by Bob Curran Jr NYRA
Photo Credit: Janet Garaguso
Will Phipps II, Kathy Theroux-Reynolds and Johnny Velazquez have been elected to the board of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America, it was announced today by Ramón Dominguez, the acting president of the organization.
“These three individuals share a deep personal commitment to humanitarian causes and they will be a great asset to both our board and the chaplaincy in general,” Dominguez said.
Phipps, a Springfield, IL native, oversees the day to day operations for Brook Ledge Horse Transportation. He resides in Oley, PA with his wife Katie and their two children but spends a good deal of time on the road, representing the company at countless sales, horse shows and other events.
A longtime horseman, Phipps founded and competed on the equestrian team at Washington College in Chestertown, MD before going to work for trainer Tom Voss. He later spent six years as an assistant to Bill Mott at Saratoga Race Course and Payson Park and then became a trainer himself.
The Theroux name is synonymous with New York racing. Kathy Theroux-Reynolds dad, Ralph Sr., galloped horses at Jamaica Race Track before embarking on a 70-year career as a jockey agent. Her brother, Ralph Jr., served as a jockey agent in New York for 40 years before becoming a racing official on the NYRA New York Racing Association circuit.
Kathy, who has two adult children and lives in Garden City, NY with her husband Timothy Reynolds, earned a bachelor of arts degree in biology from Barnard College/Columbia University and a masters in School Leadership from Touro College. She pursued a career in medical research and taught AP science in high school but has continuously shared her time and her energies in support of the backstretch community.
Velazquez is the co-chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild board of directors and has been a tireless advocate for members of the Thoroughbred racing community through his work with the chaplaincy, the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the Belmont Child Care Association.
He was a driving force in the formation of the Race Track Chaplaincy program that was recently formed in Puerto Rico and in the relief efforts undertaken in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017.
The Hall of Fame rider, born in Puerto Rico, has won over 6,000 races, including two Kentucky Derbies, two Belmont Stakes and 11 Breeders’ Cup races. In 2009, he received the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Award in recognition of his accomplishments and his character.
He and his wife Leona and their two children live in West Hempstead, NY.
The New York Race Track Chaplaincy of America ministers to the backstretch community with children’s enrichment, social services, recreational programs, educational opportunities and non-denominational religious services. It plays host to both an Annual Chaplaincy Brunch and a Charity Basketball Game in Saratoga Springs, NY each August.
Additional information about the programs and events organized by the chaplaincy is available at rtcany.org.
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