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Friday, June 07, 2019Contact: Shannon Kelly (212) 521-5327
John C. Oxley Accepts Dinny Phipps Award

John C. “Jack” Oxley, a longtime Thoroughbred owner and supporter of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, accepted the Dinny Phipps Award at a celebration of the 125th anniversary of The Jockey Club at The Sea Grill in New York City on Thursday, June 6.

Earle Mack, an active participant in Thoroughbred racing and breeding for more than five decades, created the award in 2017 in memory of Phipps to honor an individual or individuals who have demonstrated dedication to equine health. Previous winners of the Dinny Phipps Award are the Phipps family and Frank Stronach. Mack presented Oxley with a bronze sculpture created by Odon Wagner Gallery and artist Gary Weisman.

A longtime Thoroughbred owner and a member of Grayson’s board of directors, Oxley has pledged percentages of his horses’ racing earnings to Grayson over the years. He created the Oxley Challenge in 2004, by which the Oxley foundation pledged to donate $1 million to Grayson over four years contingent on Grayson’s raising an equal amount of funds.

“I am most honored and feel very humbled in my acceptance of this year’s Dinny Phipps Award,” said Oxley. “There are so many who have contributed to the success of Grayson-Jockey Club, but first let’s remember and celebrate a man who I believe has done more for racing and the Thoroughbred than any other, Mr. Dinny Phipps.”

The event was attended by approximately 200 people representing all facets of the Thoroughbred industry and coincides with the 151st running of the Belmont Stakes, to be held on Saturday, June 8.

Mack has owned Thoroughbreds since 1963 and has actively supported equine retirement initiatives. A member of The Jockey Club since 2012, he has also served as a board member at various times for the New York Racing Association, the New York State Thoroughbred Racing Capital Investment Fund, and the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund Corp. He was chairman of the New York State Racing Commission in the mid-1980s. Mack is also the founder of the Man O’ War Project.

Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation is traditionally the nation's leading source of private funding for equine medical research that benefits all breeds of horses. Since 1983, the foundation has provided more than $27.5 million to fund 366 projects at 44 universities in North America and overseas. Additional information about the foundation is available at grayson-jockeyclub.org.