BENSALEM, PA (November 8, 2024) The National Thoroughbred League (NTL) made its Mid-Atlantic debut at Parx Racing in Bensalem, PA on Saturday, October 19 featuring the home team of the Philadelphia Stallions, co-owned by Philadelphia sports legend and NBA Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving. While the Stallions had a good day and won a few races, the real winners were the beneficiaries of PTHA Charities, Inc., which received a generous $50,000 donation from the NTL.
PTHA Charities is a 501(c)3 non-profit established by the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which represents owners and trainers at Parx Racing. The non-profit focuses on what it calls E3 initiative: Essentials, Education, and Experiences. Through the E3 initiative, PTHA Charities provides daily essentials to the men and women who call Parx Racing home, offers educational scholarships to eligible recipients, and organizes experiential trips to surrounding venues and pro-sporting events.
“The National Thoroughbred League recognized the core component to making all of this possible is our horsemen, the men and women of our backstretch community,” said Jeffrey A. Matty, Jr, Executive Director of the PTHA. “NTL’s generous $50,000 donation to PTHA Charities will allow us to continue to provide scholarships to horsemen looking to either start or further their degrees in the classroom. Additionally, it will allow for more initiatives such as coat-drives, holiday toy drives, distribution of daily essentials, field trips, and much more. We are proud of our partnership with NTL and look forward to future collaborations and partnerships.”
The Dr. J Classic ran as the nightcap on the day’s card. Irish Maxima, trained by John C. Servis, drew off under Frankie Pennington to win NTL’s marquee race by 5&1/2 lengths. The NTL now shifts to Turf Paradise at the end of December to close out the 2024 season.
The mission of the National Thoroughbred League is to deliver a sports and entertainment experience, second to none in the world. NTL brings joy, energy and excitement through a league-based competition. The safety of horses, jockeys and all participants are priority. Innovation, inclusivity and sustainability are the core drivers of future growth and value in the horse racing industry, which NTL intends to expand well beyond the ten teams represented this year.
“The PTHA’s dedication to excellence at Parx Racing represents everything we believe in for thoroughbred racing’s future,” said Robert Daugherty, co-founder of the National Thoroughbred League. “Stay tuned for a date to be released soon on NTL’s 2025 stop at Parx Racing.”
“A commitment to horsemen and racing integrity is a model for the entire industry,” said Tom Ludt, President of the NTL. “We’re proud to make the Philadelphia Cup a cornerstone of the NTL team series, and we look forward to building this partnership at Parx Racing for years to come. The PTHA has set a new standard for horsemen’s associations across America.”
Image Caption: Pictured, left to right: Jules Erving , Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, Beasley Reece, Tom Ludt , Robert Daugherty at Parx Racing
