One way that racing could improve its public image is by mandating participation by owners and trainers in equine rescue, retirement and rehabilitation programs through contributions from their starting fees. Emerald Downs racetrack in Washington has adopted such a policy beginning with the 2008 season. According to an article on The Horse.com website, "Horse owners at Emerald downs can make contributions to accredited thoroughbred rescue, retirement and rehabilitation facilities through a voluntary $1 per start minimum contribution from their horsemen's bookkeeper accounts."
All contributions to what has been dubbed, The Prodigious Fund, in honor of a former racehorse who finished his career at Emerald Downs at the age of 10, will be dispersed at the end of the racing year to approved organizations and Emerald Downs has committed to matching every dollar contributed.
It is a concept not lost on Fan of Barbaro, Shelley Abrams, who has been trying to organize a similar program at Philadelphia Park. Abrams' program, R. A. C. E. (Retirement Assistance and Caring For Equines) is based on owners contributing a percentage of their purses to support equine welfare. "Kind of like a 401K for horses," Abrams told me when we spoke over year ago. She also has instituted the similar "Pony-Up" program for trainers at Philadelphia Park to contribute a percentage of their winnings.
Abrams, who owns race horses herself, is passionate about intervening in the process of retiring horses from the track, and devotes herself to finding homes for horses who can no longer race, to prevent them from going to slaughter.
Abrams drew inspiration from Barbaro, who she said, made it "possible for all these people to wake up and pay attention to what was going on in racing. He hung in there long enough for the two bills to be re-introduced in the House and the Senate. The rest is up to us."
As far as I know, Abrams will be among those going to Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to lobby for the passage of these bills.
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1 comment:
It is a wonderful idea for a mandated participation in equine rescue. Bravo for Emerald Downs. I do hope that all tracks will follow suit. I love how Abrams referred to it as a kind of "401K".
She does fantastic work. The FOBs are a group that have a huge voice and do amazing work.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Johttp://frequentlyfeline.blogspot.com/
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