Nancy C. Kelly, who helped raise millions of dollars for equine research and for individuals in need throughout the Thoroughbred industry over the course of a 32-year career at The Jockey Club, died Feb. 9 in Garden City Park, NY.

Kelly was 71 years old and had been battling ovarian cancer since February 2019, approximately one year after she retired.

As the vice president of development for Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and the executive director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, Kelly organized countless fund-raising events ranging from golf tournaments and ladies' luncheons to formal gala dinners. She also managed domestic and international racing conferences, including The Jockey Club's annual Round Table Conference on Matters Pertaining to Racing and multiple editions of the Pan Am Conference in New York City.

Kelly had worked in the clubhouse relations department of The New York Racing Association before The Jockey Club chairman Odgen Mills (Dinny) Phipps, who became a longtime friend and cherished colleague, recruited her to join The Jockey Club staff in 1985.

“Nancy had hundreds if not thousands of friends throughout the Thoroughbred industry, and she was as universally respected and admired as much as anyone I've ever known,” said Stuart S. Janney III, the chairman of The Jockey Club. “She was the face of The Jockey Club in many ways and no one was ever a better representative of our organization. Our sincere condolences go out to her entire family.”

Kelly, a native of New Hyde Park, NY, and a resident of Westbury, NY, maintained a long-standing and deep appreciation for the backstretch community and served in a variety of key volunteer roles in the creation and/or development of several Belmont Park-based organizations. Among them were the Belmont Child Care Association and the New York Race Track Chaplaincy.

She was named president of the chaplaincy shortly after retiring from The Jockey Club at the end of 2017, but stepped aside shortly thereafter due to her illness. From then on, she served as the vice president and as a board member.

“This is a sad day for anyone who ever knew Nancy and that includes all the racetrack chaplains around the country with whom she worked on a regular basis,” said Humberto Chavez, the lead chaplain and executive director of the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy. “She was a humanitarian in every sense of the word and took great joy in helping others.”

Though Kelly avoided the limelight at all costs, she was often honored by organizations and community groups for her service to the industry and nearby communities. Among many other honors, she received the Race Track Chaplaincy of America's Award of Excellence, the Jockeys' Guild's Eddie Arcaro Award (presented annually to a person who shows exceptional commitment to jockeys and the organization) and the New York Turf Writers Association's Red Smith Good Guy Award.

Kelly is survived by her sister, Fran Dtugokenski; brother-in-law, Ray Dtugokenski; nieces Lisa Locurto and Michelle Mirabile; and four grand-nieces and two grand-nephews.

Kelly's late husband, Jack Kelly, an Equibase chartcaller and field supervisor, died in November 2010 after a long battle with polycythemia.

The wake will be held Monday, February 12, at 9 a.m. at the Leo F. Kearns Funeral Home, 445 E. Meadow Avenue in East Meadow, NY. It will be followed by a Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Brigid Catholic Church, 85 Post Avenue in Westbury.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, or the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Donations in Nancy Kelly's name can be made to The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation through its website tjcfoundation.org or by check, payable to The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation and mailed to The Jockey Club Safety Foundation, 250 Park Avenue, Suite 2020, New York, NY 10177.

Donations in her name to the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy can be made through its website rtcany.org or by sending a check, payable to the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy, to the New York Racetrack Chaplaincy, PO Box 37191, Elmont NY, 11003.

Donations in her name to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center can be made at giving.mskcc.org or by sending a check, payable to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Office of Development, PO Box 27106, New York, NY, 10087.

We are very sad to share the news that Nancy Kelly died on February 9. Nancy was a friend to everyone she met and did so much for the people and horses in the Thoroughbred industry. She will be deeply missed. https://t.co/Z9mE6gKr7J pic.twitter.com/udysP8rxzA

— The Jockey Club (@jockeyclub) February 10, 2024

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A breakfast buffet on the clubhouse porch is available, but must be purchased separately from the HRWS ticket. Attendees will reconvene at the racetrack for an afternoon of racing in the climate- controlled Paddock Suite.

Tickets to the Aug. 3rd HRWS Meet Up at Saratoga are limited. Donations to the backstretch women's event can also be made via the EventBrite page.

The HRWS is also partnering with the New York Race Track Chaplaincy and The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation to host a gathering for the women of Saratoga's backstretch community under the Marylou Whitney Pavilion on Tuesday, Aug. 8. The HRWS will proudly match individual, tax-deductible contributions towards this Saratoga backstretch event to $1,500.

