Harness: Woodbine, Libfeld-Katz present Breeders Crown Charity Challenge

Sports and entertainment collides for the inaugural Breeders Crown Charity Challenge, presented by Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership and Woodbine Entertainment.

The Breeders Crown Charity Challenge will team four award-winning Standardbreds with four celebrities, and a charity of their choosing, for a unique social media challenge building towards the 2019 Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

The four celebrities participating are Eddie Olczyk (Former NHL player/coach, current NBC Sports analyst), Dan Pleasac (former MLB pitcher, current MLB Network analyst), Michael “Pinball” Clemons (former CFL player/coach) and Kim MacDonald (Weather Network personality). Each celebrity will be paired with a star three-year-old Standardbred.

The connections of Dan Patch Award winners Captain Crunch, Gimpanzee, Warrawee Ubeaut and Woodside Charm have pledged one per cent of their earnings from June 1, 2019 to October 26, 2019 to go towards the charity of their celebrity.

Performance on the racetrack is only a small portion of success in the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge.

Each celebrity will attempt to gain the biggest fanbase for their horse by directing fans to Woodbine Mohawk Park’s Facebook page. Fans will be able to vote once a day for their favourite team. The team that acquires the most votes during the challenge will receive additional funds raised through an auction.

To vote, visit www.Facebook.com/WoodbineSB and click on the Breeders Crown Charity Challenge Tab. Fans can vote once a day for the team of their choosing.

Through generous donations from several industry participants, Libfeld-Katz Breeding Partnership has secured a series of stallion shares that will be auctioned off at this October’s Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. The proceeds (estimated at $100,000) will be donated to the winning celebrity’s charity.

Each charity is guaranteed to receive a minimum of $5,000.

The teams and charities for the challenge are listed below.

Team Clemons – Warrawee Ubeaut – Pinball Clemons Foundation
Team MacDonald – Woodside Charm – Breast Cancer Society of Canada
Team Olczyk – Gimpanzee – Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
Team Pleasac – Captain Crunch – Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society

All four Standardbreds are expected to race at Woodbine Mohawk Park in stakes races ahead of the Breeders Crown in October. All celebrities (depending on availability) and charities will host a night at the races throughout the season.

-edited release (Woodbine)