Saturday Flirt scoring the win in Race 4. (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Kentucky HBPA, Kentucky Downs team to award $100K each to TAA, Stable Recovery and KY Racing Health & Welfare Fund
Kentucky Downs Release
FRANKLIN, Ky. —The Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (Kentucky HBPA), which represents Thoroughbred racehorse owners and trainers at the Commonwealth’s five racetracks, teamed with Kentucky Downs to present $100,000 checks apiece to three industry non-profit organizations during Saturday’s showcase card.
The checks will provide funding to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Stable Recovery and the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund. The Kentucky HBPA and Kentucky Downs both provided $50,000 for each of the checks. The horsemen’s association and Kentucky Downs gave a check for $100,000 to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund in April at Keeneland during the annual PDJF telethon on FanDuel TV.
The Kentucky Downs check presentations were included in FanDuel TV’s coverage of the high-profile stakes on the Saturday program.
“These organizations support the heartbeat of the horse-racing industry: our horses and our workers,” said Kentucky HBPA president Dale Romans. “After we teamed with Kentucky Downs to donate to the PDJF, our horsemen were interested in also supporting other industry non-profits with important roles and reach. Kentucky Downs was in complete agreement. It’s the right thing to do, and we wanted to make the donations on a huge day of racing to provide awareness for these vital organizations and encourage others to donate.
“The TAA helps ensure our retired racehorses have healthy and safe forever homes. The Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund helps pay medical expenses for backstretch workers and horsemen when there is little or no insurance. Given that most of the fund’s money has come from uncashed pari-mutuel tickets, which online betting has almost eliminated, their need is greater than ever. Stable Recovery is especially near to my heart, having dealt with my own alcohol issues.”