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Smith will be responsible for leading and overseeing all marketing initiatives at the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. She will work closely with the executive team, the communications committee, and TAA's accredited organizations to develop and implement marketing strategies that align with the company's overall goals and objectives.

“We are excited to have Samantha Smith join the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance as our Marketing and Communications Director,” said TAA President Jeff Bloom. “As the TAA has grown over the years our demand for professional communications and marketing has expanded. Her wealth of experience in addition to her passion for aftercare will be a great asset to our team.”

Smith added, “In my professional career I have a keen interest in the sport of Thoroughbred racing, particularly in any area where I can support efforts to promote and grow the sport, educate others, or improve safety, welfare, and aftercare initiatives. In my personal life, with my own former racehorse, I especially have a passion for Thoroughbred aftercare. I look forward to joining the team at TAA and promoting all the Thoroughbred has to offer after racing.”

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The auction winner of each halter gets a meet and greet with the horse by January 2023, and if they select the halter of the Classic winner, they receive $5,000. There will also be a limited number of Breeders' Cup hats of all Classic entrants provided by the Breeders' Cup and signed by the jockey slated to ride the horse in the Classic that will be offered for $200. Displays will be featured at Jock Tales, Fashionable Fillies, and A Call to Post.

'Hats and Halters' Gold Sponsors include WinStar Farm and CHC (Life Is Good); Lane's End, West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Hronis Racing, and Summer Wind Equine (Flightline); Gainesway, LNJ Foxwoods, Grandview Equine,and Cheyenne Stable (Olympiad); Gainesway, Strauss Bros. Racing, and Roadrunner Racing (Hot Rod Charlie); Zedan Racing Stables (Taiba); Wertheimer and Frere and Airdrie Stud (Happy Saver); Red TR Racing (Rich Strike); and Spendthrift Farm.

“Our heartbeat is for the people who work so hard to care for our beloved athletes,” said Shannon Kelly, Executive Director of The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation. “Thanks to all the owners and bidders who will participate.”

“We are always grateful for the support of our beloved jockeys by the owners,” said Nancy LaSala, PDJF President. “Their support means the world to our recipients.”

For more information and to participate in the online halter auction, visit 32Auctions.com/BCHatsandHalters2022. For the hats, visit https://pdjf.org/shop/.

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The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation is a charitable trust which provides, on a confidential basis, financial relief and assistance to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families. The luncheon will offer cocktails and Jackson Family wines, food stations and passed hors d'oeuvres with Kentucky favorites, live music by Throwdown Thursday, and shopping from local vendors such as Boulevard Home, AJ's Clothing, and Breeders' Cup Milliner Christine A. Moore.

“The Fashionable Fillies Luncheon has been one of the Safety Net's most successful fundraisers in Saratoga and California,” said Shannon Kelly, executive director for the foundation. “We are very excited to bring this luncheon to Lexington to help support the backstretch community in Kentucky.”

All proceeds from the event will be earmarked by the foundation to benefit the backstretch community in Kentucky, and local chaplains' and horsemen's organizations will help ensure the funds are distributed to those most in need. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please click here.

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According to Handal's Facebook post and a GoFundMe page, Mejia's mount stumbled and went down, landing on top of him. The 33-year-old assistant had to be airlifted to the hospital and was found to have incurred 10 broken ribs as well as four broken vertebrae in his spine.

Mejia underwent surgery to fuse the spine with rods and screws, and still has no feeling below his ribcage. Doctors are unsure whether that feeling will return.

“Anyone that is familiar with Handal Racing knows that Jose Mejia has been an integral part of the operation from almost the very beginning,” Handal wrote. “He's a hard worker, a team player, and most recently has been the ring leader of our strings on the road at Monmouth and Turfway.”

On Handal's website, Mejia is listed as the “Traveling Assistant” in charge of ensuring that “horses are safe and happy when they are required to travel away from their home track in order to race,” and the man in charge of the barn's shed row at Saratoga Race Course.

On Steve Byk's At The Races show Wednesday, Handal explained the incident further.

“It was just an unfortunate incident,” Handal said. “The track had closed for a couple days, and the first day that it reopened he was just doing a routine gallop with one of the horses there at Turfway. The horse switched to his right lead down the backside right around the three-quarters, took a funky step and stumbled. Jose tried to kind of take his head up a little bit, to try to help him recover like you would, but he just had too much momentum going forward. He went down and rolled over on top of him. It was a pretty horrific scene.”

