Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding: TAA Receives Special Award of Merit

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, the accrediting body in Thoroughbred racing aftercare, received the Special Award of Merit at the 2019 Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico.

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Modified from a press release.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, which has granted nearly $14 million to accredited Thoroughbred aftercare organizations, received the Special Award of Merit on May 16 at the Alibi Breakfast at Pimlico Race Course.

The Special Award of Merit is given to those who have made a positive impact on the racing industry. Previous recipients have included Jim McKay, D. Wayne Lukas, Dr. Dean Richardson and Edgar Prado, Team American Pharoah, and King Leatherbury.

“The TAA is honored to accept this award from the Maryland Jockey Club,” said TAA President Mike Meuser. “We are proud of the work that the TAA and our accredited organizations have accomplished in Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic Region, and across North America. The Thoroughbred industry in Maryland has been a leader in aftercare and a big supporter of the TAA and of our accredited organizations from the early days of our organization. We are thankful for their continued support and for their efforts in putting our horses first.”

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accredits, inspects and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations to retrain, rehome, and retire Thoroughbreds using industry-wide funding. Along with continued funding from original partners Breeders’ Cup, The Jockey Club, and Keeneland Association, the TAA is supported by owners, trainers, breeders, racetracks, aftercare professionals, and other industry members.

The Alibi Breakfast, which began in the 1930s on the porch of the historic Pimlico Clubhouse, features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen and fans to celebrate the Preakness and gain interesting and humorous race predictions.

To learn more about the TAA, please visit the organization’s website.

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.