Barbi Moline, who helped establish programs at Calder and Gulfstream Park to fund horse rescue efforts, has been selected to receive the Dogwood Dominion Award.
Initiated by Dogwood president Cot Campbell, the Dogwood Dominion Award was inspired by the Dominion, a multiple stakes winner campaigned by Dogwood in the 1970s who went on to become five-time champion Sire in England. The award annually honors an "unsung hero" in racing. During a July 28 luncheon at the Reading Room in Saratoga Springs, N. Y., Moline will receive $5,000 and a bronze statue of Dominion. She was selected by judges Anne Campbell, Jay Hovdey, and Todd Pletcher from more than 30 nominees.
Moline is the intake director for Florida Thoroughbred Rehab and Placement, a division of Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue. In addition to her efforts to save horses from slaughter, Moline spearheaded a plan to fund the rescue organization by working with the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and the Florida jockey colony.
"In a time when the plight of unwanted horses has reached all corners of our industry and can no longer be ignored, individuals such as Barbi Moline have stepped up to the plate–working tirelessly and with a knack for ingenuity–to save Thoroughbreds from slaughter while giving them a chance at a second career," Campbell said in a statement. "Working in unison with the local FHBPA, Barbi negotiated a plan which allowed the rescue organization to receive one-third of 1% of the purse money of the first-, second-, and third-place finishers at Calder and Gulfstream. The jockeys at these tracks also agreed to give $1 per mount to help fund the program."
According to a release from Dogwood, Moline began rescuing horses in 1994 and established Pure Thoughts Horse Rescue in 2005. Moline was involved with the rescue of all breeds, but realized the need for a special program for Thoroughbreds, leading to the establishment of the Florida Thoroughbred Rehab and Placement division, according to the release.
Moline worked with volunteers at both Calder and Gulfstream, and many fostering farms located near Miami, to house the horses. In addition to the rescue efforts, Moline also obtained grants from the Thoroughbred Charities of America and Blue Horse Charities. The program has also been supported by track management at Calder and Gulfstream.
