A portion of California Chrome's earnings for the remainder of the year will support the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the charity established by Jimmy Valvano, it was announced this morning. Additionally, majority owners Perry and Denise Martin and Taylor Made Stallions said that they will launch a new partnership in the fight against cancer which will include additional events to raise charitable donations for the foundation.
“When Taylor Made selected a charity, we were looking for a charity that has the same values as Taylor Made Stallions,” said Duncan Taylor, Taylor Made's President and CEO. “When someone recommended The V Foundation, I went back and listened to Jim Valvano's ESPY's speech while he was fighting for his life against cancer. The wisdom from his speech perfectly matched what our company's founders and parents Joe and Mary Emily Taylor instilled in our family growing up–family, faith and your daily work. Do it with enthusiasm and bring hope to others. I encourage everyone to listen to Jimmy V's speech and give and do what you can to beat this dreaded disease and make the world a better place. We feel blessed to be associated with The V Foundation, which distributes 100% of all charitable donations to actual research. Our entire California Chrome team is proud of the association and believe that this relationship is groundbreaking in horse racing.”
Diagnosed with metastatic bone cancer in 1992 at the age of 46, North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator Jimmy Valvano was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award and delivered a memorable speech at the first-ever ESPY Awards March 4, 1993. Valvano announced the formation of the V Foundation that night, saying its motto was `Don't give up; don't ever give up.' Valvano died less than two months later, on April 28.
“I urge all of you, all of you, to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have,” he said at the ESPYs. “To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get your emotions going. To be enthusiastic every day, and as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, `Nothing great could be accomplished without enthusiasm,' to keep your dreams alive in spite of problems whatever you have. The ability to be able to work hard for your dreams to come true, to become a reality.”
The speech may be seen in its entirety here:
http://www.jimmyv.org/about-us/remembering-jim/jimmy-v-espy-awards-speech/
California Chrome is currently scheduled to run in the $200,000 GII San Diego H. July 23, and the $1 million GI Pacific Classic Aug. 20, both at Del Mar.
The first fundraising event will be held following the San Diego H. where California Chrome's blinkers, jockey Victor Espinoza's silks from the race as well as a co-branded California Chrome and V Foundation saddle blanket worn during the horse's final workout at Del Mar will be auctioned off. One hundred percent of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to The V Foundation.
California Chrome's connections Susan Braun, CEO of The V Foundation, will formally announce the new partnership and debut the co-branded saddle blanket this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Del Mar.
“The unique partnership with Taylor Made, California Chrome and The V Foundation opens the door to new ways to fight cancer,” said Braun.
“The generosity of the owners is extraordinary, and it brings needed funds to cutting-edge cancer research.”
In addition to the San Diego Handicap and Pacific Classic, California Chrome is also expected to race in the $5 million GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Santa Anita before wrapping up his career in the $12 million Pegasus World Cup Jan. 27, 2017, at Gulfstream Park.
Taylor Made's press release said that they encourage California Chrome fans, commonly referred to as “Chromies,” to join in The V Foundation's fight against cancer by visiting a special donation page: www.jimmyv.org/californiachrome.
The V Foundation funds research into all types of cancer at institutions across the country. Since its inception in 1993, The V Foundation has awarded more than $150 million in cancer research grants, funding cutting-edge cancer research projects through a competitive awards process vetted by a Scientific Advisory Committee. The V Foundation awards 100 percent of direct donations to cancer research and related programs.
For more information about The V Foundation, visit www.jimmyv.org.
More Reason to Cheer for Chrome
by Bill Finley
California Chrome (Lucky Puplit), it turns out is more than just a great race horse, capable of thrilling his many fans. Starting with the July 23 GII San Diego H. through the remainder of his racing career, a portion of his earnings will be donated to the V Foundation. The V Foundation was founded by late North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano and the proceeds are used to fight cancer.
California Chrome's primary owners, Perry and Denise Martin, and Taylor Made Stallions have earmarked an identical amount of his purse money to go to charity, and others who own smaller shares in the horse have done so too. Taylor Made's Duncan Taylor declined to reveal how much will be going to the charity, but with so much money available to California Chrome in upcoming races, the total amount could easily reach seven figures.
“I really admired Jimmy V and I think his speech in 1993, well, he just nailed it,” Taylor said. “Our core values of our family, our faith, hard work, those are the important things that guide our lives. Jim was compassionate and wanted to create hope for other people. That's the same type of things that our parents taught us. We looked at the direct charity and saw they gave 100% of the donations toward cancer research and they have a different way of going about raising money for administrative costs. That really appealed to us. It's a great charity and it's really trying to help people. He said that one in four people in their lifetimes will get cancer and that's mindboggling.”
California Chrome has already made $12,532,650, but the best may be yet to come. His tentative schedule includes appearances in the San Diego, the GI TVG Pacific Classic, the GI Awesome Again S., the GI Breeders Classic and then the GI Pegasus World Cup. Though the Pegasus will likely be his last race,
Taylor left the door open a crack that the horse would have a full campaign in 2017.
“There's a 90% chance he won't run after the Pegasus,” Taylor said. “But if he ran the table and if he is sound, you never know.
“In one aspect some of the naysayers will say you've been abusing him by running him so long and others will say you're retiring our heroes too soon and you should keep running him. We'll do what the horse tells us. If he's willing and capable of doing well, well, it's a lot more fun racing horses than watching them breed. As long as he's heathy and sounds and performing well there's a 10% chance we'll keep running him.”
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