“We are thrilled to welcome Joe as the new Executive Director of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund,” said William J. Punk, Jr, Chairperson of the PDJF Board of Directors. “Joe has strong leadership and management skills and is dedicated to supporting the needs of disabled jockeys.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund as Executive Director and assist the organization in taking the next steps in its evolution,” said Clabes. “I look forward to working closely with Nancy, the PDJF team, our partners, and the broader horse racing community to continue the important work of providing assistance and support to our permanently disabled jockeys.”

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“It was truly a community effort and one whose response proves racing is indeed a community; one that cares,” said Interim Jockeys and Jeans President Dr. Eddie Donnally who originated the season sale. “I believe that those blue-collar breeders in our industry represent racing's heartland. You're not likely to find them selling their yearlings in the Keeneland Select Sale, but like all breeders and stallion owners, they are holding on to hope; hope that their next foal will be a champion.”

“I believe I speak for the men and women who gave a big part of their lives beneath the horses we all know and love and directly benefit from this sale when I say we hope and pray every mating produces a genuine runner. Those severely injured jockeys and I, and every member of our committee, profusely thank each donor and buyer. They made a lot of difference in a lot of lives.”

PDJF Board President Nancy LaSala added: “On behalf of the men and women the PDJF serves, we are most grateful to the breeders who have supported this auction and the time and effort of the Jockeys and Jeans Committee to make this a successful fundraiser.”

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The La Salle High gymnasium will open to the public at 6 p.m. and tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Admission tickets will be available on-site and a $5 donation will generate proceeds to the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund (PDJF) and Holy Angels athletics.

A distinguished group of Hall of Fame jockeys will be on-hand beginning at 6:30 p.m. to sign posters and other memorabilia courtside.

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This year nine major Kentucky Thoroughbred breeding farms and individual owners are expected to gift seasons along with donors across nine states.

“This season sale is truly living up to its name, and as far as we can ascertain, it is the only one that includes stallions in this many states,” said interim President Eddie Donnally. “And it's the only one that solely benefits humans, namely those 60 men and women who underwent catastrophic career ending racing injuries.”

Since its inception in 2014, the drive has accounted for at least $800,000 of the $3.6 million raised by the all-volunteer group for the PDJF.

“Our sale not only offers solid stallions at a reasonable cost, but more importantly, the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those that are no longer riding racehorses,” said Donnally.

A Quarter Horse fundraiser begins Jan. 21, which last year collected $70,000, while the Thoroughbred version totaled $40,000.

To donate a season or for more information contact Eddie Donnally at edjockeysandjeans@gmail.com or call (818) 653-3711.

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“It's the lead-up to the 40th running of the Breeders' Cup championships. So we're taking 40 days and 11 different charities, and we're trying to raise as much money as possible for all of these charities that are doing incredible work within our industry,” said Stefanie Palmieri, the vice president of events for Breeders' Cup, Ltd. “And the idea behind the match is that we can engage the public knowing that if they donate, there's a potential for their donations to be doubled.”

The charities that will benefit are the California Thoroughbred Horsemen's Foundation, the  Ed Brown Society, the Edwin J. Gregson Foundation, The Foundation for the Horse, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) in partnership with the California Retirement Management Account, and the Winners Foundation.

“We started on Sept. 21, and the last day of the match program is Oct. 30,” Palmieri said. “But all of the links to donate will remain open through all of the Nov. 3-4 Breeders' Cup races so we can continue promoting and drive as many donations as possible.

“So far, we have hit our matches on quite a few of those days. I think people are really interested and engaged with it,” Palmieri said. “The program is really designed to support a variety of different causes within the Thoroughbred industry, and we selected the charities to represent a cross-section of focus areas.”

Two points stood out when TDN spoke with executives of some of the charities that the Breeders' Cup selected to participate. The first is that our sport operates differently than others in that it relies on a multitude of industry-facing organizations to keep the game going on a daily basis. The second is that most of these worthy causes generally have to compete for the same relatively small pool of Thoroughbred-supportive donors.

Yet those who run the charities say they welcome this opportunity to have so many good causes featured together under one fundraising umbrella, because a program like 40 Days of Giving raises not only money, but the profiles of everyone involved.

Jockeys heading to the paddock | Coady Photography

“When an organization like the Breeders' Cup says they're going to dedicate weeks of bringing awareness to the charities, we're obviously thrilled,” said Shannon Kelly, the executive director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation. “And I always have felt the Breeders' Cup should be the moment we're promoting our industry's charities, because all eyes are on the Breeders' Cup.”

Since 1985, The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation has operated as a charitable trust that provides, on a confidential basis, financial relief to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families. Its assistance recipients range from jockeys, trainers, exercise riders, and grooms to office personnel and other employees of tracks, racing organizations, and breeding farms.

“Obviously, the Breeders' Cup has a huge platform to promote the work of charities,” Kelly continued. “They have a lot of eyes and followers. A lot of charities like us in the industry, we have small staffs and we're working quietly as best as we can. So having an arm like the Breeders' Cup's marketing arm push this is fantastic. And I think it's just a nice way to show they're dedicated. It gives us a boost, some traction to what we do.”

“The reality is we're all asking the same donors,” Kelly said. “We're a small industry. So I think it's good to make it a collective program, and not everyone on their own going after the same donors. I think it makes it a little bit easier from a fundraising perspective.”