The horse escaped the incident unscathed, getting to his feet and shortly thereafter was corralled by the outriders.

Mejia, however, did not move, and wound up requiring an airlift to the hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“He's been with me since the beginning, since I started training,” Handal explained (his career began in 2014). “He's just devoted himself and given so much to me and to our team and to so many different horses over the years, he's just gone above and beyond.”

Mejia's 7-year-old daughter, Callie, was staying with her mother in Connecticut over the weekend.

The Jockey Club's Safety Net Foundation responded to Handal's social media post, explaining that the organization is available to help fund Mejia's recovery.

The GoFundMe page to aide in Mejia's recovery is available here.

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The donation was made through a Go Fund Me site established by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association.

In addition, The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, which provides financial relief and assistance to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families, is prepared to help those in the racing community personally affected by the storms. Please visit tjcfoundation.org or call Shannon Kelly at (212) 521-5327 to inquire about eligibility.

The post The Jockey Club Donates to Tornado Relief Efforts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The donation was made through a Go Fund Me site established by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (https://www.gofundme.com/f/relief-for-western-kentucky?qid=7d0f09ff33c007abc965aea444af5411).

In addition, The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation, which provides financial relief and assistance to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families, is prepared to help those in the racing community personally affected by the storms. Please visit tjcfoundation.org or call Shannon Kelly at (212) 521-5327 to inquire about eligibility.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded America's Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.

The post The Jockey Club Donates To Tornado Relief In Western Kentucky appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Arvin is president and chief executive officer of Keeneland. She is a member of The Jockey Club and a former member of the law firm Stoll Keenon Ogden (SKO) in Lexington, Kentucky. While at SKO, she represented many Thoroughbred organizations in the industry, including Keeneland, Breeders' Cup Limited, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Arvin has served or currently serves on the boards of Bluegrass Care Navigators (Hospice), Horse Country, The Lexington School, and the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Foundation. She is also past president of the Thoroughbred Club of America.

“We are delighted to welcome Shannon Arvin to The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation board of directors,” said C. Steven Duncker, the foundation's managing trustee. “Shannon's contributions to the racing industry are well-known, and we are thankful that she will bring her insight, intelligence, and enthusiasm to the task of helping people in need in the horse racing industry. We are thankful to D.G. for his many years of dedicated service and wish him the best of luck with future leadership roles in our industry.

“Along with welcoming Shannon, we want to welcome the members of the Safety Net's new advisory board. They bring a wide range of skills from various backgrounds, and they will be extremely impactful in widening the reach of the Safety Net Foundation.”

The mission of the advisory board is to promote the work of the foundation, both to those in the industry seeking assistance and to potential new donors who can support the foundation's efforts. Early goals of the advisory board are to revamp the charity's marketing strategy and media presence. The board's full membership is below.

Dora Delgado
Executive Vice President & Chief Racing Officer, Breeders' Cup Ltd.

Britney Eurton
Host/Reporter, NBCSN & TVG

Terry Finley
President & Chief Executive Officer, West Point Thoroughbreds

Gemma Freeman
Industry Relations Manager, Stonestreet Farm

Stephanie Hronis
Owner, Hronis Racing

Gabby Gaudet
Analyst/Reporter, TVG
Sales Representative & Simulcast Host, Keeneland

Jonathon Kinchen
Horseplayer
Analyst, NYRA/Fox Sports Network
Co-Founder, In the Money Media

Justin Nicholson
Owner/Manager, AJ Suited Racing Stable

Jaime Roth
Owner, LNJ Foxwoods

Alex Solis II
Director of Bloodstock and Racing, Gainesway Farm

Jodie Vella-Gregory
Manager, Office of Innovation, 1/ST Racing

The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation is a charitable trust that provides, on a confidential basis, financial relief and assistance to needy members of the Thoroughbred industry and their families. Recipients of the Safety Net Foundation's support represent virtually every facet of the Thoroughbred industry, from jockeys, trainers, exercise riders, and grooms to office personnel and other employees of racetracks, racing organizations, and breeding farms. Assistance can come in any number of forms, including financial aid, medication, surgical and hospital costs, therapeutic equipment, voice-recognition computers for quadriplegics, and wheelchair-accessible vans. Since 1985, the foundation has provided more than $16 million in assistance. More information can be found at tjcfoundation.org.

The post Shannon Arvin Named To The Jockey Club Safety Net Foundation Board of Trustees appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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