News Releases

Friday, June 25, 2010Contact: Peggy Hendershot (859) 621-6929
NTRA and The Jockey Club Partner on
NTRA's Foal Fund to Support Legislative Work

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and The Jockey Club announced today that owners and breeders who register their horses through The Jockey Club’s Interactive Registration™ platform now have the opportunity to make a voluntary payment to the NTRA’s Foal Fund for federal lobbying on behalf of the Thoroughbred industry.

The Foal Fund, established in 2009, is one of two voluntary funding programs designed to include owners and breeders in the association’s legislative efforts in Washington, D.C. The Fund complements the NTRA’s voluntary ¼% check-off program that enables buyers and sellers at Thoroughbred auctions to support federal lobbying.

Both voluntary funding programs enable NTRA to represent horse racing on Capitol Hill while providing the opportunity for owners and breeders to contribute to lobbying efforts on issues including taxation, Internet gaming and immigration.

“The NTRA is delighted to offer owners and breeders a convenient way to support federal legislative work every time they use The Jockey Club’s Interactive Registration system to register a foal," said Peggy Hendershot, NTRA senior vice president of legislative affairs. "We appreciate The Jockey Club's leadership and its support for this initiative."

“The Jockey Club is pleased to facilitate support for federal legislative advocacy that benefits every sector of the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club.

Contributions to The Foal Fund can be made via The Jockey Club Interactive Registration platform or the NTRA’s website, www.thefoalfund.com, as well as by mail to The Foal Fund, 2525 Harrodsburg Rd., Suite 400, Lexington, Ky., 40504. Contributions begin at $50 per foal. All contributors to The Foal Fund are eligible to receive discounts on products and services through NTRA Advantage.

The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers, horseplayers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with increasing the popularity of horse racing and improving economic conditions for industry participants. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and Rye Brook, N.Y. NTRA press releases appear on the NTRA web site, NTRA.com.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms, among others.