Dear Stakeholders,
We have good news to share and we hope it inspires you to contribute to the dedicated aftercare fund held at the NYS Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund. Go to NYBreds.com and look for the ‘Donate’ button in the middle of our homepage to make your donation now!
On December 16th the NYS Gaming Commission named the seven members of the Committee on Racehorse Aftercare Funding, which will advise both the Thoroughbred and Standardbred Funds on how to use the donations received. Join us in welcoming:
Joseph Battaglia of Mechanicville
Lois Engel of Warrensburg
Bill Ketzer of Delmar
Robin Malatino of Saratoga Springs
Lisa Malloy of East Greenbush
Liz O’Connell of Troy
Rick Schosberg of Muttontown
We are looking forward to the Committee’s first meeting on December 30th. The committee members represent a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and energy that they will focus on helping to ensure that ex-racehorses enjoy useful second careers or healthy retirements.
Joe Battaglia is a board member of the Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association, which fosters good relations with our NYS lawmakers, even treating them to a trot in the jog cart at Saratoga Harness as they advocate for trotters and pacers and the people who care for them.
Lois Engel is a long-time New York breeder who now uses the facilities at her Pucker Ridge Farm to retrain Thoroughbreds via The Long Run Equine Retraining, Inc. She is “looking forward to continuing to push for the aftercare of our equine athletes.”
Bill Ketzer is the Senior Legislative Director of Government Relations for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Not only does he save animals, he’s an incredible drummer, an avid biker and for many years successfully advocated for the Witness Tree that provided shade to several generations of students outside an elementary school in Delmar. He’s also the Bethlehem Town Historian. Want something done? Ask a busy person – like Bill.
Robin Malatino owns the beautiful Sugar Plum Farm in Saratoga, breeds and races Thoroughbreds, and owns NY stallion War Dancer, around whom she created a successful advertising campaign billing him as “America’s most eligible bachelor.” Now she brings her creativity and passion to this aftercare effort.
Lisa Molloy of ReRun in East Greenbush is an accomplished horsewoman who is currently taking college courses so she can accomplish even more. Lisa’s facility takes in more thoroughbreds than any other aftercare facility in the state.
Liz O’Connell often writes about the plight of horses after they leave racetrack life. You may read her stories at the Huffington Post. Liz says “I’m interested in the intersection of horse racing, the thoroughbred industry and horse welfare.” We are so fortunate that she is joining this committee with her generous heart for horses.
Rick Schosberg is known far and wide as a trainer on the NYRA circuit, with such graded stakes winners as Affirmed Success, who won two Grade Ones for the conditioner. Now retired, he is loved by the aftercare community for his work with the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, Take2 and Take the Lead.
Now that you know what an amazing team will be guiding the aftercare accounts at both the Thoroughbred and Standardbred Funds, please consider donating. For the Standardbred Fund, donate via your tax return. For the Thoroughbred Fund, go to NYBreds.com and contribute via the ‘Donate’ button.
Or you can wait until you file your tax return and look for line 31 on NYS Tax Form IT-227 to indicate how much of your tax refund you want to go to the dedicated Thoroughbred Aftercare Fund being held by the NYS Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund. The money will be dispersed based on the advice of a committee appointed by the NYS Gaming Commission.
Line 32 on NYS Tax form IT-227 allows for donations to the Agriculture and NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund (Standardbreds) via the same method: part of your refund goes to aftercare or, if you owe taxes, you indicate the size of an additional payment to the tax department, which will then be forwarded to the Standardbred fund.
Click here to see form IT-227. We know most of you love horses and believe they should be respected at every stage of life. A small donation will show the rest of the world that your heart is in the right place.
Thank you,
Tracy Egan
Executive Director
NYS Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund
