trains like a gorilla. She puts up bullets. I think she'll be right there.”

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‘Unusual Times Call For Creative Solutions’: NYRA Goes Virtual To Support Toys For Tots

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is proud to announce that it will continue its longtime support of the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation, which is being conducted virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NYRA encourages fans to donate at https://www.toysfortots.org/donate/ during the upcoming virtual weekend of giving on Friday, Dec. 4; Cigar Mile Day on Saturday, Dec. 5; and on Sunday, Dec. 6. Members of the Marine Corps Reserve will use the funds to collect and distribute new and unwrapped toys for children and families during the holidays.

In contrast to previous years when NYRA and the Marine Corps Reserve set up donation boxes around Aqueduct Racetrack to collect toys, cash contributions, and checks for Toys for Tots, fans are asked to make donations online – via credit card with a secure one-step process; or by selecting and donating toys via the organization's virtual toy box. This process also allows donations both this weekend and throughout the year.

“Unusual times call for creative solutions and by giving virtually, fans can continue the tradition of working with the Marine Corps Reserve to make sure children throughout New York City and across Long Island receive toys for the holidays,” said Vanessa Rodriguez Payne, NYRA Community Relations Manager. “New York racing fans and our employees have generously supported Toys for Tots for years, and we're pleased to encourage that giving spirit again in 2020.”

“NYTHA is proud to one again support the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Foundation and the outstanding work they do in bringing joy to children,” said NYTHA President Joe Appelbaum. “Our horsemen are a vital part of our local communities, and we strongly believe it is our responsibility to support our friends and neighbors during the holidays, and all year round.”

Lerner cited the age-old mission of making the holidays extra special for children as his reason for supporting Toys for Toys, now in its 73rd year of giving.

“There has never been a more important time than now to lend a helping hand to our fellow New Yorkers,” he said. “I hope these acts of kindness will inspire the children receiving gifts to go on to do great things, knowing that there is a community that cares about them.”

Though New York state currently requires all racetracks to operate without spectators in attendance to combat the spread of COVID-19, the employees, horsemen and jockeys at Aqueduct will be able to leave donations of new and unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots this weekend in a bin outside the Jockey Room. Checks made out to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation can be mailed to: U.S. Marine Corps; Attention: GySgt, John Sardine; 605 Stewart Avenue; Garden City, NY 11530.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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