News Releases

Wednesday, May 16, 2001Contact: Edward L. Bowen (859) 224-2850
Oxley Extends Research Pledge Through Preakness and Belmont Stakes

John Oxley, the owner of Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness favorite Monarchos, announced today that he has extended his pledge of one per cent of purse earnings to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation if his three-year-old colt wins Saturday’s Preakness Stakes and/or the Belmont Stakes June 9.

The total purses for the Preakness and Belmont Stakes are each $1,000,000.

“I hope other owners will think about making donations for equine research when they win major stakes races,” he said. “I’m glad to do it.” Oxley made his original pledge on April 3, but it was retroactive to Monarchos’ Florida Derby victory on March 10. That win was worth $600,000 so the Foundation received $6,000.

The Kentucky Derby win on May 5 was worth $812,000 so the Foundation received another $8,120 (as well as a matching donation of $8,120 from the syndicate that owns Monarchos’ sire Maria’s Mon).

“We’re immensely grateful to John Oxley for both his generous contributions up to this point and for extending that commitment through the Preakness and Belmont Stakes,” said Nancy C. Kelly, the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation’s director of development. “The foundation exists to ensure the health and welfare of horses and the events of the past few weeks have certainly reaffirmed the need for additional equine research.”

The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is the leading private source of funding for equine research and this year is allocating a record $1,000,000 for 17 research projects. In the past two decades, it has contributed approximately $9,000,000 to more than two dozen universities for more than 160 projects.