Nancy LaSala has been the PDJF's president since its inception in 2006, and she accepted the dual role of executive director three years later. The PDJF provides financial assistance to some 60 former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track accidents, most of which involve paralysis or traumatic brain injury. She said that although each specific charity focuses on its niche, they all fall into broader categories that she likened to three-legged stool that needs even support to remain standing.

“We need to care of our human athlete. We need to take care of our equine athlete. And we need to take care of our racing community infrastructure, which is basically the backside. If we could support those three bases, I look at them as the three prominent prongs of horse racing,” LaSala said.

“I don't think our donor base resides much outside of racing,” LaSala said. “It's nice to be part of a platform that includes so many industry charities. We very seldom get the chance to do that, for the greater benefit of all.”

TAA saddle towel | Coady Photography

Stacie Clark Rogers has been with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance since its inception in 2012, and has been the organization's operations consultant since 2014. The TAA accredits, inspects, and awards grants to more than 80 approved aftercare organizations at around 180 facilities to retrain, retire, and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding.

“As the official aftercare charity of the Breeders' Cup, we're always happy to be included in the event and to have the recognition for all the 80-plus organizations that we have,” Clark Rogers said. “It's the one time where we can help them raise some attention for aftercare on the national and international level. It's really inclusive that they've had so many charities be a part of this. It's great to have such a community spirit with the Breeders' Cup.

Palmieri said the Breeders' Cup left it up to each charity to select their own donors who are providing the matching incentives.

“I like the idea of choosing our match donor because it's helped me identify some people that we wanted to draw attention to,” Kelly said. “I went for people who support us throughout the year and are always looking to support more, and I think it gives them some publicity as being actively involved in supporting the industry, not just owning horses or breeding horses or whatever their business is. I think it's good promotion for them, too, to say we have some really good people and groups that want to help.

“We're a really unique industry, because not a lot of other big sports have in-house charities,” Kelly said. “Our charities are there for the future of the sport, to keep it moving. For us, it's personal.”

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The check was presented after the tenth race at Delaware Park Saturday. Over the course of the live racing season, each jockey donates a dollar from each mount fee and Delaware Park Casino & Racing, the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association and the Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Benefit Fund each match the dollar. The total is then donated to the PDJF at the end of the season.

“Delaware Park has been fortunate to have an exceptional jockey colony for years, not only as riders, but as leaders,” said Ed Stegemeier, the Chairman of the Delaware Jockeys Health and Welfare Fund Board and Secretary of the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission. “We could not be happier today to come together for this presentation.  I am particularly honored with the method of having all the groups coming together to make this important contribution possible.”

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In recognition of the non-profit organization's fundraising awareness day, which is observed annually at race tracks across the U.S., fans will be given the opportunity to purchase a pack of five jockey trading cards for $5, with a limit of three packs per person. Similar in design to baseball trading cards, the limited-edition cards will feature 20 of Saratoga's active and most popular jockeys.

Many of the jockeys represented on the trading cards will be available from 11:30 a.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET for an autograph signing on the Jockey Silks Porch. Suggested donations are encouraged to support the PDJF.

“Saturday, July 29 is Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund Day across America and a day we also recognize The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a critical piece of legislation for all Americans with disabilities,” said PDJF Board President Nancy LaSala. “On this day, the PDJF invites all race tracks conducting horse racing contests to coordinate with their local jockey colony to hold fundraisers and create awareness about how important this day is. We are grateful to NYRA for creating this collector series of trading cards and making them available to fans for a modest donation to the PDJF.”

There are 4,500 total packs available for purchase with all proceeds to be donated to the PDJF. Representatives from PDJF will be on site collecting donations and selling the jockey trading card sets inside Gate A near the Taste NY Pavilion beginning at 11 a.m. until supplies last.

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The acclaimed one-man show was written and performed by Montano, who shares his autobiographical story of his transformation from a tiny, bullied PuertoRican/Italian boy who just wanted to dance, to an apprentice jockey learning the culture of the racetrack, to a professional rider, to self-destructive addict trying to maintain the rigorous demands of jockey life, and finally to Broadway, Hollywood and beyond.

Tickets to the one-night performance are $250 and can be purchased online.

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“Mattress Mack has always advocated for the safety of riders and horses and is one of very few who understands horse racing from the perspective of an owner, breeder, and bettor,” said Jockeys and Jeans President Barry Pearl. “We believe he will be frank and also helpful in his assessment of the current state of Thoroughbred racing.”

With over 320 tickets already sold, a limited number of seats are still available by calling 855-234-7469 or purchasing online at ticketmaster.com. Single tickets are $125; VIP tickets are $250; and nine-person tables are $1,800 and include being seated with a Hall of Fame Jockey. All proceeds go to the PDJF.

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The entry portal closes at 11:00 a.m. E.T. this Saturday, May 6. Players should keep track of their answers as you will not be able to revisit the survey portal once you submit your entry. Should a horse named directly in a prop be scratched, all answers to that prop may be counted as correct.

Winners will be notified by email late on Saturday evening to identify how to direct charitable donations. The top finishers will get to direct $20,000 in donations to four racing charities, which are: Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs, New Vocations, Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and Second Stride. Click here, for more information.

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