Thoroughbred Charities of America, (“TCA”), has announced the formation of the Eight Belles Memorial Fund.  Donations made in Eight Belles honor will go specifically toward retraining of Thoroughbreds for secondary careers and research into catastrophic breakdowns. 

Following Eight Belles breakdown, donations began to pour into TCA with requests the funds go toward charities to “help Thoroughbreds like Eight Belles”.

Thoroughbred retraining and research are 2 of the 5 sectors of TCA grant-giving, with the other three being Education, Backstretch, and Therapeutic Riding.

TCA is purely a fund raising organization which raises money primarily through their industry-supported Stallion Season and Art Auction, slated for Dec. 5, 2008.

Annually accredited non-profits within the TCA mission are given grants for their charity work for the Thoroughbred industry.  TCA operates on a lean budget, allowing over 96 cents of every dollar raised to go directly to the charities. 

Liz Harris, executive director of TCA acknowledges, “Many of the donations that have come in, were actually cashed winning tickets that people didn’t want to spend on themselves”. 

 To donate to the Eight Belles Memorial Fund, please call 859-312-5531.  For more information please visit www.ThoroughbredCharities.org.