Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) today received the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation’s (TRF) “Champion Award” for CDI’s work on behalf of the non-profit organization and the humane retirement of racehorses in the states where CDI racetracks are located. The TRF, which helps retire and find new homes for Thoroughbred racehorses that do not have futures as stallions or broodmares, is the largest organization of its kind in the world.

The TRF recognized CDI and its employees coast to coast for supporting the TRF mission through the Green Pastures Program, which was launched in April 2002 as part of a Company-wide “best practices” program. The Green Pastures Program has three primary objectives:

1. To encourage horsemen to retire their racehorses sound and suitable for second careers;


2. To utilize CDI facilities and resources to raise money for TRF, specifically for the ongoing care of horses donated to the TRF; and


3. To utilize CDI facilities and resources to promote the TRF, its mission, programs and racehorse retirement farms to horsemen, race fans and the general public.

CDI racetracks and training facilities work as intake points for horsemen who want to donate horses to the TRF.  Additionally, the Company’s racetracks and off-track betting facilities offer financial support to the TRF in a variety of ways–from formal fundraisers and raffles, to donations of equine-related products and services, to employee donations made through payroll withholding. Since the launch of the Green Pastures Program, CDI employees have raised approximately $240,000 to support TRF retirees. The Company also supports the TRF at the corporate level through financial and in-kind contributions. For example, CDI will this year serve as one of the primary sponsors of the TRF’s annual Saratoga Gala in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., the organization’s largest fundraising event of the year. 

“Through its unwavering support of humane racehorse retirement and its willingness to raise money and awareness for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, Churchill Downs Incorporated has set the standard among U.S. racing organizations,” said Diana Pikulski, executive director of the TRF. “When the TRF was looking for a racetrack partner with which to build a model program for promoting retired racehorse adoption and sponsorship among horsemen and race fans, CDI volunteered without hesitation and has been a steady partner ever since. Through the Green Pastures Program, CDI shares its financial resources and something far more valuable: the time and talents of its employees across the country. We are delighted to honor CDI with the TRF Champion Award because the company and its employees have truly championed this important cause