New Vocations Launches 12th Annual Breeders’ Cup Pledge to Support Aftercare

^{Photo: Courtesy Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire}

New Vocations Launches 12th Annual Breeders’ Cup Pledge to Support Aftercare

New Vocations has launched its 12th annual Breeders’ Cup Pledge, in which connections of Breeders’ Cup contenders pledge a percentage of their Championship earnings to support the charity’s mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired racehorses. To date, the pledge has raised over $800,000 to support the nation’s oldest and largest racehorse adoption program.

“This event has become one of our most important annual fundraisers,” said Anna Ford, New Vocations Thoroughbred Program Director. “Providing proper aftercare for these amazing athletes is a must, and we have been very blessed to have so many owners and trainers come together during these exciting races to pledge their support for New Vocations efforts.”

Despite the difficulties and uncertainty 2020 brought to individuals and industries around the world—including the Thoroughbred industry—last year’s pledge raised a record-breaking $150,000. Over 50 Championship contenders had owners and/or trainers who pledged a percentage of their Breeders’ Cup earnings, with Authentic (Classic), Monomoy Girl (Distaff), Order of Australia (Mile), Whitmore (Sprint), Gamine (Filly and Mare Sprint), Aunt Pearl (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Fire At Will (Juvenile Turf) emerging victorious in their Championship races.

“In 2020, at the end of a challenging year, we were very grateful for the generous support from our long-time and new pledgers alike,” Ford said. “We’re excited to watch the pledge flourish this year as it has in the past, and we can’t wait to welcome even more pledgers to our family as we raise the much-needed funds that ultimately help retired Thoroughbreds transition into new homes, careers and purposes.”

New Vocations will continue to seek pledges from owners and trainers until Nov. 4 in advance of the Nov. 5-6 Championship races at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.  All Pledge information is available at newvocations.org/events or by contacting anna@horseadoption.com.