CARMA

Back in March, a pre-race exam at Turf Paradise led to Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bernie "Chip" Woolley accusing a regulatory veterinarian who had scratched his 10-year-old mare of furnishing him with the name of a horse trader who he suspected of being a "kill-buyer." This is someone who purchases horses for export into the slaughter pipeline. The incident triggered formal investigations by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG). HISA shared its findings with the ADG, which ultimately cleared the state veterinarian, Victoria...

Seven months after learning they were one of a handful of racehorse rehoming and animal rescue organizations bequeathed a large sum of money by owner Nancy Messineo, the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) have received the "significant gift" and are in the process of figuring out how to best use it. "We received this gift the end of last year right before Christmas," said Lucinda Lovitt, executive director of the non-profit founded 15 years ago to raise money for the state's fleet of retired racehorses. "It's timely in the sense...

Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will be present at Santa Anita Park this year for the 40th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, set for Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is one of the official charities, and the official aftercare partner of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will have a booth set up during both days of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, where patrons are encouraged to stop by to learn more about accredited aftercare. Branded merchandise will be available in exchange for...

Thoroughbred aftercare in California will take center stage this weekend as the annual CARMAthon online fundraiser will be showcased live on FanDuel TV for the fourth consecutive year. Throughout the weekend broadcast, FanDuel TV will be amplifying the message and highlighting stories of retired racehorses thriving in their second careers. The goal of the annual fundraiser is to raise $150,000 for retired racehorses. The donations from this fundraiser will help fund CARMA's (California Retirement Management Account) grant program which offers assistance to more than 20 Thoroughbred aftercare charities.

The California Retirement Management Account (CARMA) annual online fundraiser, CARMAthon, will take place live on FanDuel TV and TVG on Saturday, Aug. 26 from Del Mar, the organization said in a release Wednesday. CARMAthon aims to raise $150,000 to support retired racehorses and fund essential aftercare programs. Proceeds will directly benefit their grant program, which supports over 20 Thoroughbred aftercare charities. "Once again, FanDuel TV and the FanDuel Group are proud to partner with the California Retirement Management Account, to be contributors, and to be the broadcast home for this...

Some wear their philanthropic largesse as visibly as the Great Wall of China from outer space. Others prefer a more discreet badge. "I only found out about this three days ago," said Lucinda Lovitt early Tuesday morning. Lovitt is the executive director of the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), the non-profit founded 15 years ago to raise money for the state's fleet of retired racehorses. Lovitt's weekend discovery? That CARMA was one of a handful of racehorse rehoming and animal rescue organizations bequeathed--and bequeathed without their prior knowledge--a sizeable sum...

After watching the races just across the street from their home in Del Mar, Joe and Debby McCloskey decided to take the plunge into racehorse ownership with the purchase of a filly by Congrats at the 2014 Keeneland September sale. Now, nearly a decade later, Johannes (Nyquist)--the first foal out of that first filly--has become the couple's first stakes winner and the 3-year-old gave promise of more firsts to come in the near-future with an authoritative second stakes victory in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita last Sunday. Johannes began...

Santa Anita Park's Senior Vice President Amy Zimmerman and multiple Eclipse Award-winning journalist Jay Privman have been elected to the board of directors for the the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA). The horse racing veterans fill vacancies left by the resignation of Candace Coder-Chew and the untimely passing of Howard Zucker late last year. "We are thrilled to welcome Amy and Jay to the CARMA Board of Directors," Billy Koch, President of CARMA, said. "Their vast knowledge and experience in the horse racing industry will be invaluable to our organization...

Last week, industry organizations announced the launch of the California Horse Power Coalition, a collaborative endeavor sold as something of a unified foghorn to extol the good word of the sport's economic and cultural impacts. The list of Coalition members reads like a who's who of California racing industry mainstays, including Del Mar, Santa Anita, the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (CTBA) and others. To discuss this new venture--along with a suite of other timely industry talking points--the TDN spoke with newly minted...

Santa Anita Park, in conjunction with Golden Gate Fields, will host an online auction this holiday season to benefit the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA),an organization whose mission is to rehabilitate, retrain, and rehome Thoroughbred racehorses who have raced in California. The auction, which will run from 5 p.m. Nov. 25 through 5 p.m. Dec. 9, offers a wide array of items and experiences to suit every age and personal interest including signed memorabilia, signed photos, and a handicapping lesson from handicapping analyst and on-air personality, Anthony Stabile. Other items...

Veteran trainer Howard Zucker, a well-respected Southern California horseman, passed away Thursday at USC Keck Hospital in Los Angeles at age 74. Based in New York prior to coming to Southern California in 1980, Zucker trained for a brief time for NBA Lakers owner Jerry Buss. Born May 20, 1948, Zucker saddled his last winner July 24, as his 3-year-old filly Gracelund Gray (Goldencents) won at Del Mar. Affable and a dedicated Yankees fan, Zucker was also a staunch advocate for the horse, evidenced by his multiple leadership roles with...

The California Retirement Management Account's summer fundraiser CARMAthon raised over $300,000 at Del Mar Saturday. The non-profit, which is dedicated to Thoroughbred aftercare in the state, joined with TVG, whose on-air commentators promoted the event throughout the day and played videos showcasing Thoroughbreds who retired through CARMA's Placement Program in their second careers as sport horses. The fundraiser was on pace to meet its goal of $150,000 when an anonymous donor put forth a dollar-for-dollar matching fund up to $150,000. This was met by the end of the day, bringing...