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 146th 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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