Harness: 2024 Breeders Crown Charity Challenge exceeds expectations

The 2024 Breeders Crown Charity Challenge once again exceeded expectations and raised $420,963.

Four tri-state charities benefited from the Challenge, which ran through Breeders Crown night one on Friday, October 25. Driver Grand Circuit points, online voting, a team influencer handicapping contest, an on-track charity race, and onsite visit points were tallied to award the first through fourth spots.

SBH Health System, Bronx, and Team Yannick Gingras, captured the top spot, earning 287.50 out of a possible 350 total points, which earned SBH $138,200.

The New Jersey YMCA State Alliance came in second place and earned $86,375, thanks to a strong social media push by Team Tim Tetrick.

The enCourage Kids Foundation and Team David Miller finished in third place. Meadowlands Racetrack CEO Jeff Gural and his wife Paula generously matched the third-place donation winnings, giving the enCourage Kids Foundation $120,925.

The recently formed Friends of Union County and Team Dexter Dunn finished the Challenge in fourth place, earning $60,462.50.

Thank you to this year’s Charity Challenge Sponsors:

$25,000 Diamond Sponsors: Meadowlands Racetrack & FanDuel

$5,000 Platinum Sponsors

Alagna Racing / Armitage Farm / Brittany Farms / Burke Racing & Weaver Bruscemi

Cameo Hills Farm / Anders Strom – Courant, Inc. / Diamond Creek / Brad Grant

Hunterton Farm / Marvin & Lynn Katz / Kentuckiana Farms / M&L of Delaware

Melander Stable / Bill Pollock / Svanstedt Stable / Takter Stable

$2,500 Gold Sponsors

Dexter Dunn / Yannick Gingras / Todd McCarthy / Dave Miller / Julie Miller

Carter Pinske / Southwind Farms / Tim Tetrick / Lucas Wallin / Walnridge Farm

Scott Zeron

Many thanks go out to the “Breedings for a Cause” bidders and the breeding donors Diamond Creek Farm (Sweet Lou, Downbytheseaside & Confederate), Walner Syndicate, Marvin Katz & Southwind Farm (Muscle Hill), Tactical Landing Syndicate, Blue Chip Farms & Chapter Seven Syndicate.

$15,000 was also raised for the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

To date, $1,929,473 has been raised for local organizations in need through the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, created in 2019 to help host tracks forge a bond with their regional communities while highlighting the benevolence of the harness racing industry.

-release (Meadowlands)