On Thursday (December 21), the Woodbine Entertainment Group announced a donation of $10,000 USD to the California Retirement Management Account to assist those impacted by the tragic Lilac Fire at San Luis Rey Downs Training Center in Bonsall, California.

The fire occurred on December 7 at the training facility, destroying eight barns and claiming the lives of 46 Thoroughbreds.

"We offer our heartfelt condolences to those impacted by the devastating fire at San Luis Rey Downs earlier this month," said Jonathan Zammit, vice president of Thoroughbred Racing Operations. "While the loss of life is irreplaceable, we hope this donation will help provide some relief to our friends suffering during this difficult time. Woodbine Entertainment takes equine welfare very seriously, and helping horses after their racing careers have come to an end is always top of mind for us."

Woodbine Entertainment's donation will be made to CARMA, which is a charitable organization working in partnership with the equine community to raise funds for the aftercare of Thoroughbreds.

“The mission of CARMA is to provide resources (funds) for the care, retraining, retirement and re-homing of horses that have raced in California,” said Madeline Auerbach, founders chair of CARMA. “The disastrous fire at San Luis Rey left us with a need to establish a safe haven for those horses. To that end, we have created a fund that requires all of the proceeds to be used to assist the fire-affected equines. We are so grateful to Woodbine for helping further this cause.”

“Giving back to the communities we interact with is a central pillar in our overall strategy here at Woodbine,” said Zammit. “Whether at home or abroad, it is important to us as an organization to assist where we can.”

To make a donation, click here.

(WEG)