Royalties from the sales of a Breyer model horse of recently retired Belmont
S. (G1) queen and champion RAGS TO RICHES (A.P. Indy) will be donated to the
NTRA Charities — Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), the National
Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced on Wednesday. Rags to Riches’
owners, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, agreed to donate their royalties to
benefit jockeys in need.
“We are extremely grateful to Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who agreed to
the deal with Breyer chiefly due to its potential to raise funds for the PDJF,”
said Alex Waldrop, president and CEO of the NTRA. “We are also very appreciative
of Breyer’s continued support of worthy, racing-related causes.”
Introduced last November, sales of the Rags to Riches Breyer
horse have generated more than $10,000 for the PDJF. The fund was established
to receive contributions to aid the nation’s 60 permanently disabled jockeys
with their health care and daily living expenses.
“Rags to Riches’ win at the 2007 Belmont made her a champion, but her Breyer
portrait model makes her a hero to the disabled jockeys supported by the PDJF,”
said Stephanie Macejko, vice president of marketing and
product development for Breyer. “We were very pleased that her owners agreed and
created the opportunity for everyone to have a keepsake model of this great
filly and support this worthy cause at the same time.”
Since 2007, Breyer has contributed $10 per sale of its Barbaro model
horse to the Laminitis Fund at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of
Veterinary Medicine. The 2006 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner succumbed to the
complications of laminitis, a degenerative hoof disease, during his attempted
recovery from injuries suffered at the 2006 Preakness S. (G1).