OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York Racing Association (NYRA) will be matching contributions to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) in 2016, further reflecting the racing leader’s historic support for community and industry-themed non-profits supporting New York racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
According to Martin Panza, Senior Vice President for Racing Operations, the New York Racing Association is currently matching the contributions of owners to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) on a per-start basis. In 2015, NYRA recorded 17,276 starts occurring at its three tracks. Owners competing on NYRA tracks contribute $5 per start to the TAA.
“It’s about giving back to the horses and supporting their aftercare long after they have exited the stage,” said Panza. “These athletes have given so much to our sport and provided joy and excitement for fans in New York and beyond. In that spirit, we continue to support the good work of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance on behalf of our retired athletes.”
A non-profit organization, the TAA accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retire, retrain and rehome Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Founded in 2012 with seed money from Breeders’ Cup Ltd., The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association Inc,, the TAA works with stallion farms, racetracks, sales companies, horsemen’s groups, trainers, owners, Triple Crown winners, veterinarians, media outlets, and many more united with a common goal: to create sustainable funding for accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations.
Currently, the TAA provides grants to 56 accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations supporting over 180 facilities across the United States and Canada. These accredited organizations have gone through a rigorous accreditation process which included inspections of all facilities housing their horses.
“The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance thanks the New York Racing Association for their partnership, and for their strong support for our retired equine athletes”, stated President Jimmy Bell. “All of us at the TAA are committed to setting the standard for quality, result-driven aftercare for retired thoroughbreds, and the New York Racing Association’s financial support will help do just that. We thank Chris Kay, Martin Panza and the entire NYRA family for their commitment to these important efforts, and look forward to working with NYRA in the months and years to come.”
The Community Relations Division of the New York Racing Association’s Department of Communications and Public Affairs supports a number of non-profits within the local communities surrounding NYRA’s three tracks, in addition to supporting important, industry-specific organizations. These include the Backstretch Employee Assistance Team (B.E.S.T.), Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA), Racetrack Chaplaincy of America – New York, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium, and many others.
For more information on the New York Racing Association, visit NYRA.com
