Paragallo Donation Pushes N.Y. Heroes Fund over $4.4 Million

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Ltd. Saturday made a contribution of $250,000 to America's Camp through the NTRA Charities - New York Heroes Fund. The disbursement brings total Heroes Fund contributions to Sept. 11-related charitable programs to $4.45 million and total contributions to America's Camp to $350,000.

America's Camp is a free, one-week summer camp for boys and girls who lost a parent or sibling in the attacks of Sept. 11 and for the children of police and firefighters lost in the line of duty.

Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief, Jr., and Thoroughbred owner Ernie Paragallo presented the check to former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and America's CampcChairman of the board Laurence A. Levy on Belmont Stakes (gr. I) day at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

NTRA, Breeders' Cup, and the New York Racing Association formed the Heroes Fund to benefit the children and dependents of those lost in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. The 2001 Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships held six weeks after the attack at NYRA's Belmont Park in their honor. More than 300 individuals and organizations from the horseracing community have contributed or pledged nearly $5 million to the Heroes Fund.

Sunday's disbursement represents a portion of the $1 million pledged to the Heroes Fund by Ernie Paragallo, payable through the sale of multi-year stallion seasons to champion sprinter Artax and to Unbridled's Song, with whom Paragallo won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) and the 1995 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), respectively.

Paragallo, a native of Brooklyn, made the contribution to the Heroes Fund in memory of several friends and firefighters who perished in the attack on the World Trade Center.

More than 130 children spent a week at America's Camp last year.

Organizations that have received contributions include the Sept. 11 Fund - Pentagon Relief ($50,000); American Red Cross - Pentagon Relief Program ($50,000); the North Jersey Media Group Disaster Relief Fund ($50,000); Ronald McDonald House Charities ($50,000 for relief efforts at Ground Zero); the Bergen County (N.J.) United Way - Community Response Fund ($100,000); the Port Authority Police World Trade Disaster Survivors' Fund ($100,000); the World Trade Center Port Authority Memorial Fund ($150,000); Salvation Army of Greater New York ($150,000); The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund ($150,000); the Disaster Relief Fund of Newsday/McCormick Tribune Foundation ($150,000); Diocese of Rockville Centre (N.Y.) Emergency Relief Fund - World Trade Center Disaster Fund ($300,000); the Garden City (N.Y.) Community Fund - Family Relief Fund ($300,000); America's Camp ($350,000); the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund ($500,000); the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund ($500,000); the Twin Towers Fund ($500,000); and the Silver Shield Foundation ($1 million).