LEXINGTON, Ky. – Emerald Downs Racetrack and Casino in Auburn, Wash. will host a day dedicated to Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) on Sunday, June 3. A TCA information table, videos, public address announcements, signage, and program advertisements will highlight the work of TCA throughout the track.
The TCA Day is part of a donor-directed, charity-focused initiative at Emerald Downs. Earlier this year, an anonymous donor provided funding to restore the purses of the first four stakes races of the season and stipulated that on the day of each stakes race a selected Thoroughbred charity be highlighted and receive a donation of $250 per starter in the day’s stakes race. Other selected charities included the Prodigious Fund, Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, and Old Friends. Additionally, the donor provided funds for the Getaway Stakes, a $100,000 stakes race on September 23, closing day at Emerald Downs. All entry and starting fees for the Getaway stakes will be split between the four selected charities.
Sunday’s feature is the $50,000 Governor’s Stakes, a six furlong race for three-year-olds and up.
“We are incredibly grateful to the anonymous donor for selecting TCA as one of the beneficiaries and to Emerald Downs for the promotional opportunities,” said Erin Crady executive director of TCA. “The opportunity to educate patrons about TCA and its mission is invaluable. We laud the ingenuity of the donor in not only assisting racing at Emerald Downs but also the organizations working to retire, or rehab, retrain, and rehome our racers when their days on the track are over.”
TCA’s mission is to provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. TCA distributes grants to several categories of Thoroughbred-related nonprofits including rehabilitation, retraining, rehoming and retirement organizations; backstretch and farm employee programs; equine-assisted therapy programs; and research organizations. Since its inception in 1990, TCA has granted over $22 million to more than 200 charities. From 2000-2016, more than 95% of TCA’s expenditures were allocated to program services including direct grants.
