By Bloodhorse.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 8, 2020) — The Breeders’ Cup, one of Thoroughbred horse racing’s most prestigious international events, today announced Blessings for the Backstretch, a charitable initiative in partnership with The Stronach Group to support mothers living and working on the backstretch at Santa Anita Park this Mother’s Day. On Sunday morning, May 10, the two organizations will hand-deliver Mother’s Day Blessings Baskets to these hardworking women in appreciation for their immeasurable contributions to the horse racing industry. Each basket will include chocolates, fresh flowers, body wash, moisturizers, nail polish and other special gifts and treats curated with moms in mind.
“We are indebted to the mothers who are working day-to-day on the backstretch to support the horse racing industry through this unprecedented situation, all the while caring for their own families,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders’ Cup. “This Mother’s Day, we hope to express our gratitude for their hard work and add a bit of extra joy to their special day.”
“Each year, and especially this one, it is important to celebrate these special women on Mother’s Day and give them an extra bit of thanks for all they do within our racing community,” said Aidan Butler, Executive Director of California Racing Operations for The Stronach Group. “They are a pivotal part of our daily business, while also caring for the safety and well-being of their families. We are lucky to have these women in our lives and remember all those that have come before them.”
Blessings for the Backstretch is the latest effort in a string of initiatives led by Breeders’ Cup to alleviate the burdens created by COVID-19 within the horse racing industry. In April, Breeders’ Cup introduced Cocktails & Conversation, a recurring virtual happy hour, to raise funds for backstretch communities most heavily impacted by the health crisis. Proceeds from this week’s Cocktails & Conversation, which aired on Thursday, May 7, on Breeders’ Cup’s Twitter, YouTube and Facebook and featured special appearances from 15-time Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer Bob Baffert and award-winning actress Bo Derek, will go towards the Blessings Baskets.
Also in April, Breeders’ Cup announced a direct $25,000 donation to the Race Track Chaplaincy of America to provide aid for in-need backstretch workers, as well as a donation of 4,500 gloves, 2,000 hair covers, 1,200 Tyvek suits, 500 masks and 500 shoe covers to the Commonwealth of Kentucky to help reduce risk of virus exposure for medical personnel in the state. Most recently, the organization launched the Breeders’ Cup T-Shirt Design Contest to generate additional proceeds and support for various backstretch communities and other industry stakeholders across the country.
To learn more about Breeders’ Cup’s ongoing efforts to support the horse racing community, please visit BreedersCup.com/donate