The Phipps family, represented by Ande Phipps and Ogden Phipps II, the wife and son of the late Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps, accepted the inaugural Dinny Phipps Award at the annual Belmont Stakes Charity Celebration held on June 8, 2017, at Bryant Park Grill in New York City.

Earle Mack, an active participant in Thoroughbred racing and breeding for more than 50 years and the creator of the award, presented them with a bronze sculpture created by Odon Wagner Gallery and artist Gary Weisman. The honor will be presented annually to an individual or individuals who demonstrate dedication to equine health.

“Dinny was a man of great vision and strength and this award is designed to honor those who demonstrate exemplary and selfless leadership [in the field of equine health],” Mack said. “Dinny and I shared a love of racing and that was the basis of our long friendship.”

“My father felt a deep obligation to do what was right for the equine,” Phipps II said in his acceptance speech. “He believed that everything we could do for the betterment of the horse was paramount to having our industry move forward and prosper. Simply put, what was good for the horse was good for our industry.

“I know that when my father left us, he was very proud of his accomplishments in our industry. I also know that he believed that there was more to be done, and I hope this award will be that spark that continues to ignite individuals and organizations to take care of our equine stars and continue to give back to this sport that has given everyone in this room so very much. On behalf of my family, thank you for this honor.”

The event was attended by approximately 175 people and took place in advance of the 149th running of the Belmont Stakes, to be held on Saturday, June 10.
Phipps, a prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder, served as the chairman of The Jockey Club from February 1983 until he retired in August 2015. He received numerous honors and awards through the years for his dedication and commitment to the Thoroughbred industry. He died on April 6, 2016.

Mack has owned Thoroughbreds since 1963 and has actively supported equine retirement initiatives. A member of The Jockey Club since 2012, he has also served as a board member at various times for the New York Racing Association, the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund, and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. He was chairman of the New York State Racing Commission in the mid-1980s.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. The foundation has provided $24.8 million to fund 346 projects at 43 universities since 1983. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.